While backlinks are the most important factor in SEO (Search Engine Optimization), particularly when they are naturally occurring, highly relevant and driven by great content, outbound links have their place in SEO as well.

Outbound links serve the publisher so that the reader more fully understands the sources of information used by the publisher (writer).  These links serve to increase and maintain credibility of the writer.  They also serve to add backbone to the information and / or the message of the content being offered by the writer.

Letting people know what information you are relying on to become the expert you are in your field lends credibility and foundation to your writings.  Giving credit where credit is due is just a good human characteristic you should have towards building credibility, loyalty and a following.

Authorities rely on other authorities to build a case or make a point.  Moreover, “ye who gives shall also receive” … so by giving to credit to authority sites you increase your opportunity to be linked to by an authority site.  This is kind of the SEO version of the golden rule applied specifically to linking.

So, it still comes down to writing great content; there is no substitute for that.  Then give credit to those who contributed to your knowledge base in developing that content.  Associate yourself with “authorities” and authorities will associate themselves with you.  There is no magic to becoming an expert … you need to do the hard work … you need to know your stuff AND you need to extend the knowledge of your readers by adding new facts, opinions and perspectives to drive home your points.

And to show that I eat my own cooking, please be sure to visit http://www.seomoz.org/blog/the-role-of-outbound-links for related information on Outbound Links.

For websites that want to grow fast, buying backlinks could seem like the easiest and fastest way to go however it’s not cheap and it could end up harming your site instead of improving it. It is a slight misconception that the more backlinks you have, the higher your page rank will be as well as your site’s relevance on the web and in search results.  While there is much truth to that, not all backlinks have equal value. Sites that sell backlinks usually allow you to buy and sell backlinks which means they are in the business of making money, not necessarily having your website’s best interests at heart. Beware of these sites especially if the price seems too good to be true. The backlinks they might be selling you could come from web pages that have a low page rank. These kinds of backlinks could actually backfire and negatively affect your own website’s page rank.

Because Google eventually finds the artificial backlinks, many SEO experts do not recommend buying and selling links to avoid a website getting flagged or penalized. Google prefers natural links and will give more credibility to your site allowing it to rank higher in the search engines.  If you do decide to buy backlinks, choose purchasing permanent backlinks instead of paying a monthly fee for a website to keep your link active. Also, try to make sure that the site (webpage) that includes one of your backlinks is at least a Google PageRank of 4, preferably higher.

To build backlinks in a more consistent and natural way, consider writing content, article syndication, commenting on blog posts, and signing up in online directories. Before you begin your quest for backlinks, realize that it’s a tedious effort but being organized and consistent will pay off. Organize a link building plan by listing methods you want to use and what your goals are. Then work your plan … religiously.  You can click here for more information on how to build backlinks and how to properly track them.