Forum Moderators: martinibuster
Someone sent me a letter (cookie cutter, and to other 100 people) that my site had been added to this "link page" on all of his 100 sites (so I got 100 inbound links).
The generous person was asking me, and all others, to establish a "link page" on our sites and add all links.
On checking some of the "link pages" I found a few PR0ed and commented on the fact that my PR5 would suffer dilution. Thus, I asked the person to share with us his plan to raise the PR on the troubled pages.
He answered that there was too much hoopla about PR and Google and that the PR0 pages were due to not having been indexed yet...He made it sound as a no biggie.
Then, I checked some of the other partners on this network who have claimed had already set up the links, including mine, but on checking their reciprocal URLs, my links were nowhere around.
I am very inexperienced when it comes to trading links and would appreciate some guidance...
This fishy?
If you get that fishy smell, best to wait, and better to run.
There are so many problems when it comes to link pop. Most pages like this are database driven - in some cases they just dont count. Basically when browsing i just ignore all "link pages" on commercial sites, assuming its spam.
Very few people will click though to you from a page with many links, especially if there is no review. And search engines are all working in reducing the value of this type of linking if they want their link popularity algos to have any sort of credibility.
In all, recriprocal linking is a short term strategy at best, and has it own dangers as well in the mix.
Stay away from them and develop content that is so useful and attractive that people will link to it without a reciprocal link. Long term, for link popularity and direct referrals, only one is worth automated "reciprocal" links from more than 100 different sites.
recripocal linking is a marketing tecchnqiue fast appraoching it's use-by date.
develop content that is so useful and attractive that people will link to it without a reciprocal link.
Chiyo, you make a very good point. I'll make explicit what is implicit in your comment.
I've noticed fairly often that saavy web site operators build "freebie" sites where they give away web site templates, photoshop tips, and any number of free and dot orgish mutations of this.
These sites receive prime PR links. And it's funneled back to the web site designer, etc. Is it cynical or is it giving back to the net?
Maybe a little of both. My reason for saying this is that nobody is truly compelled to link to an ecommerce site. How great can you make it so that some geo-cities teenager goes, "Oh wow! Fred Widget's Widget emporium web site is so dope! I'm linking to this s--t."
Not gonna' happen.
Make an RPG fan site, and watch the links pour in.
Like a flower, a web site operator needs to give away pollen and nectar to the bees in order to fertilize and grow.
<chuckle> They sent three, I critiqued them and responed negatively. Two were redirects and the third was a page that 'refers' interested parties to the main page (turns out they were a broker site designed to 'register' potential students for), a well know entity within academia. On top of that, adaware routed fourteen surveillance cookies just perusing those three sites. That was spooky.
Once I explained, in great detail, my stance on the aforementioned issues, they wrote back in an effort to 'convince' me how I was missing out on a wonderful thang and asked me to reconsider. :o Uh, yeah, right.
I said no. Their last, somewhat contrite communication, informed me that my domain would be removed from their database of potential sources.
Since I replied "Works for me.", they've not bothered me anymore. By the way, they offered 'financial rewards'.
Apply those critical thinking skills when you get requests like this. If it sounds reeeeeeeeeeeeally, really good - most likely it's not.
Building credible inbound links takes time, lotsa effort and a firm handle on your market. Since mine is Acadmic in nature (and holding onto a firm PR6 for nearly two years), I've got millions out there to select from.
Consequently "Get Links Quick" schemes don't appeal to me.
Pendanticist.
And I've seen the giveaways on the same web site. It's a powerful way of doing business, and makes complete sense.
Okay... Put my thinking cap on. What shall I give away?
Hmmm...
Okay... Put my thinking cap on. What shall I give away?
Large quantities of unmarked bills. I'll sticky you my P.O. Box. ;)
Cash that is... you can keep the bills that need to be paid for yourself. <grin>
I feel more confident now. Need no stinking links...
Martinibuster, what's RPG?
The only source of decent traffic from links is from media organisations / professional associations and possibly directories. IE, information sites, where people go to find something.
Theres also the creditability that goes with links from the media.
In terms of PR and link pop - is it really gonna make that much difference? When all other factors are taken into account, a few more links here or there are irrelevant.
