Use directories

Inbound links are good. Google sees them, and ranks your site higher, the more inbound links it finds to your site. Some links are better than others. A link from a site that Google ranks highly, will be seen as more important than a link from a site that Google gives a low rank to.

Directories rank high.

They offer free links to your website.

It's really a no brainer. But where to advertise? Simple. Use FireFox with the Google Toolbar to view your competitors websites. Make a list of the ones that have a high Page Rank. For each of these that rank higher than your site currently does, search for "link:http://www.yourcompetition.com" to find out all the sites Google is aware of that link to them.

Trawl through the inbound links looking for directories. Add your site to them.

This is simpler than child's play, and you can achieve a lot in under an hour. There are no excuses not to.

Ben