An exchange of links, also known as reciprocal linking, is simply swapping links with another site. In return for another site posting your link, you post their link on yours. You can trade different types of links, including banners, text links, buttons, etc. One of
best ways to get traffic while waiting to be listed by search engines is through link exchanges with other quality sites. This will also help you to get better search engine rankings.
You can easily go after your target market by trading links with sites that relate to your offer. How do you find sites willing to trade links? You can go directly to sites that interest you and see if they offer reciprocal linking. Review site and contact site owner or administrator by email and asking.
You can also conduct a search using "directory of link exchanges", "reciprocal linking", "banner exchanges" etc., to find sites that might be willing to trade links themselves, or provide a list of other willing sites.
Many of your requests for a link will probably meet with a negative or no response. The reason why is simple. It's back to WIIFM (What's In It For Me) principle, most basic of motivators in human psyche. If you approach a well established site to link to you, there has to be a good reason for them to do so.
I have received a number of emails simply stating "link to me - http://www.somewebsite.com". That kind of promotional strategy gets you nowhere.
Here are a few hints and tips for site owners as to how you can persuade an established site to link to yours.
1. Most Important! Be Polite.
When you send your email for a linking request, make sure that tone of it is extremely courteous and not demanding.
If English is your second language, run your request note by someone who is familiar with complexities of language. The way you word your note is most important factor as to whether another web master will even bother with taking time to take a look at your site.
2. Grammar and Spelling
Your request note is your official representation. If you don't take time to spell correctly, other web masters may believe that your site will be of same quality, and discard your request immediately.
3. Ensure your site is complete.
No one will link to a half finished site.
4. Respect that many web masters are busy people
Don't expect an answer straight away and harass site owner with countless follow up emails. Leave it for at least two weeks before your second contact and ensure that second note is equally as polite as first.
5. Read site
Ensure you take a good look over site you wish to link to you. Be familiar with it's content and mention some of content in your request for linkage. Identify common theme between sites. If site has a "Submit your URL" page, use it. Be sure to read guidelines for submission carefully.
6. Appeal to web masters WIIFM (What's In It For Me) motivator.
Experienced site owners can pick a new web master or site a mile off, so don't misrepresent your site or it's traffic levels if you propose a reciprocal (swap) links agreement. Point web master to a section of your site where you provide content or tools that are original and would be of use to their site's visitors.
If you have a banner rotator, you could offer site owner a few thousand impressions as a sweetener for him in linking to you. Very few web masters will give you a link if they receive nothing in return, especially if they are earning money or gaining traffic from links they already have in place. Even just making an offer of an exchange of services, no matter how small, will motivate web master to at least consider a link.
