In part 1 of these series of two articles I explained you the basics of how to find web sites to link to and how to make a links directory. Contacting the webmasters of the websites you want to reciprocate with, following up your campaign and maintaining your directory are the issues of this article.
Contact the webmaster
In this phase of the process of reciprocation you have a links directory and now you want to have a link back from the web sites you have listed. You have to write an email to the webmasters of these sites. This can be a short email in which you request a link exchange. I use the following text:
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Subject: Link Partnership
Hello,
I visited your website at - URL - and want to trade links with you.
Your web site has good content and I am interested in having my web site placed in your link directory.
I've added your website's listing to my link directory:
http://www.compazz.com/links/linkdirectory.
The listing is in the xxxxxxx theme at this page:
http://www.compazz.com/links/xxxxxx.html.
My website is:
http://www.compazz.com/
Info to add my website's link to your website:
Url: http://www.compazz.com
Title: Compazz.com, your Professional Guide to a Successful Home Based Business
Description: Work at home and make money with your own home based business, using practical business ideas, resources, opportunities and top affiliate programs.
Sincerely,
Joop Liefaard
http://www.compazz.com/
links@compazz.com
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Some tips:
Never include an advertisement or promotion in the email. You are requesting a link exchange and not trying to sell anything.
Personalize your email. In this way you won't be accused of spamming so easily. Show the webmaster that you really have visited the web site and give a personal comment. You can change the second line of the sample email for this purpose.
Always upload your directory before sending the email. I received once a very offensive response from a webmaster who didn't find the link at the same moment he received the request. This web site is of course excluded from my directory for life.
Link to web sites that have at least a page ranking of 2 in Google. You can check this in the Google bar that you can install on your computer for free.
Follow-up
If your link is not added to a website after two weeks, you may send a reminder to the webmaster. This should be a gentle "email", something like:
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Hello,
Two weeks ago I placed a link to your web site in my link directory but till now you didn't place a link back to my web site.
By placing reciprocal links in our link directories we both benefit of an increase in targeted traffic.
I ask you to consider placing the link to my site as soon as possible.
You can find the information at http://www.compazz.com/linktous.html.
Let me know when you have done so and I'll place your link on top of the theme page.
Sincerely,
Your name.
Email address.
Maintain
You have to check from time to time if the links are still active and if your link is still in the directory of the other websites. Do this once a month. It is a time-consuming task, but it prevents you from having bad links in your directory.
GoogleA good link directory is good for a high ranking in the search engines. Google loves a good and content-rich directory. There are, however, two conditions you have to meet:
There should be no more than 100 links on each theme Page
Keep your pages tightly themed. Don't make your directory a links farm.
I wish you happy and profitable linking.