Forum Moderators: martinibuster
I am not talking about mass mailing, but sending 10 or 20 emails with my "pitch" as to why they should place my link...
These are just short personal emails like:
" Hi **** I found your "URL" interesting and thought perhaps I could convince you to place my link on it.
I have a small resource site about blah blah blah loaded with great content
Here are my ideas blah blah blah
Please let me know if these ideas interest you and thanks for your time...
Does anyone see anything wrong with this? Is this spam and can it get me in trouble in anyway?
Thanks for the help!
I refrain from putting anything about the word "link" in the subject since I personally get around 20 automated link request spam emails daily.
I'm most successful with making it personal concerning their site or giving a reason they'd want to link to my resource. No sales pitch
If you are still "desperate" for an exchange: Don't ask for links on sites that already sell advertising...waste of time, they want you to pay for it. If the site is successful and doesn't seem to need a link exchange, you better have more than a link to offer. Be honest with yourself, is it really valuable. The second someone suspects that you are wasting their time with flower verbage your out of there.
I'd be interested to know if people are still getting link exchanges these days, we stopped looking at these emails some time ago :)
[edited by: clearvision at 7:08 pm (utc) on Dec. 31, 2008]
We do not participate in link selling or link exchange campaigns or link requests.
How do you convince such a webmaster when road is already blocked?
I'd be interested to know if people are still getting link exchanges these days, we stopped looking at these emails some time ago happy!
I almost always reject any link request that includes the word "partner", especially in the subject line.
We probably are never going to be "partners" even if that is the commonly abused term for the proposed deal.
You want a link, just say it and be done with it, skip the meaningless double talk.
If you have a site with original content, or if you're marketing something unique and interesting, don't keep the information to yourself. Inform the media--and by "media," I mean publications and Web sites in your niche, not just THE NEW YORK TIMES or THE GUARDIAN. Send out a press release to editors whose readers might be interested in what you're supplying or selling. If you're marketing a product that isn't too expensive, offer a review sample.
In other words, think of links as one of the side benefits that you get from media publicity, as opposed to points scored in a link-building campaign.
It is easy enough to write related articles for other publishers which they can put ads on and you get links in return. Then it is a win win situation, with no concerns of spam reports.
A link to my site is beneficial to your visitors. Because your visitors are going to find my content worthwhile. You're doing them a service and making your site more of an authoritative resource. And I'm not just saying that - it's true. My site is the best, if you're going to link to anyone in my niche it needs to be me.
Of course, asking someone to publish an article isn't anything different. You're still providing a reason why they'll link to you. It's more tangible, but the same thing.
around 20 automated link request spam emails daily
If link seekers are not savvy enough to customize the emails they send, they have effectively failed an IQ test.
It's a safe bet that their websites will be clueless too.
Many telltale phrases originate with the sample text in assorted link exchange software.
Watch for distinctive verbiage you can add to your spam filters.
You have no obligation to give any focus to strangers who have given none to you.
I almost always reject any link request that includes the word "partner", especially in the subject line.
A link to my site is beneficial to your visitors. Because your visitors are going to find my content worthwhile. You're doing them a service and making your site more of an authoritative resource.
Another way to tackle this is to use egobait carefully. Who wouldn't want to link to an article that paints them in a good light?
I run a couple of sites that receive dozens of link requests a week (the ones that get through my spam filters anyway). I can't remember the last one I even bothered reading.
I find tshirtdeal's opening email format the most likely to grab my attention. It is friendly and informal and if I actually received a relevant request written in that format I might even consider linking to it.
Anything that sounds like a sales pitch or contains the words "this could be useful to your visitors", is ignored. I'll be the one to judge that, thank you very much.
Your mileage may vary... etc.
Real people without web sites don't send out emails with the email subject "resource suggestion" to webmasters, and even if they did I think they would at least know to spell their last name the same in their signature as it appears in their email address (doh!).
[edited by: Jane_Doe at 8:49 am (utc) on Jan. 1, 2009]
I personally get around 20 automated link request spam emails daily
I've taken quite a few of those automated link request types to task over the years.
Nothing shows more of an interest in your content, or a total love for your site than some dry, bland, and inane automated link request. The truly remarkable part of the whole bit is that 9 times out of 10, the bloke putting on the request hasn't ever heard of you beyond your unvisited site address staring up at him from the list on his desk.
I've my visitors to thank for much of the linking that has been done over 2007/2008 ... in that here comes paul, or aimee, or george ... extolling the keen virtue of a site they've visited recently ... and expressing their desire to have me put it on .... Linking, these days, has a much higher viral flavour to it than it did just a few short years ago.
If I've got one that takes some time out of his busy day to "actually" visit what we might have to offer on our site(s), and then decides to write a request for an exchange, well then I'll most likely break my bloody neck to oblige him.
generally I do not reply emails coming from gmail / hotmail / yahoo account. If email is from their domain and has PR6 or above then I can participate with link back agreement.
Spot on Himalayaswater ...
Nor do I. If a mate has the jewels to come right out from under his own server/domain to make a request, then he'll be more likely to get the link back, than he would if he were to be hiding off behind a free mail somewhere.
