In search engine optimization, "off page" factors have become more and more essential as they relate to rankings. In particular, solid link popularity can accurately make or break a site with the search engines. Before we go any further, what is "link popularity"? In very basic terms, link popularity refers to the number and quality of the incoming links that are pointing to your site. These other sites consider your site significant enough to link to. So, in the engine's view, your site is considered important as well. What is meant by "link popularity" can get much more multipart, which is discussed further in this article.

However, one of the most complex areas of SEO is building link popularity. Why? Because the engines don't want "artificially created" (or useless) links, so there are no easy ways to build link popularity. The days of link farms and huge link exchange programs are over. Try those strategies now and you can easily find yourself booted out of an engine.

Rather, the engines want links from authoritative sites, or links from sites that share the same focus as your site.

But besides the link popularity you gain by getting a reliable site to link to you, you also gain additional visibility for your Web site. So, when working on building link popularity, don't forget those two fundamental reasons for requesting links.