Link Building Strategy: The Power Of Link Exchanges
By Bryan Clark on Feb 21, 2008 in Seo
Written by Robert Holland - SEO Consultant for One Man’s Goal.
Ok - up until now, I’ve seen a very favorable response from my postings. I’m excited to have this great opportunity that Bryan has given me, and I’ve appreciated every second interacting with each of you. However, this posting might be the one that brings the calls for Bryan to BAN ME FOREVER from OMG! So, without further delay, let’s get to my next strategy on link building >> THE ART OF LINK EXCHANGES!
Ahhhh… I hear the chanting already “to the gallows… to the gallows…” However, before you execute me for suggesting you take part in link exchanges, please let me explain my thinking — better than that, let me share with you the proven value of this powerful link building strategy.
I’ve said it before that I’ll take a link anyway I can get it. That is a bit of a watered down version of my true position on this subject, because I will not spend my time on just any garbage link. I am actively finding ways to get the “biggest bang for my buck” or efforts in you will. Let me take us out of the old, outdated way of exchanging links, and fast forward us into the hear and now world of the web!
In one of my previous postings, I talked about the value of adding anchor text links to the blogrolls / sidebars of blogs. And by doing this, you are acquiring links according to the following formula: 1link added to the blogroll / sidebar of a blog automatically earns you links equivalent to the total number of postings within that blog. So, let’s say here at OMG, Bryan has a total of 200 blog postings. By adding 1 link to the blogroll, I actually net a total of 200 links to my overall link portfolio.
Ok, so now let’s look at this in light of a link exchange. I know that Bryan’s blog is valuable with the homepage having a PR4, and lot of sub pages (postings) having anywhere from PR1 - PR3. And I know that if I can get a link added to OMG, then I’ll net 200 inbound - one way - anchor text targeted links >> VERY VALUABLE. However, I also own a blog with depth and value. So, I contact Bryan to negotiate a possible link exchange and sell him on the value of what a link exchange between our blogs can do for both of us.
As you can see, this is not a link exchange according to the old way of doing it. The stakes are considerably higher, and link juice being delivered is substantially more powerful. You see, I’m now proposing a link exchange where if you add my link to your blogroll (netting me 200 inbound, anchor text links), and I will, in exchange, add your link to my blogroll (netting you whatever my blog can deliver).
So there it is - short, simply, yet powerful…. are you still wanting to take me to the gallows???
As I’ve always ended my postings, I want to thank Bryan, and all the readers here at OMG, for this amazing opportunity I have to share my thoughts and interact with such a great blogging crowd… thank you all.
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15 Comment(s)
By Nick on Feb 21, 2008 | Reply
Sorry if I missed something, but what is the difference between you asking Brian for a link exchange, and someone asking you for a link exchange where you stated you marked the email as spam?
By Robert on Feb 22, 2008 | Reply
Hello Nick! Great point - I was making reference to standard “you put your link on my website and i’ll put mine on yours” email, and where the request is clearly the old 1 - for - 1 requests.
When you send a request to a blogger, you had better sell the deal by referencing the number of postings your blog has to offer, the PR data associated with the postings, etc…
This is clearly a different proposition than the 1-for-1 exchange requests - at least in my opinion anyway!
By Austin on Feb 22, 2008 | Reply
And the same can be said for the top commenters - what a value to be one of the top commenters on OMG: You get those 200 some odd links as well, although be it without the benefit of a keyword anchor tag. But still!
By Robemmerson on Feb 22, 2008 | Reply
Brian,
I am fascinated by the concept. I am extremely new to Blogging so much of what I am reading is going over my head at the moment. Thank you for clearly presenting an idea that seems to make sense. I have started linking back to my main page on all of my post at http://www.robemmerson.com after reading your last post. I don’t yet have 25 post let alone 200, but I will, and I am looking forward to being able to use the ideas you have presented.
As a newbie, how do I find page rank and what not? I know my page is not ranked, it is only a couple weeks old, but ever were I go people are making statements about it.
anyway, thanks again for the info
By Bryan on Feb 22, 2008 | Reply
As far as PageRank goes… you don’t have one. If you ever want to check, just go to - http://iwebtool.com - and use the “pagerank checker” or the “pagerank prediction tool” which will show you what your predicted pagerank is. It’s not 100% accurate, but it predicted my last update accurately. Pagerank only comes around every 3 months or so, and we aren’t expecting another one until around March - April (even though the last one didn’t seem to be a complete update).