As far as PR? Well, I'm certainly not at all above tossing about a bit of juice to someone who might be honest and sincere in their endeavour. I mean even the Google goes about listing PR4 and PR3 sites top hat for their terms. Sure, PR could be a factor for us in some cases, but rarely, if ever, is it the deciding one.
Don't ask if the ideas interest them. Who cares? You want a link, not a conversation.
And I think that Wheel is on a good roll here (no pun intended) ... Business, though it may survive in part, through the use of email, still can't quite get it's mind wrapped around reading long drawn out emails. Keep your requests free from all elaboration and superfluous detail ...i.e. concise.
I don't target this specifically, but generallly speaking most of my link request emails go to websites that don't do link exchanges, or even necessarily link out to someone. If I see a site that looks like it willingly links out to people that send out link request emails I generally move on without conversing with them.
However I only do SEO for myself. If I was doing SEO for hire I'd probably have to bend the rules some, back off on quality in return for quantity.
Keep your email sincere, short, highly relevant and personalize it a touch. Yes this takes a touch more time but it works. Also if a site publishes a link request form, always use it since an email such as info@domain.com might go to the wrong person or department.
Ħ°
yes,I so agree it!
Anything that sounds like a sales pitch or contains the words "this could be useful to your visitors", is ignored. I'll be the one to judge that, thank you very much.
Especially when they tell you where to place the link ("My fight-belly-fat-with-slimeze.com site would fit perfectly on your 'Life of Buddha' page") and what text to use!
"I dont give a toss about links and link exchanges. On my list of life priorities, links are way down, somewhere close to how much I care about brussel sprouts, I dont give a toss if you put my links up, take them down, or shove them up your backside. I just really dont care."
I have never actually sent it to anyone....but its there...waiting in my drafts folder for the day I melt down.
When are people going to realise that bulk link building doesnt work!
Link building works however it works better if you take the approach of opening dialog with other website owners rather than making requests.
Even if I do get a good reciprocal "standard" link request it gets added to the countless others I receive. The very fact it's a link request ensures that there is less chance of me actioning it. When webmasters do something out of the ordinary then it gets my interest up and I'm more inclined to co-operate.
The latest scam I've noticed is people sending link requests from supposedly unaffiliated third parties. I got one today from someone raving about one of my sites and then recommending a real site and then some obvious destined to fail as soon as they burn through all of the VC money startup site, noting how much both those sites have helped her and I may want to include links to both of those in my site. I guess they think they are being clever and aren't going to get reported as spam that way.
This can be done in a good way. I sometimes point out to site owners that they link to a dead or never updated page. Then I recommend my website.
As for revealing your affiliation with the suggested site - this is not relevant in my opinion. They will link to your site because it ads value to theirs. Who owns your site is not important. Sometimes I say that I own the site and sometimes I don't (without denying it in any way).
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Hi,
My site with low page rank and not many visitors, wants to exchange links with your site. Your site is an authority, ranks well in Google, has over a million monthly visitors and sells advertising space to my competitors but I think you ought to consider giving my site more visitors in a week than mine will give yours in a year, and far more page rank than mine will give yours. You'll get very little benefit (if any) from the exchange, while my site will benefit greatly from it, but I thought that asking nicely with false sincerity would convince you. Oh, and I also forgot to add that the reciprocal link to your site will be on a page filled with dozens or hundreds of links completely unrelated to your site and barely related to mine.
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Almost immediately such emails get deleted. If you want a link exchange you'll need to come up with a compelling reason why it'll benefit my site, not just yours.
My own personal preference is to link to a site that is relevant to my site in an article or post first. I've already done this and the webmaster posted a reply on my blog along with a link without me even asking.
If I really want a link from the site, I would be inclined to include another link from another article or add their link to my resource section and then approach them for a link in a causal manner via a direct email.
The fact our sites are relevant to each other and I've already linked to them should make more of a case for them linking to me in return.
Does this seem a reasonable approach or is there something more I need to do?
I think the perfect email for a link should go like this..
"I am really not doing so well, my parents both died recently and left my inheritance to a cats home. I am now struggling to feed my five hungry children designing websites that Google does not seem to notice. My only hope to get out of this terrible situation is if some kind soul takes pity upon me and places my small link on a decent PR page, so that my websites can get noticed by Google and I can sell my wares online. I would sell them at the local market, but I lost my legs fighting for my country and so that is no longer an option.If you cant do it for my sake, please think of the children, think of the hungry children who will be fed by your act of kindness."
Yep that should do it.
Give links to 10 pages nominated by me, and you will get a 1 shiney new link a month for life. Or until IPv6 address space runs out
Bonus points for anyone calculating how long that will be with monthly exponential progression, base 10!
The problem with link programmes is that there are some quick fixes and networks that can be setup, however it's just not practical as a service.
What are also the ethics of asking for a link when the only interest is in getting a higher ranking in the search engines? Rather than wanting to add a valuable resource to the existing website. If you're reasoning on the first, you won't get anywhere when it comes to writing engaging emails.
