As the online marketplace continues to warm up to the idea of search-engine optimization (SEO), link-building has taken center stage, as it tends to be the most time-consuming and crucial part of any Internet marketing strategy.

Link-building services are the most commonly outsourced aspect of SEO. The process involves finding qualified and thematically relevant one-way linking partners who will link back to your website.

At first glance, that sounds easy, and there are hundreds of automated products that claim to add thousands of back links overnight. The truth is, there are no shortcuts in cultivating authoritative back links for a site.

Link-building companies spend many hours link-building by hand to get the best results. Spammy, automated products seldom cultivate valuable links and tend to do more harm than good. Here are five tips to help you get started.

1. Know what keywords you're targeting

Link-building strategies are an extension of your current SEO practice. You'll want to reference the list of keywords you have selected to optimize your site. Make sure that the anchor text of the link lists the keyword you are targeting.

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