| Many people are under the impression that exchanging | | | | the search engines will see that the links you're getting |
| links and building link popularity is an outdated way of | | | | are irrelevant to your site. |
| increasing traffic. You should never rule out the power | | | | Step 2: Initiate the link first |
| of link popularity. It is a great way to drive traffic to | | | | When asking another website owner to exchange |
| your site. | | | | links with your site it is very important that you already |
| Think about it… the more quality links | | | | have the link on your links page. You wouldn't want to |
| you have pointing to your site, the more popular your | | | | contact them and ask to exchange links and not even |
| site becomes. It is just like when you were in high | | | | have their site listed. |
| school… the popular kid had the nice | | | | So, Take the first step. Contact them and direct them |
| car, everyone wanted to be his friend, and he had a | | | | to your website links page. You will be instilling |
| pretty girlfriend. | | | | confidence in them and you will make them feel good |
| Think of your website in terms of the nice car. It is a | | | | about their own company. I know when I see a good |
| vehicle that illustrates the products and services you | | | | link it makes me stick my chest out and I am proud |
| offer. The guys and girls that wanted to be his friend | | | | that someone else would want to link to me. |
| are the links you are going to have pointing to your site. | | | | When you see sites with relevant content, try finding |
| As for the pretty girlfriend… she will | | | | out more information about the site using search |
| be yours once you establish quality linking partners and | | | | engines like Google, Yahoo!, or MSN. You will most |
| become the envy of your competition. | | | | likely see other link partners with a description, a title, |
| That should give you some motivation. ïÂS | | | | and a link already in place. Use this information to |
| Trading links remains one of the best ways of driving | | | | create your link exchange. |
| targeted traffic to your website. Link exchange will | | | | Step 3: Contact the Website Owner |
| improve your credibility and help you maximize your | | | | You will have success in your link exchange when you |
| search engine ranking. | | | | make contact with the website owner keep your |
| The question then becomes, "How do you actually | | | | e-mail short and to the point. Try and use the word |
| begin exchanging links?" | | | | you as often as you can. |
| I have outlined the process for you below in four | | | | Explain to them that you are interested in exchanging |
| simple steps. Follow these steps in the order they are | | | | links and make sure you place a link to their own |
| given and your link exchange will be a tremendous | | | | website on your page in the email. It sounds like a lot |
| success toward driving targeted traffic to your | | | | of work for one link, but the more effort you put into |
| website. | | | | exchanging now the less chance you have of |
| Step #1: Seek Like-Minded Link Partners | | | | someone telling you no. |
| I can't tell you how many times I've seen people try | | | | When I got started I contacted people directly. It may |
| and exchange links with other companies that are not | | | | sound a bit extreme, but more and more people are |
| even remotely similar. You need to find websites that | | | | using link exchanges and you want a separate |
| are compatible with your own site. Avoid your | | | | yourself from the others. |
| competition and attempt to reach sites that have | | | | Step 4: Follow-Up and Achieve Success |
| visitors with similar interests. Think about where your | | | | How many times do you have to remind yourself to |
| visitors are coming from… where | | | | take out the trash? At least a couple of times if you're |
| were they on the Internet before they visited your | | | | anything like me. So, it makes sense that you might |
| site? | | | | have to remind your link exchange partners to take |
| Think about the other products and services they | | | | action. Send them an e-mail in one week if you haven't |
| need. If you sell golf clubs, perhaps you should link with | | | | heard from them. Be persistent but don't be annoying. |
| a golf resort or local golf course. Try and put yourself | | | | Never issue your future link exchange partner a |
| in your customer's position and think about all of the | | | | warning saying that you're going to remove their link. |
| things that are related to the products and services | | | | This ultimatum is bad for you and bad for your |
| you are offering. | | | | website. |
| Ask to exchange links with Like-Minded partners. Don't | | | | Here is a sample of a link to my website. Create your |
| worry about setting the world on fire in a few days. | | | | own link and remember… it doesn't |
| Start small and gradually build your link exchange. | | | | hurt to think outside the box. |
| Too many sites can be a bad thing. At a certain point, | | | | |