I noticed that (just like you said) you are linking back to your main page from every post. While this isn’t a bad thing, it’s not incredibly helpful either. You should seek other means of generating links to your homepage, and not rely on just linking to it internally. If you want to do it once in a while, that’s fantastic… but you don’t have to go out of your way to do so. Also, you aren’t taking advantage of anchor text.
Anchor text is the part that shows up blue within the link. For example, your link says “main page” and “my online business” in your last two posts. These would be what I’m talking about when I mention anchor text. Instead of vague text like this, you should decide what keywords that you want your blog to rank well for in the search engines and use those instead. For example, I’m trying to build up links with the anchor text “make money online” so that I can climb to the top of the 30,000,000 plus pages on Google using that keyphrase.
I know this may seem a bit overwhelming, but read my ebook. It explains this stuff in great detail.
Also, if I could make a suggestion. Start reading your way through my archived posts. I started out in June of 2007 as a complete beginner, so the posts progress in difficulty as I learned more. The beginning posts are almost laughable to me now, but they may be extremely helpful to someone in your situation who is new to the blogging scene.
By Adonis on Feb 23, 2008 | Reply
hmm is this stuff really works? i mean right now social media is the new one
By Robemmerson on Feb 23, 2008 | Reply
Bryan,
Thanks for the eBook. I am almost half way through it, man you have created some work for me…
I have downloaded and installed most of the plug ins you recommend, some of the links in the book are dead, but I got the majority of them.
I am going to work on reading your archives, hopefully soon I can go back and laugh at mine.:)
By Nick on Feb 23, 2008 | Reply
Robert, I still don’t get the difference in the methods for exchanging links. If you are trading for a blogroll link, sure it’s not technically a one for one trade. But my page is a PR4 and I go to another sports blog and say hey, i respect your stuff, do you want to trade links, and they are a PR6, and say yes, what’s wrong with this.
I get what you are saying now with the clarification, but the way that is written is confusing. You say emailing people to trade links is out of fasion, I delete these requests and mark them as spam… At that point, i’m like ok, so we don’t do this anymore.
Then in the next paragraph you say that after you mark these comments as spam, you go out and target sites with a lot of posts, good page rank, etc., and then email them with a link exchange request.
I reread the post 3 times to see if I misunderstood. I think the better way to say this would be that if the blog asking you for a link exchange is new, or has lower PR, or not many posts, it’s not worth your time. Find and target blogs that will benefit you do Link Exchanges with.
By Robert on Feb 23, 2008 | Reply
Hello Nick! I think you are right on target and you understand (I think anyway) the concept I’m trying to get across.
I’ve never been accused of being the most eloquent writer in the world, so it’s sometimes tough for me to get the thought across accurately - I do appreciate your help and you’ve probably helped other readers understand better as well.
I would also add, that the concept I’ve shared with link exchange is something that I haven’t seen anyone else doing - I’m not saying it hasn’t been thought of before, but I know that I’ve never received an email with a request for a link exchange to the level that we are discussing here.
Perhaps Bryan can share if he’s ever received a link exchange request since OMG is a very established, active, and authoritative blog.
My attempt with the posting was to open people’s minds to think outside the box in building links in an ethical and “above the table” fashion.
Thank you again Nick, you’ve been a great help!
By Bryan on Feb 23, 2008 | Reply
By Jason on Feb 24, 2008 | Reply
Well said mate… (yeah I’ve been hanging out with too many Aussies online)
Want to know something else that’s crazy, Bryan?
If you link to yourself in your blogroll then all of your pages can add to the PageRank of your index page… So if you have 3,000 pages, then you have 3,000 “backlinks” from your own site.
See ya.
By Bobby on Feb 25, 2008 | Reply
Great post man. My blog is pretty new as well and im just learning the ins and outs. I never thought getting my anchor text on the sidebar would be links on everypage.
By Robert on Feb 26, 2008 | Reply
Thank you for the feedback! Don’t forget to visit OMG this coming Thursday as I talk about balancing the scales of search algorithms!
You better have your scientific thinking caps on for this one…
By Deca on Feb 27, 2008 | Reply
If i want to link exchange with other webmasters, I prefer go to
DP Forum
By mac on Feb 29, 2008 | Reply
This is another great way to get a high traffic to your blog. Readers, you should try it and see the difference. Nice one robert!