I've found the best way to get articles linked to is simply by writing a quality piece and marketing it to a relevant audience. Not everyone will link no matter how relevant your article is to their audience, but that's no reason not to ask. Just don't waste your time (or theirs) asking a poorly targeted blogger.

But the fact is, you have to prove yourself first. Yes, it is hard work. But once you have the kind of blog other bloggers would BENEFIT from being in contact with, networking with other bloggers becomes easier.

But first you have to do the grunt work and get your blog over the hump with good old fashioned hard work and great content.

Yuwanda – I definately think that writing a blog post and linking to some relevant posts is a better way to get a link back. Perhaps not with that post but in the future the blog you linked to would be more inclined to link back to you (as long as the blogger is actively checking their pingbacks etc).

Ryan – Glad you enjoyed the post (and thanks to your friend Dan for referring you here). I've never emailed for a link back or stumble or whatever either but as I said in the post, I couldn't ever rule it out (don't wanna do it later and look like a hypocrite haha). It's not something I think I will ever do on a regular basis but perhaps as a one off.

Cassie – I'm the same. A lot of my stumbles are for the same people because I stumbled their posts when they asked. Hopefully that doesn't go against anyone ever voting for one of my posts.

Gerard / Sandra – Thanks for the kudos

I touched upon the subject of social media voting a few months ago on my personal blog : Should you stumble yourself?. In it I talked about whether it was right to ask for stumbles or diggs from other bloggers

Appreciate the feedback guys

your blog on networking is awesome! I just started blogging recently to promote my name as I wait for my books to publish, and I need all the tips I can get.

Thanks for posting this.

I have friends who are always asking me to Digg their stuff, but I rarely do simply because it just isn't good. I don't want their crap posts (sorry friends) to show up in my profiles because that makes me look not as good. That probably sounds bad, but it's honestly the way I think.

This is my first time reading this blog. Dan Schawbel actually shared this post via Google reader, and I really enjoyed it.

I would even go so far as to say that I would almost NEVER email someone asking for a link. As you definitely alluded to, if you're providing something new, innovative, and relevant you will get linked to.

Another thing I would add is that don't be hesistant to send bloggers stuff from OTHER bloggers that you think they might find beneficial and relevant. If someone shoots me an e-mail with a couple of posts, links, etc. they think I might be interested in, and none of them are there own (or maybe one is), I will usually go out of my way to check out their post after confirming that what they sent me is relevant. And that goes back to building relationships, like you said.

Enjoyed the read!

That's why I like posting to places like Technorati. Believe me, if you have relevant content and network in large forums like this, your post will get linked to. And, when you approach individiual bloggers, make your request specific — and preferably, reference a post the blogger has written, eg, "I just finished reading your post on x, and I had quite a different take on it, which I explain in XXX post here. The main difference is in XXX."

While this is more time consuming, it does build relationships.

I wish people could get over one thing about making money online — which is the bottom line for many — IT TAKES TIME AND THERE ARE NO QUICK ROUTES. If many would just accept this and proceed accordingly, 90% of websites would disappear from the web altogether.

Okay, I'm off my soapbox, but this touched a nerve with me Kevin, as I get quite a few of these types of requests a day.

And, thanks for your comment on my last post.

Yuwanda

The best way is to link to their work first, and hope you get a link back!