Recipriocal Link Request

No sign of webmaster

[GoldenChild]

How do I make my reciprocal link request not look like spam when the name of the webmaster is not given on the site?

Story so far:
I’ve selected a potential link. It has high search visibility, good link popularity, is updated regularly, professionally designed, has rich content and is highly relevant with a strong link culture!!

I have obviously spent a lot of time on this site and share genuine common ground with the webmaster, however I still have no name to personalise my request.

Should I address it to
a Dear sir/madam
b Dear Webmaster
c email contact eg [e-mail]
d Something else (suggestions please?)

or just leave out the greeting !

What is the consensus of opinion out there?

[agerhart]

You can make it personal by the tone of your letter and your wording. I usually just put a "hello" at the top. Not much you can do when the name isn't there.

[rcjordan]

Open with a quote excerpted from one of their primary pages. Then tell them that you've spent a lot of time reviewing the site and mention a 2nd and 3rd page. I wouldn't use an url until further down.

I get generic requests all the time and trashcan them. The ones that open with a good reference to my site proving that they're not Zeusing me get read.

It might also help to make your subject line to the point, something like:
reciprocal link request from mydomain.com

[Brett_Tabke]

1- Be personal.
2- Look at their site and find out about them as much as possible.
3- It's not a numbers game - it's a quality game.
4- Be personal. Most sites worth linking to will have decent info about themselves on it.
5- Explain why you think a link between their site and yours would be of value to them as well as you.
6- Honestly link to them first. Do so from a good page.
7- If it is really a good site worth linking too, then find some quality content on your site to drop their url into.
8- Don't ask for a recip link. "suggest it".
9- Don't ego stroke.
10- Stay brief to the point of terse.

My current "winning formula" for a numbers game link that has yet to fail.

---
Bob;
I ran into your site from a Google travel search while searching for vacation spots. You have a good article on the local area (url here) and I linked from (url here). If you have the time and inclination, a recip link would be appreciated.

Thanks
Joe & Sally Webmaster
[foo.com...]
---

That works for the raw numbers game where you need good links. That *does not* work for the higher quality links (eg: it's not going to get you a link on the new york times).
For the "bigger" links, you have to cultivate a relationship over weeks, months, and sometimes years. You can never suggest recip links or even that you have linked to them. Just like them get the picture by themselves - osmosis.