The linkerati, a term created by Rand Fishkin of SEOMoz.org, are people who have the power to influence the flow of traffic to websites because of their willingness to create and share links. They can be important to the success of a website because quality links help websites gain higher placement in the search engines. They also help websites garner more website traffic, which translates into more potential for earning money through selling products and services, offering advertising spots, and even just providing links to information on another website.
Bloggers are often considered important linkerati. This is because they often create and share links to other websites and blogs. Sometimes they even write about content found on other websites and blogs, garnering even more interest for the sites they link to. People who post on forums are considered among the linkerati as well. According to search engine optimization experts, the links provided by forum posters aren't as well received by the search engines, but they do create traffic and boost the chances of other linkers visiting a website or blog.
Those who create content are also important members of the linkerati. Content creators are always on the lookout for resources to link to for the purpose of creating and expanding websites. They are not just looking for any old content, however; they want quality content, and websites that provide it receive their links. Likewise, online news writers often scour the Internet looking for articles and content they can share with their readers. Even offline news creators can be among the linkerati, picking up interesting content and news items to link to.
Resource editors can be linkerati as well. These people belong to nonprofit organizations and work in educational and government establishments. They spend time looking for content that fits in their website directories and on other webpages. They are a good source of quality links. Also, those who enjoy using social media are considered part of the linkerati. They join sites like Digg, Twitter, and Del.icio.us, boosting the popularity of websites and blogs and helping to increase their traffic.
Also part of the linkerati are those in what is called the viral crowd. These people don't actually provide websites with direct links. Instead, they may send out emails or post on IRC channels, spreading the word about websites and blogs. They may also share information about websites with friends, family members, and associates in person.