Let's talk about links and why you need to pursue them. Because of the almighty hyperlink, the Internet has become a vast network of interconnectivity. From your web site, with one click you can send visitors to any number of other sites that you recommend or mention. Likewise, each of hundreds of other web sites can supply a link to your site.
The Web is like a giant cross-referencing party with everyone giving and receiving links. The thing is, some sites receive a lot more links than others do. Generally, the more popular or useful a web site, the more likely it is that many sites will link to it.
When many people think of generating lots of incoming links, they think about link swaps. This common approach involves webmasters making an "I'll link to yours if you link to mine" offer to countless site owners. Link swaps can lead to your site being listed on a lot of other sites, but there are problems associated with this tactic.
People who employ the swap technique usually set up a special page to list all the outgoing reciprocal links. This page gets increasingly chaotic as the number of site owners wanting to exchange links swells. If you follow this course, the sheer quantity of outgoing links begins to degrade the quality of them and you end up with many links that are loosely related or completely unrelated to your brand identity.
Supplying a jumbled, unfocused links page will turn off your visitors and cause them to question the value of the information you offer. That's a road you don't want to travel. Here are the five linking strategies that I recommend:
1. Provide outgoing links only to sites you strongly endorse.
The sites you recommend say a lot about who you are. Like all of the other elements on your site, your outgoing links should be focused and directly related to your identity. If you're a tax specialist, don't offer a link to a clip art site just because the owner claimed he or she could send lots of traffic your way.
If a site isn't precisely intertwined with your brand, or if a site is of questionable quality, don't link to it. Only provide useful links that will help your visitors and strengthen your online image.
2. Communicate with sites that you recommend.
When you think enough of a site to include it on a recommended links page, you should do so without requiring a reciprocal link. Don't reduce yourself to sending messages that state, "Hey, I'd like to add your site to my links page. All I need in return is a link to my site. Let me know when you have mine set up." If you discover a site that will be valuable to your fans, list it.
However, after you add sites to your links page, contact the site owners and make them aware of the plug. Provide the URL where the site is listed and tell the owner a bit about what you do. You might even include a note that says, "If you feel my site would be of value to your visitors, feel free to mention it or include it on your links page."
This approach is far different from the tactic of demanding a ransom for freeing a link. You're likely to get quality incoming links when you plug great sites related to your brand with no strings attached.
3. Find alternative ways to plug other sites.
In the course of your online travels, you'll come across many good sites that are related in some way to your identity. However, only a small percentage of them will be of a high enough caliber to warrant including on your recommended links page. Instead of writing off the rest of these sites, think outside the box. How else can you plug them without listing them on your page of top-notch links?
You might post a short web site profile of the week or write an article called "12 (insert your area of expertise) Web Sites You Need to Know About." Using this method, you'll plug more worthwhile sites without cluttering your recommended links page. Of course, you should contact the owners of these secondary sites in the same manner outlined in the previous strategy.
4. Simply ask for a link or editorial mention.
If you discover interesting sites that don't qualify for your recommended links page or an alternate plug, it doesn't hurt to contact the site owners and simply make them aware of your site and what it offers. Kindly ask to be included on the sites' link pages or to be kept in mind for a future editorial mention.
You won't accomplish much in life if you don't politely ask for things, so get in the habit. If the owner of one of these low-priority sites responds with a request to receive a reciprocal link, graciously explain that you won't be able to do so at this time but that you'd still appreciate a mention if the owner sees fit.
5. Promote links to individual pages and articles.
If you're like most people, you probably think of generating incoming links as a way to drive visitors to your home page. That's a worthy goal, but don't overlook linking opportunities for specific pages. For example, among the free articles available at author Marcia Yudkin's web site is a Publicity FAQ. The article answers common questions asked by people who are new to the public relations field. Yudkin has had a lot of success getting PR sites to link directly to this FAQ page.
The bottom line is that sometimes you may have better luck suggesting a link to a specific page on your site as opposed to pitching the site in general. If your cooking site has a great recipe for low-carb beef stroganoff, contact the many low-carb sites on the Internet and make them aware of the page that contains the recipe. These sites probably aren't interested in plugging generic cooking sites. But if you have a specific page that's right up their alley, tell them about it and ask for a link.
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