The Top 8 Steps to Social Media Link Building

1. Inbound Links. The more links connecting to your business website, the more traffic is generated, and the higher search engine rankings becomes. Great for brand exposure and awareness, too.

2. Blog Post as a Guest. Being a guest blogger is a quick way to generate links back to your website. In addition to SEO benefits, guest blogging enables your business to build relationships with your industry- as a subject expert and as a trusted resource.

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3. Local Directories. Activate Google local (with Google+) and position your business among your respective area of expertise. Launch Google Play and iPhone "App Store" (iTunes) apps specific to your products or services. With Bing - establish your business in the Windows Phone marketplace (was Zune).

4. Content/Content/Content. This could be number one... well-written content is supreme. Especially step-by-step or instructional articles that are easily accessible or researchable with, meaningful, specific keyword phrases.

Content "Is King" Tips:

• Target a relevant topic;
• Find new information on a subject of interest;
• Use an easy to follow step-by-step process, and;
• Include images/video with images tags (to increase research-ability).

5. Business Social Media. Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Google+ are the must have minimum investment for a small business. Getting establish in several social media networks is a must to drive links back to your website. The more involved the more followers, and the more possibility of an educated consumer driving higher sales. Remimber to ask your readers to "like you" and to "share" what they have learned. Tip: Utilize tools such as HootSuit, Bitly (bil.ly), Buffer, and Do Share.

6. Contests. This is a tricky one that only works if you don't give away the store. Be careful about rewards for winning a contest or answering a few questions correctly. What you promised must be delivered, or the work you have done may be for-not. ...Thus, only generating a bad reputation that's almost impossible to shack.

Some Executables:

• Build up your contest over a defined period of time with teasers on all your social media avenues;
• Give away a prize that you really can deliver on (ideally one that doesn't involve shipping and handling);
• Provide clear, simple rules with an expiration date;
• Publish the winning entry or name with their permission;
• Wait a while for the next contest, keeping it as a special event and not the norm.

7. Social Media Link Building with Lists. Lists work. You are reading this list. David Letterman has had tremendous success with his "Top 10 list". Lists are generally easy to understand, can be designed to be immediately gratifying and include action steps.

Three To-Do Tips for Lists:

1. List names and places - people love to see their name or location in print (that is in a good light);
   
   
2. Explain how something works with a list. Order the importance of each step needed for success.
   
   
3. Recap with a list or provide an executive summary in a list.
   
   

8. Track. Find out which inbound links, blogs, directories, content, social media, contests, and lists, are the most viewed. Adjust your link building accordingly. Review viewers comments, and monitor your subscriber rate. Good tools include- Google Analytics, Digg, Mashable, and Wordtracter.

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