Specifying the link text in requests

Will this approach turn-off webmasters?

[beren]

For years I've asked for links from relevant websites, in the belief that this is one of the best ways of building credibility in the search engines.

Now the boss says we should specify the link text when we making the request. In the past, I've said something like "you might want to add a link to [website URL], [website domain]" and then a little about the site and why it would be relevant.

This has worked a lot of times, but the other website's manager puts the link in as he or she sees fit.

Now we want to suggest to the other website what to put in the link text. This is so we vary the link text in the links (they won't all say the name of the website), and so we can concentrate on certain target keyword phrases.

This means actually suggesting the code that the other website should add.

Won't this approach sort of offend or irritate the other site's webmaster? It's like telling him/her what to do, talking down to him/her.

That's my theory, anyway, but the boss wants to try it this way because he's heard other people do it.

[Note we do not "exchange" links and do not give a link back to the other website. We would rather not get the link than have to give a reciprocal link.]

[humaneditor]

You are not linking back to the other site - if that is not a turn-off, then there is no problem specifying link text, description and url.

[treeline]

Those inclined to cooperate will still be likely to link, but won't always use your suggestion. The biggest concern I'd have is that if you don't write it carefully it will look like all the junk recip link requests out there. Then it'll just disappear...

[moose606]

I have a page on all my sites, called linking.html. This page is a request for reciprocal links, and it includes all the anchor text in cut and paste format. When I make a link request, I put that url in the email, as it makes it much easier for them to add your url. Also, it allows you control over your inbound anchor text. I can sticky you if you want, so you can see how it works. This has helped take a lot of the work out of link development, as they come to you.

[eZeB]

Depends who you are dealing with -- If you are getting links from amatuer webmasters you want to make it as easy as possible. If you are dealing with sophisticated webmasters in competitive areas, you will want to use a different approach.