Forum Moderators: martinibuster
I help to run a website that has over 750 topic pages, and that number is growing everyday.
Up until now I have done personal outreach to sites to let them know about us (we only link on topic specific pages to topic specific pages). This has been highly successful and my company comes up very high on Google under a variety of search conditions.
Now, as we approach 1,000 different topics; it is not time effective for me to do personal outreach in search of links. Likewise, I'm not willing to do a banner exchange and risk undermining the credibility of my site.
Does anyone know of any ideas of how to get the word out without financial incentive? I have posted to refer-it , but they are pretty much the only site that I know of that offers this type of service.
Any ideas? It's an interesting dilemma (at least from my perspective!).
Thanks,
William
Welcome to WebmasterWorld!
You have been following a quality linking strategy, and alas there are no possible shortcuts that will maintain the quality of your links. Sending emails to webmasters asking for links is a never ending task, automating it leads to a precipitous decline in the quality of those links.
I agree with Mohamed, you have an excellent strategy going for your linking.
I have a few questions.
1.Is your policy for linking clearly stated on your site so folks know what it is?
2.Same question with your communication. Is it clear and easy to contact you and is that information easy to find?
3.Have you thought of what keywords folks are using to find this information? Since people are searching for what you have to offer the problem becomes how to let them know you have it.
Without knowing how you are approaching those concerns there are still ideas I’m willing to contribute which might help you with your problem.
Promote your policy for linking. Make sure people can find you when they are searching for linking opportunities. Make yourself an easy fish to catch for all those website owners and link hunters like me who are looking for just what you are eager to offer.
I think people undervalue or are unaware of their audience as a key element in their link strategy development. Again, ask yourself who needs what you are offering and make yourself first attractive, second clearly understood, and third easy to communicate with. Now remember, when you think about your audience for sharing both content and linking say within a specific theme, who is that looking? Right off the top I think of website owners in complimentary industries as well as professional in web development or SEO. How is this audience different from the visitor attracted to the actual content your site provides?
Then, besides the search engines you want to find exposure in various markets where you can build up authority. How can you do this for your audience? I would try coming up with some great articles [think of keywords and titles and those titles in anchor text] expanding on your post here and offering those up to the newsletters and online magazines that deal in the industry of online promotion, marketing and optimization.
I hope some of that makes sense.
Mohammad_e -
I do not look to automate the system. I intend to maintain personal control over link approval, however, I want people to apply for links without my having to initiate contact.
Paynt -
Your first point is something I'm working on with our developers here. I think that we need to more clearly market our linking opportunities and I'm designing a page that all of our pages will link to that makes the process of becoming an 'Affiliate' more clear.
As far as communicating with us, I intend to outline that on this page we are developing.
My question comes down to your next point: 'Promote your policy for linking. Make sure people can find you when they are searching for linking opportunities. Make yourself an easy fish to catch for all those website owners and link hunters like me who are looking for just what you are eager to offer.'
I have been searching high and low, and I have been unable to find the outlets that promote linking opportunities. This was a major part of my initial post. Are there established sites that focus solely on high quality linking opportunities? I don't demand that our affiliates are of premier quality, only that they are germane to our topics.
As far as attracting the right people; we offer a networking service (of sorts). Any website operator who has a personal interest in their content should find interest in our site. After signing up, is the only clear opportunity we have for linking. As I said, I am looking to fix this.
Your idea of articles is a great idea. You seem to have some interesting thoughts on this issue. [snipped personal message]
I think this is an interesting problem. A commercial site that is willing to pay for placements has no problem finding outlets to promote their programs (even if the site and the program are essentially worthless), while legitimate sites that eschew advertising yet contribute to multiple communities still (it seems) have no venue to market its opportunities.
Thanks for your help guys,
Much appreciated.
William
[edited by: paynt at 6:16 pm (utc) on Jan. 23, 2003]
[edit reason] snipped personal message [/edit]
unable to find the outlets that promote linking opportunities.
Ah, there’s the rub as they say. Outlets that ‘promote linking opportunities’ are dangerous and risky so that’s why you can’t find them easily. That’s why I suggest you write and place well, at least a few ‘unique in content’ articles.
Honestly, just taking care of the communication and policy issues will draw folks your way. Make it as easy and simple and comfortable as you can.
while legitimate sites that eschew advertising yet contribute to multiple communities still (it seems) have no venue to market its opportunities
Ha, but there are tons of opportunities. It just takes creative research to find them. I would start with those that are providing newsletters email and online and work through business to business sites, as well as those offering industry specific consulting. Find the middleman and hook up, connect there.
I think it’s tough for folks transitioning from brick and mortar to virtual business. The marketing and promotional opportunities are different. It’s not that they don’t exist but the box you find them in are different than you may be used to and the labels may be hard to read. I keep a spreadsheet open when I’m researching, for sites I think have enormous opportunities they are sitting on and they don’t even know yet their potential. Look in your industry for those sites and approach them with ideas. You mention networking and that’s the base of what link strategy development is.
