While back links from the largest, most popular sites on the web are ideal and weighted heavily by the search engines. Back links from smaller NICHE sites can be just as effective.
Back links to your site on large sites like about.com or msn or yahoo are GREAT for your search engine optimization. Large sites are indexed frequently, and a link from such a site can really soar you to the top of the search results on keywords you though were impossible to capitalize on. However, these links generally link directly to the "bigger" site where your link is located. Hopefully, someone can actually find you in the midst of all the content they provide and contextual links that will surround your link.
The unfortunate part of being fortunate enough to be linked to by one of the bigger sites, is that their content is updated so frequently that the back link to your site becomes stale, unvisited and possibly removed from their directory (depending on it's importance and relevance).
Smaller sites and directories, on the other hands, generally leave your back links on their sites FOREVER. Although these sites do not get indexed as frequently, they are still VERY valuable. It may take days or even weeks for a search engine to find your back link on a smaller niche site. However, if your site content is relevant to the site content of the site you are linking from BOTH sites get better placement from the search engines.
The best search engines scour the web and look for the MOST USEFUL information and sites to list first for any given keyword. The more links in and out of your web site with (RELEVANT) information, the more USEFUL your site seems to the search engines.
Often times, the smaller web sites (although indexed less frequently) can offer a variety of targeted NICHE links that you will wish to be a part of (if it's your niche). Much like a web ring, you get associated with the related sites. This is GREAT, especially if some of these sites have a larger web presence than you. Much like any business, you will want to brush elbows with those in the industry that are BIGGER than you are.
So why bother placing links on smaller sites???
Longevity is the answer. Those niche back links will TYPICALLY stay on the web forever (or at least the life of the web site). Often times, if you are the BIGGER web site (as far as search engines are concerned) you will considered the "reference source" for your niche if you show up on many smaller sites. Google and other search engines NOTICE these related links, and actually considers you to be the industry leader for niche keywords and phrases, moving you to the top of the list (ABOVE THE SMALLER SITE YOU ARE BEING LINKED FROM).
With all that said... web rings are a great way to get this sort of back link association. Another great way is to post relevant content and links on directory and forum sites that ALLOW YOU TO you promote your fortune related product or service (MAKE SURE to adhere to the rules of the forum or directory you wish to list on... or they too will delete you).
So, what are you waiting for? PROMOTE YOUR PRODUCT OR SERVICE TODAY and receive valuable back links from smaller sites in YOUR niche market.
