Current, Long Term Linking Strategy

[TimS]

I am developing a series of pet related websites. They are pretty sticky and I'm getting a lot of great feedback from my visitors so I'm feeling pretty good about what I am doing.

What should I do about reciprocal linking? Most of the top websites in my area have huge numbers of reciprocal links, most using reciprocal link managers.

I've already started getting recip. links from related themed websites.

Thanks

[neuron]

Most of the top websites in my area have huge numbers of reciprocal links, most using reciprocal link managers.

What? Reciprocal linking sites dominating your SERPs? You must be crazy! Reciprocal links don't count anymore. You have to buy one-way links if you want to rank, rent them, and pay big bucks for them.

[/tongue-in-cheek]
Welcome to Webmasterworld.

[idolw]

you can try some barter, too.

[TimS]

Thanks,

I honestly wasn't going to stop reciprocal linking, I just can't understand why the practice is taking such a hit on most SEO forums when it seems to still be working.

TimS

[roxyyo]

We're all in business to please the customer, and Google's "customer" is the searcher. Google wants its algorithm to deliver the most relevant results from the most useful sites. Links used to mean a site had something that was worth linking to. Now that reciprocal linking has been done to death by every webmaster and his dog, this is not necessarily a good measure of site quality anymore. So it's believed that Google is devaluing such links.

That being said, if related sites are naturally linking back to you I think that's great. It would be a good idea to go after many different kinds of links (think diversification in investments--goes for linkbuilding too). PM me with your URL, I could give you some ideas.

[roxyyo]

I want to clarify, links on a purely links/directory page are different than links on relevant pages, say in an article, that just happens to be reciprocal. Doesn't mean "all reciprocal links are dead."

[Swebbie]

Spend the same time you would on arranging recips to offer original content (an article, review, etc.) to related sites. Stipulate that the other site must include a link to your site in that article (author section at the end or in the text somewhere) as the 'price' for getting free and unique content from you. You'll probably get more positive responses and the links will be one-way and not on a page with a gazillion others. It's the way to go now. The ratio of time spent to number of links gained will probably be less than what you get with recip requests, and the quality of the links is light years ahead.

[King of Bling]

Recip -- [i}naturally[/i]. Meaning no "links" pages. Try working them into your content, for example.

[TimS]

Thank you for all the suggestions. I am getting a lot of different "types" of links to my site. I write articles and participate in forums that allow links back to my site. (I actually participate)

When my wife and I get back from vacation I'm going to try press releases as well. I've been researching them off and on for a month and my site is to the point where I could send one out.

Thanks again for all the feedback.

TimS