Even the most enthusiastic executives of Search engine optimization companies have started admitting the fact in their very private discussions that Link submissions are no longer bringing a phenomenal change in SEO. Why such a fatal turnout for such a fundamental and proven SEO technique? Is it purely a rumor or just a foolish notion of ignorant people? We will try to look into the core concept of links and its current scenario.

Linking is one of the most traditional techniques of SEO and people have found it to be highly effective for a long period of time. Even today every SEO expert advises that every inbound link works as a positive vote. Even Google webmaster tools also speak in volumes favoring links for cost effective internet marketing. On the other hand many webmasters and SEO consultants have shown their concerns about the delay of link approval processes in most directories and this has become a global scenario today. Mainly the Google update of April 2008 has raised innumerable questions and doubts about the entire linking process and its actual effects. We have noticed several sites to rank even without a single link.

We should not deviate from a basic fact that google and other search engines have been shifting their focus from the directories slowly but inevitably. As a result, even the directory owners are also losing their enthusiasm regarding maintaining directories, which have awarded them a lot of money through featured links, sponsors and advertisements. When the father looses his interest on his child, he becomes an orphan and being an orphan, link directories have lost their inherent glamour’s and for obvious reasons, they are fading away very slowly, but the tendency is noticeable. Even if a link is submitted, they take enough time for even approval, which has got a ripple effect even among link submitters.

The residual focus of the webmasters or directory owners are still limping on paid links, featured links or at the least link exchange, where they find the tangible benefits either in monitory terms or even in maintaining the ranking of their websites.  Perhaps the day is not far away where a link will only work as an indirect outlet of the website instead of a prime SEO technique.