Link Worthy

[paynt]

What is that you do to make your site link worthy? We’ve talked many specifics in everything from how to find linking partners, requesting a link exchange, to the follow up letter. I want to know what you’ve done to make your site link worthy.

What is it specifically that draws other sites to link to you? Is it the content? The search features? The products? The link page/s itself?

[agerhart]

I think that it is mainly the content, with the actual product falling into second place.

If you offer content that can't be found anywhere else, people will want to link to you and the users will keep coming in.

[rogerd]

I second Agerhart - content is the key factor. Assuming people put up links to be helpful to their visitors, they will choose sites that offer useful (preferably unique) content or features. Quantity of content may also be a draw. One really good article may draw links, but a collection of a hundred articles will draw more.

I'd also add design quality as a secondary factor. Mainly, the site shouldn't look terrible. I don't think it has to be super-artsy and full of advanced technical features, but it shouldn't be a turn-off.

Some obvious no-nos that will discourage linkage include things like annoying popups, adult content (unless you are in that biz), questionable commercial content or ads (get rich quick, enhance your virility...).

In short, if people like the site, it will draw links; if people are turned off by the site for any reason, it will be more difficult to set up links.

[Woz]

How long is a piece of string?

The criteria for someone linking to your site is that they found whatever it is they are looking for at the end of the link and/or believe that other people will as well.

This could be content, product, directory, games, whatever. As an example, I would place a link to Leech FTP in a second even though there is absolutely no content of any worth on the page whatsoever. However, the program is gold.

The trick is to figure out what people are looking for and provide it, which takes research, more research, and then even more research.

Hmmm, back to my research....

Onya
Woz

[billy fullerton]

>What is it specifically that draws other sites to link to you?

Content first and foremost, but different webmasters look for different things and what may seem irrelevant to some may mean a lot to others.

You may for example have what you consider to be top content for the subject that you are publishing but it won't cover everything for everyone.

I tend to look for community as well as content. It's important from our point of view as professional link managers that the sites that we link to are updated regularly and spidered by the main se's.

Let's face it, if the link that we seek is never found what's the point in doing it?

[bufferzone]

I try to make my site a resource site.

#1 is content and content and content.

#2 is links to other good sites with related content (webmasterworld to name one)

#3 is tools if you can provide som good ones online (or links to good tools (webmasterworld to name one))

#4 is codeeksamples or tutorials/HOWTOes

#what ever your users like and ask for

you get the picture