Dr. Ralph F. Wilson, Wilson Internet Rocklin, CA
Feb 23, 2005, 23:22
I've convinced that Internet marketers must exercise restraint in linking. I'm currently seeking reciprocal links to three of my sites (a Christmas site, an Easter site, and a Bible study site. I don't offer reciprocal linking for my WilsonWeb.com site, but I send requesters a standard e-mail response -- several daily!) I made the mistake a few months ago of listing the Bible study resources page on a website designed to help webmasters link to each other. I've had literally dozens of offers for reciprocal links with UK mortgages, Texas holdem poker, personal loans, contact lenses -- you name it. These people don't read or have any sense at all!
The problem is that many so-called marketers believe that any in- or outbound link a good link. They're wrong. Increasingly, search engines are defining sites by the context and hyperlink text of webpages that link to them and that they link to. Linking indiscriminately will diffuse your site's focus and thus your search engine ranking. Be very selective. Exchange links only with sites that have commonalties with and complement your site. Don't link to a site you wouldn't want your visitors to go to.
Ken Evoy has just released a free e-book Make Your Links WORK! The 80-20 Keep-It-Real Guide to Linking (February 2005). While the book spares little in singing the praises of Evoy's Site Build It! system (which, incidentally, I strongly recommend), it also contains excellence advice on linking. Chapter 2 introduces the topic. Chapter 3, "The Best Ways to Build Incoming Links Now," gets into the subject squarely. First, Evoy explains the importance of links from directories, both primary and second tier directories. Then, instead of the term "reciprocal links" or "link-exchanging," he advocates the term "value-exchange," since quality, focused links add value to both sites -- and their visitors. "Bottom line? Keep it real," says Evoy. "Do not do it for the engines. Do it for your visitors." Finally, he explains how to find good linking partners and promotes the use of SiteSell's free Value Exchange to find other willing partners. http://sales.sitesell.com/value-exchange/
