Advertisers wishing to generate incoming links via social media websites should consider their campaign carefully, one industry expert has advised.

Writing on Search Engine Land, Debra Mastaler, president of Alliance Link, suggests that companies must constantly advertise the benefits for users in terms of signing up to their products and service.

Ms Mastaler indicated it would not be enough for firms to rely on the likes of "corporate backing or a snazzy one word name" to attract business.

She said: "It's this push to advertise and develop benefit packages that could spell link opportunity for the smart e-marketer."

Meanwhile, those companies who come across an industry-related network or association's website were recommended to sign up to their email alerts and newsletters as these are "information pipelines loaded with marketing opportunities".

However, she warned that advertisers should not spam these portals with links to websites as they are likely to find themselves "bounced".

Last week, Shaun Crowley wrote on Freelance UK that generating quality links is the best method in which companies can improve their search engine results.