Inbound links are key to achieving high search engine rankings. They act as a “vote” for your site and, in addition to your content, give the search engines a better idea of what your site is about. Growing the number of links that point to your site is a sure way to climb the search engine results ladder, but the focus should be on quality, not quantity.Focus on finding links in your “neighborhood” as they will provide the most content relevant options. Here are a few ways to pick some of that low hanging link fruit.

1. Associations and Memberships - There are organizations that promote topics like best practices, certifications, and education within every industry. It is common to see a directory of members or list of companies who provide a particular product or service. Fees, if any are typically low.
2. Links to the Competition - You can identify who links to the sites that consistently outrank you. This could reveal opportunities to secure some of the same links. On Yahoo, search for linkdomain:isotechinc.com -site:isotechinc.com (replace “isotechinc.com” with the competitor’s URL). Even if you’re not ready to set out on your own link building campaign, this technique will help you identify what the competition is doing. Do thier links indicate media coverage, paid placement on directories or blog coverage?
3. Press Releases - Written carefully and distributed properly, a press release can generate incoming links as well as awarenewss about your company. Press releases can also rank well on their own, particularly in the first few days/weeks after distribution. Some distribution sites:
   
   • prleap.com
   • prweb.com
   • free-press-release.com
   • press-word.com/add
   • news.thomasnet.com
4. Social Media and Blog Sites - Get involved in the conversations happening across blogs related to your industry. Are you an authority on what you sell? If so, your contributions would be welcome in these communities. When appropriate, throw a plug out there linking back to information on your site that is relevant to the conversation. DO NOT spam blogs. Your goal is to build your reputation as a leader in your industry.
5. Think Local - Sites like Citysearch and Yellow Pages provide global, local links if you sign up with them, but in nearly every mid-large metropolitan area, there are literally hundreds of directories and lists of local companies in every possible category. Oftentimes they’re free and even when they aren’t, the prices to be listed are fairly inexpensive.
6. Article Writing & Submission - Writing unique, valuable content about your subject matter for your own site is the most critical piece of on-site SEO. But, it can also be a fantastic way to generate quality links from other sites. Many existing websites are designed around hosting the content of others and providing links back to them. Here are a few:
   
   • Idea Marketers
   • Article Central
   • Go Articles
   • EzineArticles
   • Business Know-How
   • Buzzle
   • EBooksnBytes

These are just a few steps you could take toward building a stronger online presence. Remember, quality links are preferred over quantity.