The Power of Linking

Written by Albin Dittli


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 ofrepparttar 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. Reviewrepparttar 132685 site and contactrepparttar 132686 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 torepparttar 132687 WIIFM (What's In It For Me) principle,repparttar 132688 most basic of motivators inrepparttar 132689 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 thatrepparttar 132690 tone of it is extremely courteous and not demanding.

If English is your second language, run your request note by someone who is familiar withrepparttar 132691 complexities ofrepparttar 132692 language. The way you word your note isrepparttar 132693 most important factor as to whether another web master will even bother with takingrepparttar 132694 time to take a look at your site.

2. Grammar and Spelling

Your request note is your official representation. If you don't takerepparttar 132695 time to spell correctly, other web masters may believe that your site will be ofrepparttar 132696 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 harassrepparttar 132697 site owner with countless follow up emails. Leave it for at least two weeks before your second contact and ensure thatrepparttar 132698 second note is equally as polite asrepparttar 132699 first.

5. Readrepparttar 132700 site

Ensure you take a good look overrepparttar 132701 site you wish to link to you. Be familiar with it's content and mention some ofrepparttar 132702 content in your request for linkage. Identifyrepparttar 132703 common theme betweenrepparttar 132704 sites. Ifrepparttar 132705 site has a "Submit your URL" page, use it. Be sure to readrepparttar 132706 guidelines for submission carefully.

6. Appeal torepparttar 132707 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. Pointrepparttar 132708 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 offerrepparttar 132709 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 fromrepparttar 132710 links they already have in place. Even just making an offer of an exchange of services, no matter how small, will motivaterepparttar 132711 web master to at least consider a link.

The Top Seven Strategies for Website Success

Written by Philippa Gamse


Whether you're concerned with business-to-business, or business to consumer, whether your organization is large or small, commercial or nonprofit, these are some fundamental questions around your Website and technology strategy that should be addressed.

Otherwise, you risk missing opportunities, and not maximizingrepparttar return on your investment in your online presence.

If you haven't visited your own Website for a while, look at it again in light of these questions:

1. Does your Website present an appropriate image of your company? Marketers talk a lot about branding, and consistency of message. Does your company site reflect how you'd like your customers to feel about your business? Is it sophisticated, and professional looking? Does it speak directly to visitors in language that they'll understand, and in ways that relate to their issues and needs?

Image is also about public relations. Publicity is a powerful marketing tool, and reporters are increasingly looking for stories and information online. Does your Website offer a media center? Does it offer comment on current events in your industry? Do you face up torepparttar 132682 bad news, and spin it to your advantage? Whatever you may think of Microsoft, check out their extensive Press Pass area at:

http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/default.asp

2. Does your Website suggest potential for new or currently untapped markets? In almost allrepparttar 132683 sites that I've consulted for, we've identified markets or audiences beyondrepparttar 132684 "real-world" customer base ofrepparttar 132685 business.

This may be becauserepparttar 132686 site extendsrepparttar 132687 geographic reach of your marketing. If you have good content on your site, it may also be because visitors looking for your subject area find you in search engines, and come to read your articles and white papers.

Either way, if you find many "non-traditional" visitors to your site, you should assess whether they constitute a possible new market area for your business.

3. Does your Website suggest potential for new products or services? A clear understanding of your visitor needs may also encourage you to consider new products or services. Onrepparttar 132688 Web, bundling expertise into downloadable, for-sale content provides valuable new revenue streams for many businesses and non-profits.

You can find great clues for development ideas by trackingrepparttar 132689 keywords entered into your own site search engine. These show what visitors expect to find on your site - and therefore what they expect your company to offer.

4. Does your Website provide continuing added value for existing customers? Most site owners focus on acquiring new customers, and fail to maximizerepparttar 132690 opportunities to support and service existing ones.

These include password-protected areas where your clients can followrepparttar 132691 progress of their projects, share documents with you, etc. Personalization and pre-populated forms (i.e. which are automatically filled in withrepparttar 132692 customer's details) help to create a feeling of value, and save time for your visitors.

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