Ok so you get listed........NOW to link the pros and cons

Getting links back , the hows and whys

[EbonSeraphim]

Ok I finally managed to get the site I have been working on listed in the top ten now comes the links and link backs. What is a good rule of thumb when considering links? How many is too many? What if any criteria should there be? Have patience with this young jedi :-) Thanks in advance for the responses.

[tigger]

Your first port of call young Jedi is the site search on Wmw once you've read those you'll have a better understanding of how the dark side work's

Then Obi-Wan otherwise known as Brett will guide you

Tig

[rogerd]

Much of the discussion here is focused on the effect of inbound (and outbound) links on search engine rankings, and in particular on the effect of linkage on Google Page Rank. Personally, I think the idea of linkage as an independent source of traffic is greatly underrated.

I would recommend trying for as many inbound links (from relevant sites!!!) as possible. Certainly, try to get links from high Page Rank sites, and try for keyword based linkage. IMO, though, Page Rank shouldn't be your only consideration. A very visible link, even on a less popular site, can be a steady source of visitors. Usually, of course, high Page Rank sites are often higher traffic sites anyway, so your twin objectives can be satisfied together.

[JamesR]

I always try to link out to good resources, but do so as supplemental information (sources) to my existing content. We have talked of hubs and authorities before, make your site both a good hub and authority on your particular topic.

[paynt]

I agree with rogerd

I think the idea of linkage as an independent source of traffic is greatly underrated.

I worked with a pet company for quite awhile and we found those top 100 pet sites pulled in quite a bit of traffic although contributed very little to the PR. I think it really comes down to thoroughly researching your industry for all opportunities and then pick the ones that will work best for your niche. With this pet example I found that the folks who were attracted to what we had to offer loved these top 100 sites.

Without getting caught up in link scams or the great no-no link farms and such > I believe it’s good to allow some flexibility in your pursuit of linking opportunities and as rogerd suggests > don’t forget the potential traffic in the equation.

[paynt]

Also welcome EbonSeraphim and thanks for your post.

I thought it best to point out a few other discussions that are helpful with this topic. I consider these classic for this particular subject.

Link Exchanges [webmasterworld.com]
and this is great
Prompting sites to reciprocate links [webmasterworld.com]
and this one is short but sweet
Link Worthy [webmasterworld.com]
And of course this
The Infamous Link Popularity Campaign [webmasterworld.com]
and this
Link-Swapping & Theme Dilution [webmasterworld.com]

Even though we’ve talked about these issues in the past doesn’t mean we shouldn't continue to revisit them. The big thing about linking is it’s not going away. What I think folks don’t like is that we keep getting caught when we try tricks and you’ll see that as you read through the points covered in these discussions. Maybe it does come down to building relationships with other websites.

[brotherhood of LAN]

Does anyone else do this? I imagine so...

I just look up Google for my keywords and find related sites to link to from there. If they give me a recip - great!

those rankings well for your keywords should do no harm when the Google update comes around....

[startup]

My new tactic is to target front page link exchanges from sites with a PR of 5 or higher. As long as their index page has less that 15 links total on it. The exchange of traffic is very good and you only need 5 or 6 links to really boost your whole site.
Tactic #2
No links page. If your want to enter in a link exchange on subpages, select a page on your site that matches the theme of the site you are linking to. And, select a page on their site where you want your link to appear. When you find a site owner that understands this type of linkage, a suggestion of more than one link on different pages but, no more that 3, will really benefit everyone.
Blend all links into your site, no matter where they appear.

[pshea]

Been meaning to post this thought on this topic for a while . . .

About this "link to pages with PR5+" notion. That's all well and good for the current snapshot of the site, but it ignores a site's potential for the future. If you find a potential linking partner that's well suited to your theme and seems to be doing things right, then I say ask for a link, no matter the PR. None of us has a crystal ball and can know what that site is working toward in the future. Two- or three months from now, when the link finally gets up and into the mix, that site's PR may have grown. And so on.