Let's say you have six main keywords/phrases that you optimize your site for. When exchanging links or submitting articles or to directories or whatever... Should you alternate these keywords/phrases or just stick to one specific keyword/phrase? Also, should you direct the link to your home page only or inner pages as well? What is the most effective way to gain backlinks?
It depends on you. If you are asking me, I prefer to change the alternate text for each articles/links that I submit.. As for your 2nd question, you should also link to your inner pages so that spiders can crawl easily to your website.
I am sure that every time the same keyword could be a good and fast way to gain and loose positions. a more stable way seems to bring some variations into your keyword combination(s). But my last experience was, that too many different keywords for one site could also damage your main keys a little bit.
It would really depend on the size and content of your site. If you have a site with various sections and content, then using different anchor text in the links is advisable, as is linking directly to some of the inner pages of your site. Trying to target a large number of keywords to your home page, might not be as effective as concentrating on a smaller number of specific keywords to several pages of your site.
Using various anchor text is a good way to ranks on various targeted keywords Yes you can direct the links to index or inner pages. Depending on your prioritized page to get rank. The most effective way is quality links from related sites.
You can begin with the less competitive keywords and move up from there. I would prefer to see the results before moving on to other keywords.
First build links to your site's main page. When you have a good amount of backlinks for the main page, then move to inner pages. Also, I think its better to use different keywords in anchor text in order to avoid any penalty.
Well.....I think its better to have little variations in anchor text while exchanging links or while submiting it to directories or also while submiting article to article sites but must have your main keywords in anchor text..... And always priority to your homepage but in case you have to promote any inner page then you can go for to link it.........with relevant anchor text having your main keywords..........