Reciprocal
linking is catching on in popularity. It's a way for website owners
to share each other's traffic, a simple "let's trade links"
deal that can help to widen your web audience.
Swapping
links can also help you with your search engine traffic. Some search
engines calculate the number of links to your site from other sites
and use it to determine your ranking. As you know, a better position
equals more targeted traffic!
Another
way reciprocal links can benefit you is by drawing repeat traffic
back to your website. If you offer a high- quality list of relevant
links, visitors will return often because they know that they can
quickly find what they're looking for.
PROACTIVE
LINKING METHODS
One
way to approach reciprocal linking is be proactive. You actively search
out websites that would complement your own, and send a note to the
owner asking to swap links.
This
is actually a very time-consuming task. It isn't as easy as purchasing
a list of "targeted" and "willing" email recipients
(also known as SPAM!) and then blasting out a link swap request.
It requires
research, pure and simple. To find possible link partners, visit any
of the major search engines such as Google < http://www.google.com/
> to find websites that can offer valuable content to your visitors.
Then
visit each website individually. Take a few minutes to look around
and see what type of information it offers, and whether or not it
can add value to your own site. Don't worry that linking to other
sites may make your own seem "incomplete" - it doesn't.
No one website can cover everything, and a high-quality links directory
benefits your visitors by saving them from searching the web.
Keep
in mind that website owners may get several link requests every day.
To make yours stand out - and to convince him that you're not spamming
- be sure to personalize your link request.
Include
the site owner's name. Comment on something you've seen on her website.
This shows that you have actually visited the site and taken the time
and effort to look around. Personalized requests are far more likely
to get a positive response.
PASSIVE
LINKING METHODS
You
can also take a passive approach to reciprocal linking. That is, you
basically sit back and wait for others to approach or link to you.
This passive approach gives you an obvious time advantage. Some ways
to encourage passive links include:
Put
a link on your site that says, "How to Link to Us". Provide
the text, banners, buttons, and HTML to make it as easy as possible
for someone to think to you.
Offer
a content-rich site. You'll be pleasantly surprised at how many websites
link to you just because they like what you have to offer.
Personally,
I prefer the passive approach, as I'm sure most of you do. I only
actively request links when I happen across an excellent site that
I know my audience would appreciate.
But
like with all things online, there isn't one "right" way
to do things. Success depends on doing a combination of things well.
Reciprocal links are one way to steadily build targeted traffic and
add value to your site.
ABOUT
THE AUTHOR:
Angela is the editor of Online Business Basics, a practical, down-to-earth
guide to building an Internet business on a beginner's budget. If you
enjoyed this article, you'll love the book! Visit http://www.onlinebusinessbasics.com
or request a series of 10 free reports to get you started.
