What if only the specific link page is themed?

link theme

[HeyJim]

Since "widgets" seem to be popular across the forum I'll use widgets for my illustration/question as well.

I'm approached by a hosting company that wants to exchange links with my widget company. Obviously, we have vastly different products we are promoting so it's pointless, perhaps even detrimental to our respective sites, to exchange links.

However, he points out that he has a links page devoted exclusively to widget grease, widget holders, etc. Do I consider this a valid and profitable link exchange from a search engines point of view?

[rogerd]

Welcome to WebmasterWorld, HeyJim!

It sounds like a link that is probably OK, but check the Google PageRank of the host's site and actual widget link page. If either has an all-white PR bar, it probably indicates a penalty. It that case, you should not link to them.

I don't know how much you have read here, HeyJim, but you can get up to speed on PageRank here in thousands of posts.

[jimbeetle]

Hey HeyJim,

Welcome aboard.

We know that Google really likes a link with the keyword in link text. What I've noticed but haven't been able to validate, is that Google likes it even more if the page the link is on has the keyword in the title.

Check it out as rogerd said and if all looks good go for it.

<added>And I've always had in mind that we should set up pages to link to other "Jim" sites. There are enough of us around.</added?

Jim

[HeyJim]

Thanks, Rogerd. Thanks for the welcome.

Yes, I'm familiar with pagerank but thanks for mentioning all of the information available here on pr.

So, you're thinking that if the pr is good (4+) and that one pr4 link page is genuinely widget focused and that's where my link would be placed, that the fact the site is a hosting company (or sells peanuts or shoes or welding supplies, etc.) would be irrelevant?

I was approached with this situation and I'm not sure that I want to link to them. It is an interesting premise though. They really do have a tight "widget" theme page with only about 10 links on it. But, they also have a bunch of other tightly themed link pages on a variety of topics. The individual pages are good but... I'm just not sure since they are a hosting site. (or sell peanuts, or etc.)

[rogerd]

Linking to a web host isn't inherently bad, HeyJim, check the bottom of this page. :) While everyone expects Google to start weighting link site themes more heavily, at the moment a decent link from a themed page is nothing to turn down. Of course, if you have reservations about linking to the host for business reasons, I'm sure you can scare up a few other links of equal or higher PR somewhere else; I don't see any major technical reason to turn down the link, though.

[HeyJim]

Thanks, guys.

So, all other things being equal, having my link on a tightly themed page over-rides the fact that the *site* itself is not of a similar theme.

And, if it's a hosting company that's even better, right Roger?