With a Personal Touch.
Linking As A Networking Strategy - © 2002 Jodi Krangle. All Rights Reserved. |
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Sometimes it's the simplest strategies that get overlooked. Search engines are not the only important places to get your site listed. Through the creation of a links page and networking with other websites, you can both increase your site's popularity in the search engines and get to know some of the people in your industry. Before you say it, yes, it's true that being presented with a large list of links within a website, might get your visitors to leave your site before they've really had a chance to look around. However, if visitors are interested in your content, they'll be happy enough to use their browser's "Back" button. Chances are also pretty good that they'll have a more rewarding experience being able to look around as they please rather than being "herded" in a particular direction. Visitors typically appreciate open navigation concepts so that they can easily jump between subjects and sections of a website rather than having to click several times to get to a particular area of interest. There's one inescapable fact here: a website is called a "web" site for a reason. Use that "web" of interconnected information streams to your advantage. To begin with, most website administrators and/or owners, love to be approached by those who are impressed with their efforts. A website worth linking to, takes a lot of effort to create and maintain. What's the most flattering way to express your appreciation? Easy: Link to that website from your own. This is a fantastic way to build relationships between yourself and your site, and other website owners with similar content or concerns. First of all, set aside a page on your site that specifically lists resources visitors to your site might find useful. Approach websites that offer similar services and/or resources to your own and ask them if they would consider exchanging links. This is important - the word EXCHANGE. It's important because building relationships has to do with offering something in return for a favor granted - and make no mistake - having another website link to your website, is a PRIVILEGE - not a right. Remember also, that the other site in question *does* have the right to say no. If this happens, it could be for several reasons. Don't take it personally. Make your own assessment about whether or not that particular site is worth including in your list (usually, I think you'll find that it is. You approached them initially for a reason, after all) and move on. There are plenty of folks that WILL link back to you. Consider putting together specific graphics for such links (for instance, I've set aside a page of such linking ideas for The Muse's Muse - my song writing resource - at http://www.musesmuse.com/linking.html) . Make sure you have both graphical and simple text examples of them as some sites only do text links. If the site only does text links, it's likely due to design considerations more than anything else and has no bearing whatsoever on how much they value your site. Give them the option and they'll be much more likely to reciprocate. These are some ideas on how to go about creating a links page while getting other sites to link back to you in return. But you might ask - WHY is this important? Besides adding value to your web site in terms of what you can offer your visitors, there are two main reasons. The first is the idea of relationships. Relationships are what make the world go round. Many times, it all comes down to *who you know*. Other considerations are also important but it's *people* who open doors. Though the web is a different environment from going out to a social gathering or industry convention and meeting folks personally, it is still an environment where relationships can be extremely important. Don't underestimate how many extra people might check out your website should another site say yours is a good one. Also remember that networking may not help you today, but it will most definitely help you tomorrow - sometimes in the most surprising ways. The second reason is a little more mercenary, and I hope you'll forgive me for "telling it like it is" in this respect (that is, after all, why you're reading this). Here it is: The more people linking to your web site, the more popular your web site will be assumed to be by the search engines and the higher it will rank. (Remember: this is ONLY relevant in the case of search engines - the ones that use what are termed, "spiders" to crawl through websites and categorize them. Directories use human editors and therefore won't be affected by this sort of "popularity contest".) This is not to say that a good title, good keywords and good description for your web site won't help you equally as well - but it IS to say that linking is one of the best ways I know of to keep a web site high in the search engine standings on a consistent basis. Titles, keywords and descriptions often change. Have you ever noticed how links tend to linger forever and a day? If you've ever bought a new domain name and have contacted those linking to you in order to have them change their link to reflect the new url, you know what I mean. Ultimately, the relationships you build on the web will benefit you. This is one instance where nice guys actually finish FIRST. |
~ Free Internet Marketing Resources
Interested in more information about how important links are to the promotion of your website? Check out: LinkingMatters |
