Forum Moderators: martinibuster
Pagerank for the franchise sites range anywhere from 6 to ZERO (we'll deal with that) with the majority ranking either 3 or 2.
We of course point to every site, but very few point back - why? Probably since they just don't think of doing so. Also, almost NONE of them point to each other.
I have suggested that we work to get everyone to link to each other - over 500 sites, all in the same industry, all part of the same company, pointing to each other and back to us. This should, I would think, be considered appropriate linking and reward everyone within the link network, right?
Right? Well, I hope so. However, I've seen many posts and articles that state that reciprocal links aren't necessarily rewarded, and that enabling a link network too quickly might be considered link farming, and even that a link network of this kind could be considered link farming, even if its completely legitimate.
So I guess my questions are:
1. Is a "grand" link network of this kind worth pursuing? How much benefit will the participants likely see?
2. Would this really be considered link farming and are there ways around it, like bringing the network up slowly rather than all at once across all the sites?
3. Will reciprocal links get dinged? If so, should we, for link benefit, divide the sites into groups A, B and C, and have all of Group A point to B which points to C which points to A? That way everybody gets a nonreciprocal link?
Anything else we should watch out for?
I am but a mere Marketer - any advice from real web pros would be very helpful.
Just a thought you can riff on and maybe come up with a viable variation.
I don't see how it would be useful for the franchisees to interlink, and I'd probably stay away from that.
mb
How much benefit will the participants likely see?
In my experience, the effect is more likely to be negative than positive. In part it depends on where each of the participants gets its other inbounds, and how independent they are. Since they're in the same business, it's possible their inbound link sources will overlap, and that would reinforce the idea that they're related.
I think I'd keep it that the main company links to the franchise sites and leave it at that. I would not encourage them to link back, and I definitely would not have them linking to each other. In my experience with corporations that have multiple outlets or even multiple divisions, such crosslinking can create problems. I think it would take so much management and discipline to avoid those problems that you'd be better off not trying. Some of your ideas (eg, #3) might get you in deep trouble.
Here's a more in depth discussion of this topic, not trying to gain advantage by the links, but from the perspective of how to cross-link the sites for users and not suffer search engine problems...
Safely Crosslinking Sites for Users
Is the "rel nofollow" attribute appropriate?
[webmasterworld.com...]
Let me add a bit more detail. To be clear, this is a Real Estate network of locally owned and operated franchises, all under a well known national brand that is a subsidiary of an even larger company.
The brokers who franchise under us are "real" companies whose websites all serve the purpose of presenting Real Estate listings to visitors, and they do in fact work with each other for relocation business. They all have our logo on their pages, and in fact for simple "brand integrity" they all ought to link back to us in the same way that a local auto dealer should point back to its manufacturer's site.
So with this in mind, are your recommendations for them to NOT link to the main corporate page, or to each other, still advisable?
Look forward to your thoughts - thanks.
Encourage them to link back to the company site, but other than that don't try to structure or force-feed their link growth. That's where you're most likely to run into problems. Just give them a nudge in the right direction then let things unfold organically. Some will get it, some won't ... that's life.
