For businesses with a .com domain, piggybacking on the high search authority of .edu or .org sites can improve search engine optimization. A business can earn a link on sites of area colleges, universities, or not-for-profit organizations that it has good relations with. (Keyword: Earn).

Seomoz.org says folks who receive such coveted links on .edu sites have four things in common:

1) they are generous with their time,
2) generous with their talent,
3) generous with their money, or
4) know a lot about an academic subject and are very good at writing about it.

Helping an organization with its Web site, writing professional articles that professors can recommend to their students, making donations in your business’s name or volunteering at charitable events are just some ways in which a business can earn a link. Earning a link on a .gov domain may or may not be more difficult, but try getting more involved with your city and state government through civic events. You never know when an opportunity can arise. The core tactic to earning links is to create a mutually beneficial relationship.

A couple of days ago the president of Absorbent, Ink. talked to Small Business Trends Radio about how to get the most out of giving gifts to clients. They were nice enough to post the interview on their website.

Click here to listen to the interview.