I am currently developing a community/portal site. Its still in development stage where I am setting up the things, logos, contents etc. Considering the time it takes to get into search engines, when do I start developing links? Will it be too early if I start right away?
I always start link building after the website is launched. Once your site is up and running, all pages built, all content added, then you start building links. If you start early building links for just a domain with no site, You get listed in search engine as a domain with no content and would take time until the search engines make an update. Also, many web directories have Editors, who will visit your site and if no site there, you dont get listed.
I would say it depends on the links that you are targeting. You can start to submit your site to the directories as soon as possible. Trading links and writing articles after your site is launched.