Internet Marketing - Matt Bailey [189]
This is why links from one site to another are so powerful. They contain credibility. Getting a link from another website is powerful that way. However, many website owners get together and decide to build links by linking to each other with the intent to get a benefit.
This is called reciprocal linking. It’s the “I’ll link to you if you link to me” approach. However, consider your website visitor. Are you providing them with value? Are you linking to another website for your own benefit or for the benefit of the visitor? This is why the one-way links are considered more valuable, because they are the resource for the visitor and primarily for their benefit.
Reciprocal linking will not be held as valuable as a one-way link. However, in many business models, especially news and content-driven industries, there will be natural cross-linking and reciprocal linking. These associations are always driven by context. The context of the subject matter and the natural patterns are always able to be established, because the communities are able to be visualized as described in Monday’s content.
A good link request is personal, provides a specific reason, and builds a relationship. A good link request builds on a relationship that is already established and provides value to all involved. As an example, I was working with a company that used products created by DuPont. In looking at the DuPont website, there was a section of case studies that mentioned my client and how they used DuPont products to solve a problem. A simple email with a simple request resulted in a link from the case study to the client page. There was a previous relationship, and it provided value to both parties.
Building Business Value
On Monday I compared a new website to a new restaurant opening in town. Not many people will go out of their way to try a new restaurant, because they favor the reliable rather than the risky. However, in order to gain credibility, restaurants do something that you can learn from. They invite critics. New restaurants that want to start a buzz will invite the local media, restaurant and food critics, friends, family, and many others to have a free meal. In doing so, they are able to showcase their menu and product to as many people as possible and create a group of people who are able to recommend the restaurant to others.
This type of opening relates very closely to websites. When a new site goes live, the best thing it can do is let others know about the site. This can be accomplished by making a strong use of email, press releases, announcements, and actively searching out directories, forums, and online sources to list your website. From experience, a strong PR and email campaign can drastically increase the number of links coming into a website in a very short time. In addition, those links tend to be from trusted authority sources, so a new site is able to gain credibility.
Building links requires you to continually provide value. The value can be great products at a great price, amazing customer service, or educational or entertaining content. Whatever type of product, developing a value is critical to continuing to gain links. As those who know your site and enjoy their experience, they will share it across many different platforms.
Developing Relationships
Links don’t come to you easily if you aren’t active in the market and no one knows who you are. Unless people know who you are and what you bring to the party, they won’t talk about you—thus, no links. Bringing new data, a twist in something that is previously accepted, or a new perspective will go far in getting attention and engaging your peers in conversation.
Good content is what makes people listen or read and stay attentive. However, content can be good but not meet the needs of the audience. If the audience finds no need for the content at that time or no personal benefit, then the