7 Steps To A Powerful, Useful Reciprocal Links Directory

7 Steps To A Powerful, Useful Reciprocal Links Directory

The Problem

No matter how good your product or service is, if you are
not receiving targeted visitors to your site or if your web
site is not well ranked by the Search engines you will not
sell much.

A solid, reciprocal linking strategy, properly executed will
deliver both targeted visitors and improve your web site
rank for your chosen keywords and all for "no money down."

Step #1 - Specific Keyword Search
---------------------------------

It is important that your chosen keyword phrases are as
specific as possible.

Scott Buresh of http://www.mediumblue.com/ says this
about keywords and using "geographic", "adjective"
and "noun" modifiers to make them specific.

"Modifiers are used for two main reasons: to increase the
percentage of ideal prospects in the traffic the phrase
attracts, and to find terms that are easier to target on
search engines. Adding the right type of modifiers to your
search engine key phrases will increase your chances of
success."

This step involves effort and a capacity to brainstorm
because you need a minimum of 100 keyword phrases for good
results. Good search engine optimisers build lists of 300
specific or more keyword phrases.

The following resources will be of use as you build your
keyword phrase list

* Overture Suggestion Tool -
http://inventory.overture.com/d/searchinventory/suggestion/

* Good Keywords by Softnik Technologies -
http://www.goodkeywords.com

* Use a search engine to research "Keyword Phrases" and
learn more practical details on this critical task.

Step #2 - Suitable Link Partners
--------------------------------

Your ideal link partners are web sites based on

* High quality content - Ideally the material (articles,
reviews, reports, e-books etc) should be original, fresh
and informative to visitors.

* Tight web site themes - The content addresses a specific
business, product or service type.

* Tight directory themes - A link to the link directory
should be prominently shown on main pages and the
directory must be tightly themed and not just a
"link farm" of general, non-related web sites.

* Complimentary themes - While you may not want direct
competitors to feature in your directory, complimentary
sites that fulfil the above features will provide great
value to your visitors.

Step # 3 - Find and Review Link Partners
----------------------------------------

Now, find web sites who may be "good" link partners.

Using a search engine or directory, go through each
keyword phrase in your list and visit as many of the web
sites that are returned as you can.

Evaluate each site on the basis of the criteria set in
step #2.

Decide on the categories you want in your directory.

For an Internet marketing business these would typically be
"Affiliate Programs", "Business Promotion", "Income
Opportunities" an so on.

Qualifying web sites, may of course fall into more than one
category depending on their business, product or service
offerings.

With this information you can now make another list of :

* Qualifying web sites for inclusion.

* Relevant e-mail address to which link requests must be
addressed.

* Web site URL and a short description of the web site and
what it offers.

* Make a note of "special" features on the web site which
you can usefully put in your e-mail to *prove* you have
actually visited the site. This goes a long way to
countering SPAM problems.

Step # 4 - Build Your Partner Link Directory.
---------------------------------------------

Build your Partner Link's directory using a separate HTML
page for each distinct category.

Add the URL link and comment for each qualified site into
the relevant category page(s).

Make your directory pleasurable to visit, where visitors
find information quickly and easily.

Ensure ithe directory is easily found and reached from your
main web pages.

Step 5 - e-Mail The Webmaster
-----------------------------

Using the e-mail addresses, write to each Webmaster you
have linked to.

Tell them :

* The URL address of the page where their link can be found

* Your own web site link information (URL and descriptive
comments)

Finish by asking for a reciprocal link in their directory.

Make the e-mail personal and you might like to use the
*special* feature note you made to help your request
achieve success.

Step #6 - Maintain Your Directory
---------------------------------

A partner directory is a work in constant progress.

It must change quickly to reflect obsolete, dead, new,
and modified links and web sites.

This maintains it's usefulness to your visitors.

Depending on size, verifying the links may be more than
you can achieve easily by your own efforts. Offer prizes to
visitors who find and inform you of links that are no
longer useful.

Maintenance also means giving added prominence to entries
for other webmasters who respond to your mail and tell you
that they have added your link and web site information to
their own directories.

You can add a small graphic next to each Partner link
making it stand out from the other web sites that have not
provided a reciprocal links.

Remember your directory exists to provide useful content
to your visitors. Do not immediately remove a non
reciprocating web site, if it adds value to your visitors.

Step #7 - Repeat
----------------

Go through the six steps above regularly and over a period
of 3 to 6 months you should notice a significant and
sustained rise in targeted traffic from complimentary
sites as well as a rise in search engine rankings for your
specific keyword phrases.

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Conclusion

Building a useful, tightly themed, Partner Link directory
is a "No cost" traffic and ranking builder.

Will you devote 15 minutes to this today, and into the
future ?

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Charles Kangethe of http://www.simplyeasier.com is a leading
new wave Netpreneur and a published author from England. The
"Simply Easier" brand name is your guarantee of high value,
quality Marketing Products, Services and Resources.
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