Like many of us  in the Internet Marketing world, the most time consuming and least fun task we face, is finding and building quality inbound links. Last week, I told you about a quick and easy website launch marketing package from Alex, this week… I am going to show you EXACTLY how I am working on the forward and backward marketing, discussed in section 5 of the N1Way Readers Guide. Ten years ago it was stupid easy to get inbound attention… but with the rise of spam, I stopped doing it. Today, I start again!

For the sake of example… lets just call it Brown Nose Marketing! BTW, the domain is available if anyone wants to go get it! Pretty catchy actually…

Why not Just use Articles, Blog Posts, and Link Directories?

Have you heard of the Google Sandbox Effect? I won’t get too deep into in this post, and between today and tomorrow, if you read anything about it after this post, you will find different opinions. I have swayed in both directions at different times myself. The trends and other professionals in the market however suggest it does in fact exist, whatever its called!

For sites like we are building today, there is no use debating whether it exists or not, instead, lets just focus on some things just about everyone agrees on:

• Search Engines discount links from article directories – so if you only get article directory links, it may extend your stay in the box!
• Search engines discount blog posts with no-follow OR do-follow! If you focus all your link effort on blog posts, get comfortable!
• Search engines discount link directory links – if you only get directory links… extended stay in the box!
• Search engines link 1-1 link exchanges, so if you “give a link to get a link”, they call that a link scheme…  get cozy in there!
• Just 1 Higher Quality link carries more power than 100 poor ones! This may reduce the timeout!

So with knowing those things – its important for us to make sure we don’t focus entirely on one strategy, and using the N1Way Guides philosophy of  “Do Only Whats Needed – Nothing More“, I have taken the forward and backward strategy in the following direction.

This method takes just 2 minutes a day… no different.

Find The Authority – And Beg for Exposure!

Just like the guide suggests, I have setup my forward marketing routines already. There is really nothing I can do on those until they come to me! As for the backward strategy though.. I have had a “Very Specific Press Release and Site Profile” written.

Its really nothing special, just 300 words that I had Rob over at TextBrokers write for me. Under normal circumstances, I would just submit it to article directories and sit back waiting… er… hoping for lackluster results. Not this time, not ever again!

Make it Stupid Simple for Them and They will Respond!

The information release is just a brief overview of the website, what the website is about, the target audience and of course, my contact information. All of this is already on the about page of the website as well.

What I have also included in it, is a brief brown nosing request to share it with their own audience if they feel its a worthy resource. Nothing fancy [wiggle that nose a little]… pretty humble and to the point.

Mr or Mrs Editor -

On July 25th, I recently opened a new website about [linked niche anchor text]. Admiring your own  knowledge of the [niche market], I feel that my resource may be useful for your own audience, I would feel honored if you shared it. If not, I completely understand, however, I respect your opinion very much and I would appreciate if you could take just one moment to help me improve my new [linked niche anchor] by telling me my why its not worthy.

I have included a brief press release below that you are welcome to share on your website or other media outlets and reprint for your own needs.

[press release]

Thank you,

[name]
[Address]
[email & phone number]
[niche website address]

If it’s Worth Doing – It’s Worth Doing Right?

That was one of my fathers favorite sayings… if you have to do it already, why not just spend the extra few minutes and do the damn thing right?! In this case… doing it right means sending it to the TOP of the food chain and working my way down!

First - Setup your email as a template in your email system. If nothing else, just save it as a draft, complete the title though!! Very Important! Now you only change the name and recipient every day.

Second - If your email system allows you to set an auto responder – do it! Thank them for getting back to you so soon, and promise to reply again shortly.

Third – Instead of simply using Google to find authority sites in the tight niche, head right to the TOP of the food chain! In my case, I am going to start with the editor of golf.com. From there, its off to ESPN, and EVERY other major news outlet that covers major news in my niche!

Fourth - Don’t kill Yourself!! One email, 2 minutes a day… that’s all!

Fifth and finally – Don’t expect high return rate on your efforts for this. BUT… even if you send out 10 and only 1-2 actually write about it… your high quality results are well worth hundreds of low quality links!

BTW – IF any of the people actually respond directly back to you, start compiling a database of contacts broken down by where they work and what [niche] or industry they represent! If they responded today… chances are much better they will respond again if you ever launch another site!

Edit: Reward yourself for each small success! If someone like Sports Illustrated publishes your release, it will be picked up and spread across hundreds (maybe thousands) of other websites that syndicate their content. Reward yourself by taking a day or two off from requesting exposure from others… You have earned it!