Link Exchange
Link Exchange Definition:
The practice of exchanging links with other websites. You place another site's link on your site, usually on a links page, and in return, the other site places a link on their site back to you.
Want more people to visit your website? A link-building campaign could be just the thing to help you draw in visitors. Link exchange requests require minimal effort from you, but they can absolutely explode your traffic numbers overnight. How? If your site's a featured link on a major site in your industry--one that receives a ton of attention--your site immediately benefits from all the exposure their site receives.
Getting started with this strategy is simple, but you should follow a standard process every time you request a link. Let's break it down into a few easy steps:- Do a Google search for your standard keywords--the ones that people generally use to find your site.
- Make detailed notes about the sites that appear regularly in the top ten listings for your major keywords.
- Use the Alexa Toolbar, LinkPopularity or Technorati to find out what other sites these sites are linking to, whose linking to them and how much traffic they're receiving, then look up their contact information.
- Before making contact, make sure you know the correct URL for the site, the URL of the sub-page on which you want your link to appear, the name of the site owner or webmaster, the date you last visited their site, and a brief description of the contents of the site.
- When you're ready to contact the owners of these website and request a link, write a personal e-mail--don't use form letters. Be sure to include some positive comments about their site, information about you and your site (along with your URL), an explanation of why a link to you would benefit them, and instructions for contacting you to get started.
You want your request to be thorough and professional. If you can present a persuasive argument for why the link request benefits both of you, you stand a better chance of forging a connection. And if you're really eager to get your link on their site, be prepared to up the ante by offering them a commission or a link on your site in return. The investment could be well worth the extra exposure your marketing message receives.
