reciprocal link campaign,,,honesty or no?

[legster]

I work for a very large web site. My boss wants me to search out the web and get as many related reciprocal links as possible. So I started the campaign contacting tons of webmasters, and being honest and telling them the benefits of reciprocal links for both of us. I got good responses, and some even thanked me for information they didn't know.

When my boss found out what I was saying she got all freaked out. She said I should just tell them how much it would benefit THEM to put our link on their site, and offer them a link on ours. She didn't want me to speak of the mutual benefit. I run my personal web sites with complete honesty, and would never do this. In my opinion if another site contacted me telling me how much I would benefit from putting a link to their site on mine I would delete the email as quick as possible. Yet I am being honest, and that's not what she wants.

Anyone have an opinion on this? I would appreciate sopme fellow webmasters comments. Who's right? Me or my boss?

[JamesR]

I think you started with a very good approach and your integrity is commendable. You don't always have to tell them everything about SE ranking algos, I usually just ask for a link trade and don't get too particular where they put it on their site (most webmasters are thinking traffic and not link pop.).

[mivox]

Personally, I think *you* are right, but who's signing your paycheck? ;)

You could slightly edit your 'recruitment' email, so it's a little more roundabout on the mutual benefits... I'd leave out the part about how much a link to your site will benefit the other sites tho'. Sounds "spammy" to me as well.

[seth_wilde]

I usually just tell them that I'm building a resource guide for the "keyphrase" industry, and that I think their site would be a great resource for our clients. Then I tell them that if they would like to be added to the resource guide all that we ask in return is a link to our site.

[legster]

Thanks for the advice guys.

and thanks for slapping me back into reality Mivox. :)

[rzfree]

"... if another site contacted me telling me how much I would benefit from putting a link to their site on mine I would delete the email as quick as possible"

very true!

I include something like this:
...links from (even to!) similar theme pages can improve your ranking...
and hope that fellow webmaster thinks for a second.

legster, how about modeling the situation: sending your boss two sample emails, the honest one and the "would benefit THEM" one, and let her decide?

RZ

[nym_fan]

It is nice to know there are some honest people in the world. When I ask for a link or get a request, I try to make sure it helps both parties and if it won't I tell them so. I can understand your bosses reaction but I find honesty usually wins out in the end. Good luck and keep up the good work.

[skiguide]

sometimes it's not just the webmaster who makes the decision to add links though. More often, in business/community/industry association sites, all outbound links must be approved by a 'higher up' - so it benefits you by enlightening those people in your email why exchanging links is a good 'fit' for similar audiences:)

honesty is the best policy in reciprocal links, without a doubt.