Reciprocal Linking Techniques

Building a successful web site is a process that works best when done in a deliberate, logical step-by-step manner. The first step is to build a top quality web site that is packed with interesting and useful content.

Next, you need to submit your site to the major directories and begin a well thought out advertising campaign.

But the single most important step is getting a top ranking in the major search engines, most notably Google and MSN.

When ranking the sites in their index, Google places a very high importance on "link popularity", that is the sites that have the most high-quality incoming links generally rank higher in Google. Getting links to your site from other sites is an absolute must for a top ranking in Google and the other top search engines (top 10 at a minimum).

The question that you may be asking is "How do I get these links?". There are many ways to attain links to your web site, but it can be very difficult for new sites to get other sites to link to them.

There's a simple way to jump-start the process however. It's called "reciprocal linking". This is how it works: You search for sites that are in the same general topic area as yours (but not sites that compete directly). After you find a list of suitable link exchange partners, you place a link to their site on your site. Then you email the webmasters of the other sites and ask for a link exchange.

Do not send generic copies of the same email to each webmaster however. Rather, take a few minutes to browse each site. Then write a personalized email to the webmaster explaining what you liked about the site (be specific) and why you think a link exchange would benefit both parties.

Be sure to address the webmaster by name if at all possible. Also, be sure to give him your link exchange information. This should include the title of your site, a short description, and the URL that you want his site to link to (this doesn't have to be the home page). And be sure to include the URL of the page that already has his reciprocal link on it.

After you have sent the emails, expect a few rejections for various reasons. This is normal and expected so don't be at all discouraged. You will also quickly get a few emails from webmasters accepting your offer. Verify that your reciprocal link is in fact on their sites and then send a "thank you" email.

A great way to find potential link partners is to do a Google search on one of your main keywords or phrases. You will most likely have many pages of sites listed in the search results.

Here is a simple way to find out which of these sites actively exchange links: Go to the bottom of the Google search results page. Click on "Search within results". In the text box type in "Add URL". This will return only the sites in your original search results listings that have an "Add URL" link on their web site. You can also do a search for "link exchange".

If you aggressively pursue link exchanges on a regular basis, within a few short months you'll have built up good rankings in the search engines with a steady flow of targeted traffic to your web site!

About The Author

Rick Rouse is the owner of RLROUSE Webmaster Resources and the author of "Super Webmaster SEO Toolkit" which gives step by-step instructions for getting a top 10 listing in Google & Yahoo. Visit his web site: http://www.rlrouse.com/SEO.html

---

How to Drive Traffic to Your Website with Traffic Exchanges

The number one problem new website owners have is, "How... Read More

5 Unique Ways To Get More Free Traffic

Ok so the first way to get traffic is not... Read More

The Swank Meter - What Does Hilary Swank Have to Do With Page Rank?

Recently the wife and I were watching Million Dollar Baby.... Read More

Linking Your Website To Others Around The World

Finding quality traffic though effective website promotions is the number... Read More

What Your Competition Knows About Traffic

Need more traffic? There's a lot you can learn from... Read More

Create Laser Targeted Traffic to Your Online Home Based Business With These 7 Traffic Builders

If you are only looking at Search Engines too send... Read More

Alexa: Why You Should be Using the Toolbar

Why on earth would anyone want to install a piece... Read More

Quick, Easy & FREE Ways to Kickstart Your Website Traffic in 4 Simple Steps

Just launched your website? Now what?You are finally ready with... Read More

Satellite TV, Google, and a Stamp

Unless you're building a baseball diamond in the middle of... Read More

The Old But Reliable Ways of Attracting Free Online Traffics

Every home business owner should know that your WEBSITE TRAFFICS... Read More

7 Tips for Using Your FAQ Pages to Generate Free Traffic

FAQ pages are an often overlooked way to generate free... Read More

8 Ways To Get People To Visit Your Web Site Again and Again

Getting visitors to your web site is not one of... Read More

How To Explode Your Web Sites Traffic With Articles Permanently!

There is one golden rule, which is inherent in this... Read More

Reciprocal Linking Techniques

Building a successful web site is a process that works... Read More

A Simple Guide to Analyzing All Those Web Traffic Ideas - Part 2

Just to recap - Part 1 of this article outlined... Read More

Good Traffic is Targeted Traffic

Targeted traffic: the demographicAssuming your business is motorcycles, my first... Read More

Be Number One

The trick to making it REALLY big on the internet... Read More

The Most Useful Way To Utilize Traffic Exchanges

If you advertise through click-exchange traffic programs or GPTR programs,... Read More

Linking for Traffic: The Shift from Link Directories to Hyper-Targeted Linking

There's a stiff wind blowing in a new direction on... Read More

How to Get Traffic

The future of online business rest in one word: traffic.... Read More

Dont Be A Reciprocal Linking Turkey!

I had an email exchange with an SEO client today... Read More

Website Traffic Generation?7 Great Ways to Increase Your Web Site Traffic

We all know that the secret to success on the... Read More

Marketing Tourism Online, Part Two: Attracting Visitors to your Website

This is part two of an article series which will... Read More

How To Fire Up Your Link Popularity

When I first started out in Internet marketing, reciprocal linking... Read More

Linking to the Best

Be picky about who will link to you; shoot and... Read More

Keyword Articles: Use Magical Keywords in Your Articles and Get Lots of Traffic

You get a flash of inspiration and an interesting topic... Read More

The Need For A Website Emetrics Audit Before Major Design Changes

So you have decided on a design makeover for the... Read More

How to Identify Bad Link Exchange Transactions

Now that more emphasis (to get better ranking in SERPs)... Read More

Dont be a Square - 5 Strategies to Get Circular With Those Links

One Way Links from High Page Rank Pages are Your... Read More

Web Traffic Wonder: Are You Using This Free List Building Tool?

Yes, if need more web traffic, this free list building... Read More

3 Ways To Get More Website Traffic That Buys

Who else wants traffic that buys? I for sure do,... Read More

The Basics of Asking for a Reciprocal Link

Asking another webmaster for a reciprocal link is standard practice... Read More

Secrets to Free Website Traffic

You have just uploaded your web-site and it looks great!You... Read More