Alright… so far we have put SEO into Context, conducted our Keyword Research and put together a logical Site Architecture. Now it’s time to tie it all together with a smart Internal Linking Strategy!
Internal Linking
Linking within your website can be done many ways, such as:
• Primary navigation
• Left-hand (secondary) navigation
• Footer Navigation
• Breadcrumbs
• From within the site copy or article, or
• Inside a widget or module
The important thing to remember is to determine the pages on your website that matter the most, and make sure they are linked to from most (if not all) of the pages on your site. Also, make sure to keep those keywords in mind when creating the anchor text for those links 
External Linking
Most of the webmasters I know who (claim to) understand PageRank, think that linking out is bad. They seem to think “Why should I share my PageRank with other sites?” Well,this is why…because there is more than one factor to ranking, and because the Search engines want you to be an expert on your topic. And how could you possibly be an expert if you don’t link out to other experts!?
Inbound Links
So… we’ve saved the best for last! Once webmasters start to get this SEO thing and understand the value of inbound links, the very next question is…”How do I get people to link to me?” Great question! I have worked with some of the best Link Developers in the country, as well as built my own in-house link team…and the options are threefold:
• Earn them!
• Ask for them!
• Buy them!
Let me go ahead on the record by saying that regardless of my theoretical opinion on purchasing links, the Google Webmaster Guidelines clearly states that buying links for the purpose of manipulating search rankings can get your site penalized or even banned from the search engines. So don’t do it!!
Well that wraps up this beginner series on SEO…I hope it was helpful. If I had to summarize, I think the big takeaway is that SEO is a long-term strategy that includes:
• Understanding your audience (keyword research)
• Creating a solid foundation (site architecture)
• Positioning yourself as an expert (external & inbound linking)
…and ultimately, helping the engines to understand what your site is about!
