Many factors will determine how successful your blog is. I have always said content is key. However, the truth is that there is one simple thing your blog needs to be successful.

Inbound links. No matter what your site is about, how search-engine-optimized it is, or how great your posts are, your blog will fail if it does not have inbound links. They are the key to successful blogging.

Google interprets a link to your blog as +1 point. High-ranking sites that link to you will earn you more points, and a negative effect can occur from a link on a blacklisted site. As you rack up points, Google sees your content as more valuable. Over time, your PageRank will go up and Google will send you more traffic.

Links to your blog will also get you direct hits from those links. These can be valuable users, as they have already shown enough interest to click on your site.

The type of link matters too. The best link is a context-context one. This means, example.com writes an article about cars. They link the phrase “car repair” to a car repair article on your blog. This tells search engines that your content is particularly valuable on that subject, and will give you a good spot in SE listings.

What’s more, inbound links will have a “trickle down” effect on your blog. Websites like Alexa and Technorati analyze inbound links to determine your sites traffic.

As you venture your way through the web marketing world, you will find that this rule rings true. I would go as far as to call inbound linking the “holy grail” of blogging. Getting links to your blog is tough, but your work will pay off immensely in the end.