You don't have to be Cupid to spread "love" this Valentine's Day.  With search engine optimization critical to your Web site's success or failure, "link love" is the effect that web pages rank better when they have more and higher quality links pointing at them. 

So how do you fall in "link love"?

There are plenty of fish in the sea - But you need to link bait them

If you want link love, you're going to have cast some link bait.  Link bait refers to creating content that increases traffic to your Web site or Blog. The good news is anything can be link baited if you do it right.  Here are some tips for baiting the link love of your dreams:

Pick a killer title: Like a little black dress on a Saturday night, a good title will lure in your link lovers.  But your title must deliver focused content. If you're writing about high speed rail, your title can't be "Angelina Jolie Photos."

Develop good content: Obviously, your killer title doesn't mean much if it's attached to dull content. 

Looks matter: Nothing undermines a Web site's credibility like a spelling error or a hard to read font.  Make sure your site's appearance does justice to your content.

Leverage social networks: You have to put yourself out there.  Waiting for Cupid's link love arrow to strike your page won't work.  Take action and post to sites like Digg and StumbleUpon, and share with your Facebook and Twitter networks. 

Link love is a two-way street: You have to give a little to get a little when it comes to link love.  Make sure to give a nod to the sites you find interesting and resourceful.

Love is Blind - Just ask Google

When it comes to search engines, there is one universal truth: if you're not on Google, you don't exist.  But when it comes to search engine optimization, Google loves you only when everyone else loves you first.  Needless to say, your Web site's relationship status with Google would be branded "It's Complicated" on Facebook. 

Right now you may be thinking, "With so many search engines, why would I center my SEO strategy entirely on Google?"  There are other search engines out there, sure, but let's not kid ourselves, Google is the big man on campus and your Web site should be doing anything and everything to get him to look your way.  

This February, show some link love to your favorite Web sites. They may just ask your site to be their valentine, too. 

At Vehr Communications, we can help you better understand how to get Google love.  Please don't hesitate to contact us.  Check out our Web site to learn more about us.