If You're Short of Time You Can Pay for Links

Here are reviews of a couple of paid approaches -- a firm that specializes in developing targeted reciprocal links and a text-link auction. This information is contained in Dr. Wilson's report on Reciprocal Linking Tools.

Building a network of reciprocal linking partners is hard, slow work -- even with software tools. If you have more time than money, here are some ways to get links to your site -- and higher search engine rankings.

Services to Obtain Reciprocal Links

Most search engine optimization (SEO) firms, such as KeywordRanking.com (www.wilsonweb.com/afd/keywordranking.htm), offer services to obtain links to your site. Some of them do this work in-house. Others outsource this slow, painstaking work.

LinkageXpress
http://www.wilsonweb.com/afd/linkagexpress.htm
Terry Mickelson, CEO
10251 N. 77th Place
Scottsdale, Arizona USA 85258

This respected service provides set number of links to your site for a set price. $625 for 25 links (which calculates out to $25/link) or $1,060 for 50 links ($21.20/link). To do this, LinkageXpress employees might have to contact up to 150 people just to get 25 links. In addition to working directly with webmasters, they also can work as a "silent partner" service to Internet consultants, SEO firms, etc. They look for any applicable niche directories as well as targeted links that are relevant -- though not competitors -- to their client's site. Reciprocal links are placed on the client's site. As an additional service, LinkageXpress can take over maintenance and management of a linking program for $39.95/month, including perpetual monitoring of the link partners and replacement of up to five partners if they are lost. They also handle new link request from webmasters. I believe this to be a legitimate company that offers quality services to clients. Strongly recommended if you don't have time to do this yourself.

Purchasing Links to Your Site

You may be surprised to find that there is a growing marketing for those who want to boost link popularity rapidly through purchasing well-placed targeted links to their sites. Though webmasters can do this for their own sites, this is one strategy used by SEO firms who need to get more rapid results for their clients. It also enables you to get in-bound links without reciprocating out-bound links, which some people feel is the way to go.

Of course, the first link you should purchase should be Yahoo! Express listing in the Yahoo! Directory at $299 annually through Express listing (which averages $25/month). https://ecom.yahoo.com/dir/express/intro/ Frankly, I can't see myself recommending that you purchase links at these prices -- but if you're in a hurry to get high rankings and have the money to spend, here are some opportunities.

LinkAdage Auctions
http://www.wilsonweb.com/afd/linkadage.htm

LinkAdage provides an auction marketplace where you can purchase one-way links to your website -- called "text link advertising." Membership is free. An auction section allows you to bid on links offered on sites that are not named, but described by general category, type, and PageRank of site. Link Exchange allows peer to peer exchanges between webmasters. Prices are based on top bids, but prices seem to be in the range of $30 to $150 per month or more, depending upon category.

For those who don't want to bid for links at auction, LinkAdage Brokerage allows webmasters to buy links for a set price. Prices are kept low because LinkAdage buying blocks of text ads from high visibility sites and then selling them individually to clients.

For those who want to sell links by auction the basic listing fee is free (though upgraded listings cost something). When links are sold there is an 8% to 10% fee ($10 minimum) based on the first month ad price.

There are dozens of link brokerages and text link exchanges available. Some are legitimate, others may note be Be careful out there...