| Link Myths |
As competition among websites increase, close attention is being
paid to rankings in major search engines. Since a high ranking in a
keyword can "make or break" a business, webmasters are looking to
find any method to increase their ranking. By examining the
algorithms of Google and other search engines, it is easy to see
that a high value is being placed on the number of links (and
quality) pointing to a website. As a result, most webmasters have
realized the importance of finding partners to link to their
Internet business.
Although link exchanges are vital to any marketing plan, there are
some myths that are perpetuated by many so-called "experts". To run
a smart link exchange campaign, it is important to understand these
myths and make sure that you do not fall for them.
Myth 1 - Link to every site
When I first started my link exchange campaign, I would link to
every site possible. As a result, my rankings suffered. As I
learned more, I discovered that I could improve my listings by
linking to sites that complemented my own. In order run a smart
link exchange program, it is important to focus on linking to sites
that are closely related to your product or service without being a
direct competitor.
For instance, my original site sells Ethnic Jewelry. So, I look for
link partners among other jewelry stores that do not sell the same
type of jewelry that is listed in my store.
Myth 2 - All people will add my site if I add theirs first
To receive a link from an Internet business, most people will
usually add the site's link first. Unfortunately, not every
potential partner will add your link even if you have already added
theirs. Sometimes a website is just not interested in linking with
your site. The problem is many webmasters will not let you know
that they are not going to link to your site. So, you might be
linking to a website that is not returning the favor.
A great way to ensure that you are only linking to reciprocal sites
is to put each link into a "temporary position" until you receive
validation that the site is listing your business.
Myth 3 - The name of my website should be in the title of the link
Another mistake I made when I first started out, was to have the
name of my website in the links that were pointing to my business.
Eventually I learned that many search engines, especially Google,
pay attention to the title of the link pointing towards your site.
So, if you are looking for top placement for specific keywords, then
they should be used in the title of the link instead of your website
name.
Taking the Ethnic Jewelry example from above, your link title would
look like this:
Ethnic Jewelry Store: Here we sell evil eye jewelry and
Turkish jewelry.
Myth 4 - Only link to sites with a high Google Page Rank
In my opinion, the biggest "Catch-22" for webmasters is that many
sites will not link to an Internet business unless it has a
certain "Google Page Rank". But at some point, every site has
started out with a low page ranking. So how did they get a high
ranking if no one would link to them in the first place?
Instead of focusing on a page rank, many successful websites look
instead at the quality of the Internet business. If it is evident
that the webmaster has taken the time to create a quality site, then
you can assured that a high ranking will eventually happen! By
linking to a well designed website, you can be ensured that the
value of your link will increase as the website gains a high ranking.
Myth 5: Put all the links on one page in no particular order
When the Internet first gained popularity, webmasters used links as
a way to help their visitors. Initially, they placed links as way
to complement the content of the website. As the important of links
increased, the focus shifted from helping the visitor to helping the
webmaster.
Instead of dumping your links onto a single page, you can help both
your partners and visitors by creating a directory. Here, you place
each link partner into a specific category. This will help visitors
(and search engines) navigate your site with ease.
Myth 6: I should avoid all types of "automatic" link programs
Many Internet marketers recommend avoiding automatic link exchange
software. They feel that using these programs will actually hurt
your rankings rather then help. But, there are a lot of great link
exchange websites that automate the process of finding links hurting
your search engine rankings.
For instance, http://www.linkmarket.net and http://www.gotop.com are
two excellent sites that allow you to shop for link partners. When
you find sites that are complementary, you add them to your "basket"
and the link exchange websites sends out an automatic email
requesting the link. These two sites allow you to save time, while
avoiding the "black hat" techniques that are prevalent among many
automatic-linking services.
While exchanging links can be a time-consuming process, it is well
worth the effort. By taking time to properly link to complementary
websites, you will find that your rankings in important keywords
will improve.
Scott Patterson brought his online store: http://www.mizambar.com to
the top of the Google search engine by exchanging links. To find
out how he did this and other techniques with NO computer
experience, check out his site: http://www.buildingastore.com
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