Linking to a web site serves two functions: 1) to let humans know about the site; 2) to provide information to search engines about the site. Most understand the human element of linking, but not the search engine element. If you're unaware of this, let us explain it here briefly.

Most of the time when people make a link to a site, they either use a graphic and attach the linking information to it, or they make the web site name or business name the clickable link. While that works, it doesn't tell the search engines anything at all about the link. Search engines (SEs) like it when the link itself tells them something relevant.

In the table above, our link tells the SEs that the link-to site is about a keyword analysis tool. If the link-from site is topically realted to the link-to site, then you have the best scenario, with both sites getting maximum benefit. When the sites aren't relevant to each other, the SEs don't attach much, if any, significance to the link. Viagra and vacuum cleaners are not topically related! A topically unrelated link won't hurt you, but it probably doesn't add any value

If the search engines don't think your site is very important to a particular subject and you're therefore burried on page 47 of a search, then few, if any, surfers will ever find your site and click on that cool graphic or non-descriptive text link.

SEs want to provide relevant information to those searching. If we don't provide them the information they need to determine this, then everybody loses. Other than your on-page factors-- relevant information, keywords and meta tags (though they're actually decreasing in importance), the biggest factor is the links to your site AND what they say about the topic of your site. joesa1widgets.com doesn't tell the SEs anything-- it's like the adults talking in a Charley Brown cartoon, 'blah, blah, blah, blah."

Consider this from another perspective - if a web site had nothing but photos and graphics, with little or no text, it's impossible for the search engines to know what the web site is about - they can't "see" pictures. All the search engines can do is read the *text* of the page. Little or no descriptive text/links = a very low ranking = few if any visitors finding your site via a search.

So, while we appreciate any relevant link to us, a *descriptive text link* as we've provided above, is MOST appreciated!

(Stepping down off soap box, taking a bow, "Thank you, thank you so very much." Put Elvis costume away till next halloween. . .)

BTW, if you're a Clickbank affiliate and want to promote our software while earning 50% commissions, or you just want to help us promote our software, we've prepared some banner ads for your use. Just remember what you've learned from above and include some good descriptive text links too! Learn more about the affiliate program.