Running out of potential link partners.

[halcyonlost]

I am starting to run thin on potential link partners. I have sent hundreds of requests(most of them customized) to high values sites and now the pool is running dry. For you guys who have been in my situation, where do you turn to find new link partners?

So far, I've hit the search engines and went through all the industry link sections of my competitors and related sites/industries.

Thanks in Advance,
Hal

[willybfriendly]

related sites/industries

Without knowing your industry, I would say expand your horizons.

Local sites.

(Un)related industries - a horse site should be able to find gardening sites (manure/compost).

Blogs, if you really have something unique or worth writing about.

How to sites.

History sites.

Etc.

Pick up the phone if you can. These days it will work better than email.

[surrealillusions]

How many websites are on the internet? Millions upon millions upon millions...you sure you're running thin on link partners?

;) :p

seriously though, like willybfriendly says, expand your horizons, theres several ways to get links in this day and age.

:)

[halcyonlost]

Haha, I know this sounds a little crazy, considering I'm in the <snip> industry.

I've got plenty of ways to get links as far as directories and articles go, I'm just not being able to get quality sites to fill up my own "Industry links" section.

Now I know what some people are going to say. "Why not just link to links that are going to benefit your customers?" Well, I did that and guess what happened? I took a massive hit on my SERPs. No good deed goes unpunished right?

I spent all yesterday looking for link parters on google and only found 20 worthwhile for my legal section, and I doubt any will return my call/e-mail. Haha, I hate the "just e-mail us" speech... :D

[edited by: martinibuster at 4:36 pm (utc) on April 11, 2008]
[edit reason] Removed specifics. [/edit]

[MiniAlex]

having the same problem, and excellent advice. so far we got
- By Phone
- Send articles!

wish i had anything else to offer. i got 2 links from a relevant page 6 page by offering a rotating banner in exchange...

[AjiNIMC]

Oops Links Links and Links......

Aji, we need to be #1, how can we get links? Almost every other client has this question.

My answer

1. Content: If you don't have content on your website, you don't deserve links. So work on the content, make it worthy of a read.
   
2. Services: Do you really exist? What do you do? Do you offer something unique? If you are doing something useful probably there are a bunch who want to talk about your site.
   
3. Don't live in an era of Link exchange. Those days are almost over, rely on creating talkable content. There are tons of articles on it.
   
4. Focus on few links, get the relationship moving. If a public speaker is impressed with your website, he will spread to many who will link back. So make sure you take your site to people who are talkers for your subject.
   
5. Press releases are tricky, don't publish one article across many sites, max 5 and if possible, let all of these articles contain a link to one article so that you can cash in more juice.
   
6. News websites: There are tons of services that offer paid exposure and getting you to news sites.
   
7. Gadgets: Make gadgets and get links from there. It will also prompt many people to talk about your services.
   
8. Target technical neighborhood, they like to talk about things, so keep doing something that they can talk about.
   

There is a ton that one can write about links. I wish I had enough time. You can get some good links for $s too (most of them do it but very smartly).

But remember this formula
Year 2003: - Page based optimization, get links to targeted pages only.
Year 2008: Site based optimization, get links to site, make your site credible, pages of a credible websites are credible, get some topical links to the pages and you rock the SERPS.

Easy said than done :). Do your dirty work yourself or pay the experts.

Aji

[MsHuggys]

A day doesn't go by I don't receive link requests. I get hundreds a month between all my sites.

Not ONE, not a single ONE, has ever, in the 16 years I have been on the web, offered to exchange a front page link in an introductory text with me. EVERY one has offered to add me to their links page and want the same in return. They will only add me IF I add them first. AND... when I have taken the time to suggest a proper link exchange, as outlined above, to those who imposed on my email inbox, unsolicited, they never email back. Big surprise.

Why would I exchange links with any webmaster who is not even bright enough to clearly see I do not have a single LINKS page on any of my sites? If I did, it would be posted at the bottom of page along with all other 'informational' page links such as terms, contact, faq, privacy . . . yada yada yada.

Why do I not have a LINKS page? Because, I don't exchange links via LINKS pages. Seems obvious enough to me.

Link exchange requests are full of idiots that have no idea, what so ever, how to enter into a proper business partnership. If there was even one remotely reasonable link request, offering me the world, and hoping they might get something of value in return amid the piles of garbage link requests, they would be lost in the stench of ill-thought out promotional efforts.

Why would ANYONE want to do business with an email spammer?

That is why you don't get anywhere in your quest to develop links with others. A lot of people view email link exchange requests, just like me. SPAM

[AjiNIMC]

Link exchange requests are full of idiots that have no idea, what so ever,

True (99% time)Most of them send general letters. Most of the link exchange people are staffs hired with very less knowledge about business, branding or search engines. They are there to send letters and get links.

In recent times because of mutual exchange we were able to get in touch with a lot of good authors, who donated their books to some of our clients. Select a niche were you want to build relationships.

[seotogo]

One way to find potential links partners is to build a list of sites that are linking to your competition and / or potential partners. This can take some time but it does expand the playing field a bit.

[gasyoun]

Blog networks reviews is a good way to get one way backlinks.
Google for "unique blogposts" to get some hundreds new backlinks.

[seo_pg]

If you have a blog or section of your site where you talk about your industry news, you could write something about a site that you want a link from, add a link in the body of the text and send them an email telling them you liked their site and think it would be useful to your readers and that you placed a link in the section where you wrote about them. Don't request anything back...just let them know you linked to them. This is more apt to make me link back to someone than a link request.

[pbradish]

Create a press release. Those are always good for a few hundred links ;)

[halcyonlost]

Thanks for the replies guys.

I am now moving into "less" related sectors as I have called or e-mailed every site related to my industry.

One thing that was really effective is searching your prize keyword. Then take the top 30 sites and punch them into Yahoo site explorer. I hope this helps someone else on here as much as it helped me.