A Quick Guide To Finding Reciprocal Links

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

---

Marketing Strategy - Shift the Focus

Most of the service providers I've worked for or with... Read More

Are Your Prospects Walking Out on You?

After 11 years in sales, I've put together and delivered... Read More

Attract Your Dream Customer

Have you clearly defined your target audience? These are the... Read More

How Can I Break Into Cliques?

Have you ever gone to a networking function and seen... Read More

Universal Principals That Guide Business Growth

Universal principals are those "self-evident" truths that have guided brilliant... Read More

How Much Is Your Popcorn Worth? Powerful Lessons In Marketing & The Psychology Of Selling ? Part 6

How Much Is Your Popcorn Worth?: Powerful Lessons In Marketing... Read More

Mission Statement Impossible

Dant dant da da dant dant da da. Dant dant... Read More

What You Must Know When Marketing Your Business

Marketing is both an art and a science. Anyone who... Read More

Client or Customer? There Really Is A Difference

Some people use the words "client" and "customer" interchangeably or... Read More

Guerilla Marketing Lesson 2: Why Do People Call Me?

Before we begin, I want you to think about how... Read More

How to Connect Features and Values

"Buy this magazine or we'll shoot the dog," went a... Read More

Terrific Titles, Happenin Headlines

You've probably heard the slogan, "You never get a second... Read More

Ten Ways to Market Your Business by Doing What You Love To Do

Most business owners get so involved in the work of... Read More

The Real Marketing Genius

I spend a lot of my time reading books and... Read More

Increase Your Response with Multi-Step Marketing

"There is only one way to judge the effectiveness of... Read More

How To Bond With Customers So That They Stay With You Longer

How many of your customers are loyal customers? More importantly... Read More

Where to Find Cheap Brochure Printing

Whether it is for is a real estate listing, a... Read More

Online Mentorship Programs: Cash in on Your Expertise

Whether you're a former retail store owner known for your... Read More

Nine Must-Do Positioning Steps

Every professional or consultant knows that clients typically hire people... Read More

Low-Cost Marketing With Postcards

Here's a simple way you can generate lots of sales... Read More

How Well Do You Know Your Prospects? Find Out With This 10-Point Quiz

It's crucial to know your prospects if you want to... Read More

How to Turn Your Marketing Into a Money-Making Machine - Preparing for Marketing That Yields Results

The usual complaint from companies is that Marketing simply does... Read More

Business to Business Direct Mail Offers that Say Free

In direct mail, the offer is the incentive or reward... Read More

The Bare-Bones Basics Of Multi-Level Marketing

Multi-level marketing is the biggest growth industry in the 1980's.... Read More

Coupons that Work

Turn a coupon into a business card (or vice versa).Coupons... Read More

Loan Officer Websites: Your Marketing Hub to Magnetize Realtors

Too many loan officer websites look like congested intersections, information... Read More

Using Business and Greeting Cards Effectively

Business cards and greeting cards almost go hand in hand... Read More

Specialized Mailing Lists Make All the Difference

If there is one thing I can't say enough it... Read More

10 Ways to Get Your Flyers Noticed

An inexpensive way to promote your services is to createvarious... Read More

10 Awesome Ways To Attract More Orders

1. Create a free ebook directory on a specific topic... Read More

The A-Z of Exhibiting Overseas

Exhibiting overseas is one of the fastest and most cost... Read More

Connecting With Your Clients

Many service professionals tell me that they are uncomfortable with... Read More

Postcard Direct Mail Marketing Tips And Ideas

Postcards are perhaps the least expensive way of reaching a... Read More