Your link neighbourhood is the network of links to your website from other, external websites. These can be naturally created if you have a well-known website that produces lots of content, as people will link to you because they like you. If you are just starting out, you will need to build up your own network as no one knows about your site yet.

There are several strategies of link building: writing articles, posting in relevant forums and submitting to relevant directories are three of the most popular. It is recommended that you use a variety of techniques to spread out your link coverage. It is also important not to spam your link everywhere, as this will gain you a reputation to be ignored.

Always make sure the external links you are building are from relevant sites. It is no good getting links from unrelated sites, as this will only confuse the search engines, as they will not understand the true ‘theme’ of your site content. It is worthwhile finding relevant forums, directories and general sites to gain links from, even though it will take up more of your time. Also try politely asking for links from other sites you respect, or asking for a link exchange (where you link to their site in return). However, do not give out too many links as this may encourage visitors away from your site.