Order of Links on Reciprocal Links Pages
Whether you are using a link management program to administer
your reciprocal links, or manually add links to your link
directory pages, there are some guidelines you should consider.
When adding links to your pages there are three choices for the
order: alphabetical, newest links first or oldest links first.
Listing links by order of "Oldest Links First" is the most
appropriate and fairest to your link partners and will make them
more willing to exchange links with you for other sites they
have. Here's why:
By listing in Alphabetical order your links pages will not be
static and will constantly change. Using one of my own sites as
an example, since it starts with a "U", whenever you reach your
determined maximum number of links per page my site will most
likely move to page 2. When page 2 fills my site will move to
page 3, then page 4 and so on. When my link management script
checks for all my reciprocal links, it won't see yours since it
has moved to a different page and then it will send an email to
you that my link can't be found at your site. Then we will both
have to exchange emails and I will have to make a correction to
my links directory as to where my link is at on your site. This
is wasted time for both of us.
The same thing happens with ordering by Newest Links First. Your
links pages will not be static and will constantly change as new
links are added. Your oldest links move farther down the page,
then to page 2, then page 3, etc. Here again, we will have to
exchange email to correct the problem when my reciprocal link
can't be found at your site.
By listing in order of Oldest Links First new links get added to
the end of the list. When page 1 is full your new links start on
page 2, then page 3, etc. The links on page 1 will never change
their position, the links on page 2 never change their position,
etc. so your pages become static and remain the same, with the
exception of whatever the last page is since it is a work in
progress. My link checking script will be able to find my
reciprocal link easily since it's url location at your site
never changes. Of course, there are the infrequent times that a
link could actually move up in position to a lower page number.
For example, if a link on page 1 is deleted then the top
position link on page 2 moves to be the last position link on
page 1, the top position link on page 3 moves to the last
position on page 2, etc. The same will occur for all subsequent
pages. This does not happen very often, and if you are trading
honest links with each other, may never happen unless a site
closes down.
Listing your reciprocal links in order of "Oldest Links First"
is a much fairer and honorable way to treat your link partners
since your oldest, and most loyal partners, will always be
nearer the top of the list in the order they exchanged links
with you. Your linking partnership with other webmasters should
always be honest.... and fair.