How to actually build link exchange e-mails - and be successful!
I get a lot of link exchange e-mails. If you're a newbie at Internet Marketing, or simply have no idea what I'm talking about, these e-mails are from other webmasters who want to exchange links with you. Exchanging links helps promote both sites as search engines will spider these links and it will increase the link popularity of both sites involved.
I, however, seem to get the worst link exchange e-mails on Earth. When I myself send out link exchange e-mails, I receive a much higher return then any of these people ever will because they simply DO NOT KNOW HOW TO EXCHANGE LINKS.
When you're sending an e-mail to an established website, which already has an income, and you are just starting your first site or putting another one online, it's important to follow some simple rules.
1. Introduce yourself, your website, and what you do.
2. State you've posted a reciprocal link BEFORE e-mailing the webmaster for the link exchange.
3. KINDLY ask for a link back. And never forget - use spell-checked, easy to read plain English!
Those are the three golden rules of link exchanges. It seems so many people no longer follow the golden rules - they're rude, they say nothing of what their website does, sells, or manages, and they NEVER post a reciprocal link beforehand.
Not to mention - some people say they post your link, then don't and never get back to you! Or use a robots.txt file to block access to their link pages, so their links to you may BE there - but the engines will never see it.
Such sneaky SEO tactics should be spit upon. For instance, here is an example of a link exchange e-mail I received in my inbox today.
Dear SiteMaster!
Its not the spam. Its exclusive and limited in time proposal.
I have the site with stable PageRank5 over the long time, and this site takes one of the first places in Yahoo and MSN and has good position in Google.
I'm the editor of this site.
Subject matter of my site - Furniture.
I propose you to exchange links with my site because I think that both of us will be in profit from this.
If you are interested in my proposition - please, let me know.
I am waiting for your prompt reply.
Best regards!
(Name removed so sender will be less embarrassed)
This is awful. Pathetic. The webmaster doesn't even post his website URL in the e-mail - so how the hell am I supposed to look for my link? No, of course. He didn't post one before e-mailing me.
So obviously this guy will never get a link back from me unless he smacks himself in the head, and realizes how to actually use the proper link exchange e-mail format. Not only will this guy get almost no links back - the ones he will get will be from websites he may not even want to associate with. But because this looks like just a bulk, random mailing to random people, this webmaster will likely never even check what websites he exchanges with.
This is called quantity over quality linking - and this is the WORST example of it I have ever seen.
I spit upon thee!
Next in the list - and oh buddy do I ever have a long list of spit-upon-thees - is the people who write a great letter but paste a link to some stupid form to fill out if you want to exchange with them.
These automatic scripts are annoying, time-consuming, and sometimes very useless. A lot of the time when I need to build new links to new websites (mine or a client) I'll use a number of these forms in the same day to get some immediate links built. Yes, some of these scripts allow the link to be posted right away. But - a computer is only as smart as it's maker. A lot of the time, the script might have trouble picking up the link (especially if the link is placed somewhere with dynamic content, or the link is on a forum like PhpBB). Other times the script simply comes back with some useless error!
Automatic linking scripts - I spit upon thee!
Next on the shit list is services that connect webmasters to each other to link (I cannot name names as I might get sued). Now, I have nothing against the service; nothing whatsoever. What I have something against is the people that peruse these sites looking for link partners. They'll post your link, e-mail you for a link back, etc. I'll post their link, say thanks, and they'll never respond. So who's to say that they keep the link up or not?
No one. Usually the link is pulled a week or two later, and good luck getting ahold of the person who e-mailed you.
More "automatic" link building services. I spit upon thee as well!
Do you all want a REAL taste of how to link? Let me show you. This is a link exchange e-mail I have used in the past to ask for links back - and had very good turn arounds with.
--THIS IS A TEMPLATE. DO NOT COPY THIS TEMPLATE PLEASE, ANY NAMES, WEBSITE NAMES, OR COPYRIGHTED MATERIAL FROM THIS DOCUMENT. WHICH INCLUDES THE ENTIRE DOCUMENT. I HAVE WAYS OF FINDING OUT THANKS TO GOOGLE FILTERS. THANK YOU. COPYRIGHT G3 NETWORK, 2005--
From the webmaster who brought you Computer Desk Info and Ceiling Fans N More, comes Lamp Info
Dear webmaster:
I am writing you because I have exchanged links with you in the past on one of my previous home related websites. I would like to exchange links with your site, insert website name here, on my new site, Lamp Info.
Lamp Info is a home decor related website that reviews and has useful information on floor lamps, table lamps, and designer lamps. Like my other websites, I hope to have this one on top of Yahoo soon, and start making some serious traffic. If you haven't heard of my other sites, I hold respectable positions on the major search engines, and my link partners benefit from it. And you, as my link partner, are going to benefit from all of my projects as long as you are interested.
I have posted a link to your prestigious website at http://www.lampinfo.com/web-resources/link-catergory.php
If you could be so kind as to post a link back, here is the linking HTML:
Table lamps, floor lamps, lamp shades and more at Lamp Info
Check out Lamp Info for reviews on the industry's leading lamps, as well as a selection of designer lamps and more. Lamp Info - for all your lamp and lighting needs.
Thanks very much for your time, and have a great day.
Sincerely,
Mark Berger
- G3 Network of Related Websites -
webmaster@bandwidthcrazy.com
Now THAT, ladies and gentlemen, is a REAL link exchange document. Please, before you begin e-mailing useless crap to random people's inboxes, next time, think of this and use some wit and intuition. It will get you a long way - and remember, if you link with higher quality sites instead of many low-key sites, you will rise up through the rankings faster. And ALWAYS check the site you're linking with - they may have some content you disapprove of, or might practice shady SEO tactics like link farms. Any association with a link farm (or even some forms of black hat SEO) will get you banned from search engines - permanently!
I am a young, aspiring computer engineer into Internet Marketing, hardware, software, web design, SEO and just about anything related to computers. Please come check out my growing PC forum at http://www.markspcforum.com