Reciprocal links are the backbone of the web. Before search engines this was the only way to navigate around the web. Today they are useful not just for traffic in their own right but for boosing your pagerank on Google.
Link from your own sites
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nsure that the pages in your site
are cross-linked to each other using your top keywords
in the link text. A site map with your keywords in
the page descriptions as well as the link text
will help.
Other Websites that you own
should inter-link, again using your keywords as
the link text. It really helps if these interlinking sites have
related themes (keywords).
This is a really poweful way to expand your web presence with
each subsequent site gaining a leg up from the previous ones. However
its wise to host each site with seperate providers so that each sites IP address
is seen to be completely seperate (IP address range). As far as I'm aware Google doesn't interogate the
whois
database yet (Feb 2008).
Reciprocal links
Contrary to popular belief,
bottom of the pile are reciprocal links from other
Websites.
Firstly, set up a "Link To Us"
page on your site which includes HTML code for
text and standard sizes of button and banner
links. Make it easy for a Webmaster to link to
you.
Secondly, search out similar ranking
sites (preferably with a high or higher ranking)
to your own and email the Webmasters, inviting
them to swap links.
The Link Request
Aim to make linking to your site almost a cut and paste process for your link target by formatting your message appropriately. Provide the title of your web page, your URL and a suggested description.
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Suggest the exact URL on their site that you would like to have a link from. To strengthen your case, add a reason why you should be there. Ensure the benefit to them of including your link is obvious.
"create a (subtle) sense of obligation."
Tell the site that you've already added them to your reciprocal links page and create a (subtle) sense of obligation.
If your initial attempt to get a link is unsuccessful, you need to follow up in about three or four weeks. Include all the information in your original request and remain polite.
I would recommend logging your requests. A good package is ARELIS, but a spreadsheet will do if your budget is tight. Items to log should include the message, the date it was sent, responded to and which page you are linked to on their site.
Regular inspection of your log files will reveal which links are bringing in the best traffic. Some companies employ sales staff to actively persue link targets. Certainly a lot of links in reciprocal or not, will take some of the pressure away from search engine traffic. A balanced portfolio of traffic is not a bad thing.
