One of the best ways to optimize your business Web site for higher search engine placement is to increase the amount of other sites that link to you. Most search engines use the quantity and quality of links pointing to your site to determine how to rank your site. The more quality links pointing to your pages, the better your placement will be. And that means more traffic for your business.

Here is a way for other sites to link back to you.

Link Directories Link directories are the best way to get your website noticed and other people to link back to you. Website owners pay to have their link posted on other websites for the purpose of linking back to your website. Find websites that sell complementary products or provide content that is related to the product or service that you are offering.

Listing your business in Web directories can help connect buyers and sellers, and it has the same basic advantages as advertising in the traditional yellow pages. Some of those advantages include: attracting targeted customers, establish your brand, and providing your current customers with up to date information about your business. But online directories give you an even greater opportunity to sell products and services because they:

1. Allows you to attract targeted customers outside of your local area. Go nationwide, while staying local.

2. Let anyone with an Internet connection find your business quickly and easily, usually from the comfort of their own home.

3. Provide current and potential customers with maps, driving directions and an active link to your company's Web site.

4. Give your company international exposure.

If you're just starting out and your site doesn't get a lot of traffic, you may not get a one-to-one trade; be prepared to make concessions, at least until you have a track recordand trafficto point to. That said, there are still a few companies that won't turn down an opportunity for more exposure, so you'll probably find a few that are still willing to do a free link exchange with you. However, the number of website owners offering free link exchanges are dwindling.