When it comes to running any type of web site, if you want to increase your Google PageRank or receive higher results in search engine queries, you need to focus on backlinks.

Backlinks are links from other web sites that link to yours.

Here are some key steps I use to help increase my web site “PageRank” or popularity rating, and traffic.

-Check current backlink stats
Google tends to show different results at different times, so the best Search Engine I like to use for checking backlinks is Yahoo or MSN. To check your backlink, visit Google, Yahoo, or MSN and type in the following:
link:www.yourdomain.com
A list will be retrieved showing you all the (backlinks) links linking to your web site.

-Check backlinks on related, popular sites
I would visit similar web sites to mine with a much higher traffic rating or PageRank. I would then retrieve all of their backlinks via Google, Yahoo, and MSN (link:www.theirdomain.com).

-Submit to backlinks retrieved from related, popular sites
This step has been most rewarding in increasing my web sites popularity ratings as it shows you what other web sites like yours have for backlinks. What I would do next is submit my web site to all of the results I see queried from the search engine. I would not do this for just the results retrieved from Google, but from all the major search engines. This approach can help dramatically as it has helped with web sites that are related to yours.

-Get listed in Dmoz.org
Dmoz.org should be the first directory you submit to, as it is among the highest rated directory among most of the Search Engines. If you get listed in there, you are on a very good start. Dmoz also offers a script to webmasters where they can list the the directory/sites on their own web site. So if you get listed in dmoz, you will also be listed on hundreds of web sites that have the script installed.

-Hound “in a nice way” Dmoz.org editors
Why hound dmoz.org? Well, many web sites have claimed lately that it usually takes up to 1 year, or even longer to get listed in Dmoz. Dmoz.org claims that it could take several weeks to get your web site listed, but in reality, it takes several months. I would send a friendly e-mail to the editor a couple of times a month asking what the progress is on my submission. In just a month, I got a response from the editor stating that my web site was accepted into the Open-Directory. I’ve browsed through many webmaster discussion web sites, and people are complaining about how slow it is to get listed in dmoz.org. Well, if you kindly e-mail the editors on a regular basis, you might just get them to list your site sooner so that you will stop sending them e-mails. It worked for me.

-Submit to free-directories
Submitting to free-directories is free, and it is counted as a backlink. However do keep in mind that submitting to directories with a PageRank of 0 will not help much…Try to submit to directories with a good PageRank or Alexa rating.

-Purchase text-links
Some web sites will not list your web site for free. Some will require a reciprocal link, or a small cost. If you are willing to pay for a text-link, only do so if the web site pulls in good traffic, or has a high PageRank. Other than that, save your money.

-Text Link Ads Service
One service I admire the most is the new Text Link Ads service. Registration is fast and free. Once you are signed up, you can browse among thousands of web sites to advertise your web site on. This isn’t a typical dynamic link generated to your web site, but a static HTML link which would be considered a backlink to your web site. Their search feature is organized by Category, Alexa rank, Google PageRank, and so on. Prices usually ranges from $10/mo to $250/mo for a text-link. The big benefit with this service over lets say Google Adsense, is that it’s not based on CPC (Cost Per Click) That static link will be on that web site for as long as you want it to be. You can advertise on web sites all the way up to PageRank 10! Some web sites only offer homepage advertising, and others offer side-wide advertising. Side-wide advertising is advertising on all of its pages (usually hundreds to thousands of pages) This service is a quick way to boost traffic and PageRank. I use it regularly for Defending the Truth – Debate Politics Online
You can sign up for free here.
Or for a limited time offer (requires minimum $125 purchase) you can get $100 free in Text Links!

-Check backlinks weekly
After all that work you have spent submitting/asking webmasters to list your web site, why not keep up-to-date with your results? Each week I like to check my backlinks on Google, Yahoo, and MSN, along with recording my results. Increasing backlinks sure is a time-consuming process, but it can be rewarding in the end if you keep up with the dedicated work.

Good Luck!