How to Use Google Queries to Find Backlink-Friendly Sites

A while ago, I was out cruisin' the blogosphere's main drag, and found another helpful post. This one talked about how to establish quality backlinks.  Much of the posting talked about some pretty typical ideas, like writing and posting good articles, and posting blog comments, etc...  These strategies are pretty well-known.  However, one thing about this article that most other postings have ignored is just how to find the best sites to place your links. 

The genius of this article is in using very specific Google searches to find these sites.  Some of these search strategies kinda fall in the realm of "Power Searching" on Google because they involve more than just typing in words and hoping to get good hits.  We'll talk about these as we get through them.

Directories, Lists, and Vertical Portals

It's important to get your site listed in Directories, especially topic-specific ones (especially vertical portals).  But how do you find them?  Well, it turns out that there are some common factors that these pages all seem to have, and you can use that in your searches to get straight to them.

First pick one of your keyword phrases.  The first part of the search will be that phrase included in quotations (yes, you'll use the quotations in the Google search bar).  Like this:

"outdoor cooking"

This will tell google to search for sites that contain an exact match for the words "outdoor cooking".  If a site has the word "outdoor" and "cooking" but they're apart, in different sentences, for example, then the site won't come up in the results list.

Then, after a space, type a plus sign (+), like this:

“outdoor cooking” +

This tells Google that you want to include something else in the search criteria.

After another space, type: “add url” (and include the quotations), like this:

“outdoor cooking” + “add url”

Google will return only web pages that include both the exact phrase, "outdoor cooking" AND the exact phrase "add url", but they don't have to be right next to each other in the page.  See, most directories, lists, and vertical portals include the phrase, "add url".  But we don't want EVERY directory and portal, just the ones about outdoor cooking, so we include that, as well, in the search.

Here are some other searches that will bring up directories, lists, and portals (use your own keyword phrases in place of the words "Keyword phrase" and remember to include the quotation marks):


“Keyword phrase” + “add site”
“Keyword phrase” +  “add website”

Another trick involves Squidoo.com and their system of establishing lists.  Go to Google and do this search:

“add+to+this+list”+”keyword phrase”+site:squidoo.com

This search query will pull up a list of Squidoo.com pages (many with good pageranks) that allow you to add your site to their list, and, in many cases, even choose your own link text.

Using these searches can save you a lot of time in the most labor intensive part of your linking campaigns, that is: finding the kinds of sites you want to use. 

Mark is currently in the curriculum Department of an internet and SEO training company. Mark also has other sites and blogs, including Mark's Black Pot - Dutch Oven Recipes, MarkHansenMusic.com and his MoBoy blog.