Link Marketing - Reciprocal Linking

"Link Marketing......

   …. increased traffic and better Search Engine ranking"

As a result of significant changes within the Google Search Engine over the last 12 months, Link Marketing has never before been such an important issue in securing a good search engine ranking ..... but it can also produce free advertising and customers at the same time.

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What is Link Marketing?

Link Marketing is strategy of actively seeking out other websites with which to enter into a reciprocal linking arrangement. Many websites now maintain a special page on their site specifically for the placing of links to other websites of similar or better quality (and for those who understand what a Google PR is - other websites with a similar of higher PR). For both sites to enjoy the full benefit of such an arrangement, one site should link to the other, and a reciprocal link should be placed on the other site back to yours.

To maximise the benefits of such an arrangement, it is better to use text links rather than banner links, and you should seek to ensure that anyone linking back to your site should use specially selected text that includes Keywords that you have selected to promote your site in the Search Engines.

What the Benefits of a Link Marketing Strategy?

The main benefits of such reciprocal linking arrangements is that it now greatly assists you to achieve a higher ranking in Google. And the greater number of reciprocal links you have, the better you site will perform in the rankings. Many well established portals in the world have upwards of 20,000 reciprocal links, and any site that wants to continually improve its position should implement a policy of gradually growing their reciprocal linking as a site with 500 reciprocal links will always find it easier to maintain a higher position in the Search Engine rankings than a site with only 30 links.

But their is another significant benefit that warrants having a Link Building strategy. It provides you with with free traffic. And if you are reasonably selective about the websites that you reciprocally link to, you have the ability to target specific markets and in doing so improve the quality of that additional free traffic.

Beware of the Dangers of Greedy Link Building?

One of the common and potentially very dangerous mistakes we are seeing on an increasing number of New Zealand websites is the desire of the owner to develop the number of reciprocal links too quickly by joining Link Building networks.

Over the last year Google has become aware of websites that are link building simply to attempt to manipulate their Search Engine rankings. As a result Google is taking action and it is now possible to have your site banned from Google ....and this is something you need to avoid at all costs.

How to Develop an effective Link Building Strategy?

You can develop an effective reciprocal Link Building strategy by addressing this issue in your essential online marketing plan and setting yourself a weekly or monthly target for a specific number of reciprocal links to achieve during that time period.

We reccomend downloading a copy of the free Google Toolbar which will then install itself within your web browser. Once completed, every time you visit a website you will see in the centre of the Google Toolbar a small Grey Bar that when you run your cursor over it, will give you the PR rating of that site. When identifying sites to exchange links with check that PR Tool and try and ensure that you exchange links with sites of an equal or higher PR rating that your site has.

If you faithfully implement your Link Building strategy on an ongoing basis, you will gradually find that you Link total increase and your website will benefit in an increased PR rating, improved position in the Search Engines and improved quantity and quality of traffic to your website.

Automated Link Building Tools

There are a number of Link Building software tools that you can buy to automate part of the process we have described and they can save you a considerable amount of time. You will see those Link Building Tools that we reccomend detailed on our Online Marketing Tools page.

Link Building Strategy - you haven't got the time?

In a situation where you cannot dedicate the time to implement an ongoing Link Building strategy ....them maybe you should contact us.

While on the surface of it a Link Building Strategy might seem relatively unimportant, we can assure you that it should form an important part of your overall online marketing strategy. And if you haven't got the time, then find some one who has.