Trading reciprocal links is one of the best ways to build traffic at your website. A reciprocal link is where two websites agree to host a link to each other on their websites. These usually are placed on a special, 'links page', but sometimes in articles or other areas.
Often, people have a hard time finding sites to exchange links with. The following is a guide to the practice.
1. Determine the profile of your target market. Who they are. What sort of things they like and do.
2. From this information, determine where these people would go on the net. What sites they would visit.
3. Visit these sorts of sites and decide on which ones to approach regarding exchanging links. (Some sites will be more promising than others. Some will attract more traffic, some a more suitable 'class' of traffic.) -Determine if they have a section for links. (There's no point asking them to exchange links, if they don't have a link section.)
4. Approach each site individually. Contact the webmaster, or if you can determine who this is, the person 'in charge' of the site. -You must visit the site first, and in the opening line of your e-mail, comment on some particular point about their site. This will help immediately diffuse the suspicion that your e-mail is another piece of spam.
5. In your e-mail, make your case for the exchange. Point out to them, the reason you believe the exchange will be mutually beneficial. (You both attract the same type of visitors, each site will help the other with search engine positioning, etc.) -Include a suggestion of the copy you would like accompanying your link. (And of course, ask them what copy they would like you to include with their link.)
To find more potential exchange partners:
1. Visit the top five to ten search engines and search for the terms you think your target market might use when searching for a site like yours. (This is important. Use the terms your TARGET might use. Don't use your insider jargon, unless your target audience would use it too.)
2. Visit the top ranking sites on each of your searches and determine if their audience fits your target profile, and if they have links. Then go back and do step four and five with these sites.
With this technique, you should have a healthy selection of links with a few hours of work. A bonus to having a large number of sites linking into your site is, a number of the search engines give extra ranking to sites that are 'popular'. And they measure popularity by inbound links.
Keith Thirgood, Creative Director, Editor Thrive-on-Line http://www.capstonecomm.com Capstone Communications Group Helping businesses get more business through innovative marketing Markham, Ontario, Canada 905-472-2330 Subscribe to Thrive-on-line http://list.capstonecomm.com/ma il.cgi?f=list&l=thrive_on_line
Every company searches to lure customers to their product. Unless... Read More
When you hear the word "marketing" what comes to mind?... Read More
Marketing expert and author, Geoffrey Moore, has a useful fill-in-the-blank... Read More
Organizations often get stuck in neutral when it comes to... Read More
Building a business that grows steadily in size and profits... Read More
If you pick up a copy of the November 2003... Read More
No matter how small your marketing budget, your business can... Read More
Most small business owners want to generate huge profits, with... Read More
©2004 Jeffrey DobkinThere are two types of lists, determined by... Read More
Today I've decided to share with you a new word... Read More
Just because you have to stretch your marketing dollars doesn't... Read More
Before you ever get on the telephone, send a marketing... Read More
1. Know your purpose: What do you want your direct... Read More
There are a great many online business people who are... Read More
Here's a simple way you can generate lots of sales... Read More
What You Say, Who You Say It To, How you... Read More
Q: My partner and I are having a hard time... Read More
Whatever business you are in, either online or offline, you've... Read More
One of the greatest challenges to effectively marketing a business... Read More
In a recent marketing workshop I attended, I discovered that... Read More
In direct mail, the offer is the incentive or reward... Read More
Sometimes we loose site of the small things in life... Read More
Can we actually learn a marketing lesson from reality TV?... Read More
One of the best ways for potential clients to find... Read More
Some of the ways in which to get your "name... Read More
Starting a new online business, developing a new product, launching... Read More
Here's one of the most important success principles you'll ever... Read More
I have always enjoyed talking to a Realtor friend of... Read More
Have you ever walked into a store or business and... Read More
According to the Center for Exhibition Industry Research (the trade... Read More
The purpose of business is to create and retain a... Read More
For generations people have been saying that laughter is good... Read More
Jay Conrad Levinson coined the term guerrilla marketing, which I... Read More
Anyone who runs their own business can tell you how... Read More
Are your direct mail response rates lower than you expect?... Read More
Same old same old just doesn't sell anymore. To... Read More
Subtle adj. Showing or making, or capable of showing or... Read More
I've discovered a really fantastic way to discover what works... Read More
Customer endorsements are an inexpensive and easy sales tool, particularly... Read More
There isn't a day that goes by that I don't... Read More
Which sale is the most important one you will ever... Read More
Grant Directory users are ready to buy Yellow Pages have... Read More
Our bodies work like our small businesses. They work best... Read More
Writing and publishing a successful newsletter is perhaps the most... Read More
I'm a marketing consultant and at one of my client-companies,... Read More
If your members, parents or donors wear clothes, watch t.v.... Read More
So you've decided to start publishing an e-newsletter, or you'd... Read More
The N-word! We all know the value of networking and... Read More
I met a lady who said she received a notice... Read More
Alright you've got yourself a nice website with a great... Read More
Marketing Marketing |