Link-O-Matic

Is this of any use?

[IanTurner]

I have found a site called Link-O-Matic which claims to give you links that search engines will read and use for link popularity.

Is this facility any good to us, or will using it cause the search engines to think that we are spamming them?

Anyone know anything about them?

[Brett_Tabke]

I'd stay away from those types of setups. The risks are too great.

[IanTurner]

Can you explain in more detail if possible please, what exactly are the risks?

Has anyone any experiences of being kicked off search engine listings and if so would they like to share them.

All the best
Ian

P.S. Can I change my password here - I just can't remember numbers

[GWJ]

Some concerns that come to mind would be:

1) Is the link page "stored" on the Link-O-Matic domain?
2) How will your link appear. Will it be embeded in content/keyword text?
3) From what I hear SEs frown on FFA link pages and give negative weight for it.
4) Is this site on "theme" with your site. I hear it will dilute the "theme" or the way the SE sees your site.

Those are just a few things I ask myself/think about when linking.

Brian

[legster]

Yes you can change your password. Just click profile all the way at the top of this page. You can change your password in there. :)

[agerhart]

I would have to third this opinion.......better to do it by hand. Although this can be very time-consuming, it is the way to go

[paynt]

I think it's in all our best interest to remember it's the quality of the link and not the quantity of links. It's better to have 1 link from ODP or Yahoo than several from sites that belong to your friends and neighbors. This is especially true if those friends and neighbors have sites that have nothing to do with what your site is about.

Linking in it's truest form is all about a webmaster offering links to sites they’ve found that would enhance the experience for the visitor to their site. If my site is about PT Cruisers, because I’m a big fan, then I’m going to connect with other people who are fans and perhaps offer the people who visit my site the chance to visit other PT Cruiser fan sites. When I do this I stay perfectly on theme and it makes sense. I may even expand and share links to sites the sell PT Cruisers, to PT Cruiser auto clubs, to insurance agents that give great deals on insurance to PT Cruisers or even to companies that have auto supplies for PT Cruisers. The person on the other side has to then think what will this link do for me and is it in the best interest for the visitors to my site if I link back. For someone who sells PT Cruisers, offering links to fan sites is a good thing because you’re contributing to building loyalty towards your theme.

Now, as webmasters we can enhance the experience by actually seeking out these complimentary sites, creating pages to promote them and write to ask for an exchange. I know as a webmaster that I take a more serious interest in someone asking for an exchange if they’ve actually visited my site, can point to something they like about it and offer some reason why they wish to link to me. When I’m looking for link exchanges I take the time to do these things and then I offer them a very simple text link they can use. Of course because I try to be very good at what I do, I put just the right keywords in the anchor text.

I have looked at many link programs that try to recreate this experience. In the process they lose site of some very important points, which GWJ has clearly pointed out in his post. It’s like mass submission to thousands of search engines compared to a very specific process of hand submission. It’s like fast food or gourmet. They say the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree and cream always rises to the top. I try hard to remember that.

(edited by: paynt at 3:51 pm (gmt) on July 31, 2001

[agerhart]

thank you Paynt......your expertise is this field makes your words something to seriously consider

[IanTurner]

Having recently become more seriously intersted in site promotion, we used to rely on multiple automated submissions (which used to work reasonably well) now that method of promotion is becoming less effective I had to change my approach.

Having looked at some of the sites that still work well in search engines I noticed that those that did well often had links out to their suppliers and/or trade bodies associated with their own industry.

All the best
Ian