In our view 1) consistent on-topic content, 2) sound blog technology developed to generate better search engine index penetration and the 3) development of relevant links should all be considered important to a visible presence online; however, good content should be priority number one! In fact good content, which is often referred to as link- bait, will often attract links naturally.

Beware: linking is dangerous sport these days, requiring knowledge of what is & what is not a quality link… and a healthy recognition for the risk of creating a bad link. Linking requires time and effort. If it’s solely pursued for the purpose of SEO, it should be approached with an understanding for a Search Engines interest in ranking content on actual [consumer] value. In fact, Search Engines don’t like cheating or gaming- see this Matt Cutts interview discussing Google’s recognition of common linking tactics they don’t necessarily see as useful to consumers.

Additionally, this piece in Search Engine Watch on the value of links is very informative: What’s a link worth? “The answer often seems riddled with secrets that aren’t secret and lies that are. Don’t listen to the false promises of secrets. Don’t get taken in by the lies. “