3.4.1. Finding Link Partners 100 The Manual Process
Here’s the manual process. It takes time. Too much time (wrong side of the 80-20 coin)...
STEP 1) Find sites you want to exchange with, if they agree. This involves quite a bit of research at the engines.
STEP 2) Check the the Google PR, and the Alexa score. Your next step is the important one -- STEP 2 is just a quick screen.
STEP 3) Visit each site yourself, to make sure it delivers. Does the site deliver excellent, non-competitive content? Is it relevant? If so, great!...
Quality + Relevant = Reality!
SIDEBAR
All things being equal (i.e., great content), go for highly regarded inbound
links (high Google PR/Alexa ranking). However...
A great site with a low Google PR and Alexa score can be a good value-exchange. Its “scores” will improve if it really is that good. And its owner will be more open to exchanging.
Your call!
If the site’s content is of value to your visitors, while being non-competitive, proceed.
STEP 4) Find the right contact person. Is it on the site? Whois? Ugh. More searching.
STEP 5) Send a great e-mail. Discuss why you do not want to “link”-exchange, but that you do want to “value”-exchange! Customize each letter. This is the part that is the most time-intensive. Most recipients are not expecting this request -- many will think you are spamming them!
STEP 6) If the site is nicely done, relevant and would not compete with your business, and if the owner responds positively, complete your link-exchanging arrangements.
IMPORTANT NOTE: If the site is of poor quality (i.e., low value content, lots of banners and flashing buttons, etc.), do NOT link to it, even if some “link exchange service” promises you all the riches in the universe. You will get hurt.
I can't stress this enough -- avoid link farms or pages that have tons of links scattered willy-nilly all over them. No one will ever see the link to you, and engines penalize those pages.
Remember... you have no control over who links to you. So poor links-in are unlikely to hurt you (perhaps with the exception of certain extreme misbehavior). But if you make bad link-out choices, you will pay for those mistakes. (More on this later.)
By now, you are saying, “What a pain in the...”
You’re right and I’m only now coming to the worst step...
STEP 7) Monitor the inbound links from your exchange partner. Unfortunately, not everyone is as honest as you are. And that brings me to...
MYLW: <<3.4 Value Exchange 3.4.1 Manual Finding Link Partners 3.4.2 Fraud-Exchange Tricks>>