If your site is PR5 already, its gonna take hundreds (?) of quality links to make any cnage to your rankings.
JOAT :)
<added> just re-read the post - does this guy want you to link all 100 of his sites? If so...run away screaming! Unless of course, they all happen to contain useful and unique content for your users! ;) </added>
[edited by: jackofalltrades at 3:44 pm (utc) on Dec. 18, 2002]
I also get some decent traffic from serious hobbyists/enthusiasts sites (yes, these are information sites) and from complementary commercial sites (I offer jackets and trade links with someone that offers boots)
robertito, you're smart to stay away from what looks like a "link farm". Trade links on an idividual site-by-site basis. There's no get rich quick link trading schemes that work. They're more likely to get you in a world of hurt.
Like Deus Ex [deusex-machina.com] or here, for the Mac Deus Ex [macdeusex.com]. Anytime a game is in development, these guys are already out there building a community web site around it. A hard working bunch.
Which is not to say I do not believe that to “develop content that is so useful and attractive that people will link to it without a reciprocal link” isn’t a wonderful strategy because it is. This discussion though is how to improve on a reciprocal linking campaign by I believe strengthening the initial strategy. This is where site owners have problems and come to us for specific help in dealing with a specific issue. Before I suggest someone go out and redesign and redevelop their site to include building out the content I need to know a lot more information starting with what their business plan is.
Let us be realistic here about commerce (especially straight affiliate) sites, the logistics of doing business on the web is different than for information sites, full storefront sites or corporate sites. Impersonal reciprocal linking for many of these is a huge step out of their traditional spam linking practices. It can also be an easy method to manage for many newbi sites, hobby sites and those that serve to enhance a traditional brick and mortar business.
I think it is important to be reminded that when we talk about reciprocal linking we are talking only about those links that are exchanged between two sites. Sure I believe that those utilizing reciprocal linking as a campaign are best served if they consider it only a portion of developing an effective ongoing linking strategy. The concern I have in working with people who are stepping into reciprocal link campaigning is first basic education and then helping them to see the responsibility that lay ahead of them. That’s what these discussions are about. People posting here want to know how to make their reciprocal link strategies more effective.
I see more and more site owners testing with one site at a time, legitimizing affiliate sites and weaning them from the closed circle linking that has served them until now. When the risks begin to outweigh the benefits any good businessperson will start looking for options.
reciprocal linking is a marketing technique fast approaching its use-by date - chiyo
I have to disagree chiyo. For many industries reciprocal linking will play a minor role and in others it is the main or even best strategy to capture the ultimate traffic, which is realistically every site owners goal. Many of us have learned to develop strategies that accede what we were able to accomplish with reciprocal linking and are moving on but to say it’s dead or dying is far from the truth. In fact, and I am in the trenches so I can speak from daily experience, that reciprocal linking is in the baby stages of possibilities not only for promotions but for traffic as well.
Reciprocal linking is often the best shot an ecommerce site has to compete within their industry. Now I’m one of the first to say get out of the box, create something different and be better than your industry. Sometimes though, as in the case of reciprocal linking it’s the actual practice itself and how to enhance on it and make it the most effective within the realm of the rest of the promotional strategy that is important.
If your site is PR5 already, its gonna take hundreds (?) of quality links to make any change to your rankings. - JOAT
Not necessarily JOAT. It all comes down from the quality of the campaign to the quality of the link.
robertito62 – I suggest you stay completely clear of any scheme that you do not individually evaluate each link. You’ve asked an important question, you’re getting varied suggestions from talented people who are experienced in doing business on the web and my next suggestion is to go back to the drawing board. Make a plan. Weigh the information and don’t make choices or take steps until you know how those fit into your plan.
Yes, I will study the usefulness of any link and let go of any that appears dubious.
The 100 links-person has actually 100 templates for the same product but for 100 different regions. It's always hard to judge the work of another but if I look at my 30 pages site and his, I would think of mine as a labor of love as opposed to a quest for links or PR (I haven't changed it in 3 years). I would still like to link to some good sites I personally like and perhaps achieve one day a PR7...
