It's no secret that link building, the process of getting quality websites to link to your website, is a great way to boost your website's link popularity, search engine visibility and site traffic. The idea behind link building is that as your site increases the number of incoming links, your site gains relevance in the eyes of the search engines and online community. This is vital, and will, in turn, improve online visibility and traffic, and ultimately, the amount of sales generated from your site.

There are plenty of ways to increase links to your website, but one uniquely affordable and effective strategy is online public relations. Online public relations has several benefits beyond link building, so any time and expense you invest will be working double duty for you.

Online Public Relations

Prior to the Internet, public relations (PR) firms were the official gatekeepers to journalists, and if you weren't in a position to hire a good PR firm, you'd have a tough time getting your message "out there." Online PR allows you to skip the middleman and share your company's news and information directly with journalists and the general public via online news sources and websites. Online PR, however, isn't simply the internet version of traditional PR. While there is some overlap, there are also some important differences. First, online PR is far less personalized. That's because it involves sending a press release via a distribution service that broadcasts your message to thousands of media sources and websites. Second, it's much more cost-effective than traditional PR because PR firms/gatekeepers are not part of the equation. Finally, it creates a more level playing field for small- and medium-sized businesses - two groups that had previously been priced out of the PR game.

Incorporating an online PR campaign into your web marketing plan can play a huge role in your website's success by increasing the amount of incoming links to your site, and doing it with the help of Link building Services is the best way to do it. The quantity and quality of incoming links to your site are an important element that most search engines consider as they determine your natural rankings, so the more high-quality links your site has, the more authority it should gain over time. When you create your online press release, it's critical that you include hyperlinks that point back to your site within the body of the release.

Similar to traditional PR, the quality, appeal, and timeliness of your release will affect the types of results you'll see. A truly newsworthy story about a new product launch or consumer award will generate far more links, interest and site traffic than a story about a middle-management promotion or a routine industry certification. Online PR has benefits beyond link building, too:

• Creating additional online exposure: By using a news release distribution service such as PR Newswire or PRWeb.com, your news can reach thousands of online media outlets, as well as the traditional offline reporters and editors in your industry.

In addition, because the releases are optimized for specific key phrases, your company's message can be found in the search engines by users when they are online and actively searching for your information, products and services. This drives more qualified visitors to your website.

(More qualified visitors = more sales.)

Also, it creates the potential for more online and offline media placements by getting your message in front of journalists as they are conducting background research via the search engines.

(More media exposure = more qualified visitors = more sales.)

• Managing your online corporate image: Optimizing your PR content and putting it online will help you establish a positive corporate image by naturally providing the search engines with favorable, relevant results for your target audiences. In addition, content relevant to your industry will brand your company as an expert in the field and further establish credibility. This innovative, proactive approach gives you the control to choose your message and present your company in the best positive light.

• Spot the trends before your competition: Online behavior is an early predictor of public opinion and interest. By responding to and capitalizing on these topics, you can create additional buzz for your company.

• Get an accurate ROI measurement from your PR campaign: Traditionally, it's hard to attach ROI to a public relations campaign. However, by utilizing the tracking opportunities available in online PR, you can plan an effective communication strategy, monitor your results in real-time, and attach a hard number to the campaign's contribution to your company's bottom line. In no other medium can the ROI of a public relations campaign be measured so effectively.

In short, online PR can do wonders to improve your web presence by helping you gain more incoming links, more exposure for keywords, more control of your brand and image, and more traffic to your website. For a fraction of what it would cost to hire a PR firm, you can share your news with thousands of journalists and millions of online readers. So especially if you have a smaller business, take advantage of the democratization of the web and use online PR to get your message heard