Build Traffic and Value Through Reciprocal Links

Reciprocal linking is catching on in popularity. It's a way
for website owners to share each other's traffic, a simple
"let's trade links" deal that can help to widen your web
audience.

Swapping links can also help you with your search engine
traffic. Some search engines calculate the number of links
to your site from other sites and use it to determine your
ranking. As you know, a better position equals more
targeted traffic!

Another way reciprocal links can benefit you is by drawing
repeat traffic back to your website. If you offer a high-
quality list of relevant links, visitors will return often
because they know that they can quickly find what they're
looking for.

PROACTIVE LINKING METHODS

One way to approach reciprocal linking is be proactive.
You actively search out websites that would complement
your own, and send a note to the owner asking to swap
links.

This is actually a very time-consuming task. It isn't as
easy as purchasing a list of "targeted" and "willing" email
recipients (also known as SPAM!) and then blasting out a
link swap request.

It requires research, pure and simple. To find possible
link partners, visit any of the major search engines such
as Google < http://www.google.com/ > to find websites that
can offer valuable content to your visitors.

Then visit each website individually. Take a few minutes
to look around and see what type of information it offers,
and whether or not it can add value to your own site.
Don't worry that linking to other sites may make your own
seem "incomplete" - it doesn't. No one website can cover
everything, and a high-quality links directory benefits
your visitors by saving them from searching the web.

Keep in mind that website owners may get several link
requests every day. To make yours stand out - and to
convince him that you're not spamming - be sure to
personalize your link request.

Include the site owner's name. Comment on something
you've seen on her website. This shows that you have
actually visited the site and taken the time and effort
to look around. Personalized requests are far more likely
to get a positive response.

PASSIVE LINKING METHODS

You can also take a passive approach to reciprocal linking.
That is, you basically sit back and wait for others to
approach or link to you. This passive approach gives you
an obvious time advantage. Some ways to encourage passive
links include:

= Put a link on your site that says, "How to Link to Us".
Provide the text, banners, buttons, and HTML to make it
as easy as possible for someone to think to you.

= Offer a content-rich site. You'll be pleasantly surprised
at how many websites link to you just because they like
what you have to offer.

Personally, I prefer the passive approach, as I'm sure most
of you do. I only actively request links when I happen
across an excellent site that I know my audience would
appreciate.

But like with all things online, there isn't one "right"
way to do things. Success depends on doing a combination
of things well. Reciprocal links are one way to steadily
build targeted traffic and add value to your site.