Thread: New SEO/Design Client - Link Exchange

I have just completed a web site design for a new client, and now I am beginning to work on the off-page SEO. If you would like to exchange links find the "add url" link at the bottom of each page.

For those of you hooked on PR, the index page is currently a PR3. The sub pages have no PR - they are all new pages to the web site.

Don't get too hung up on PR, though. The way that our agent link pages are designed as State information and agent pages your own web site will benefit from the page/site relevance.

You may also want to take a look at the link/text strategy that we are using for this site. You may want to employ the same strategy for your descriptive text and anchor text.

You can get to the site by following this Hilton Head real estate link.

I was checking out your link exchange policy for this site and saw this, "The page where you are placing our link has been properly indexed by the MSN, Yahoo, and Google search engines." The page that my link would be located on your clients site is not cached by Google. Also, you are requiring 3 links to your clients site for one link back (you only have one text box for "link,anchor text"). Doesn't make too much sense to me. I was going to exchange with the site because I'm sure that the links pages would be indexed soon, but I don't give multiple links to sites when doing link exchanges.

Originally Posted by kyle422

I was checking out your link exchange policy for this site and saw this, "The page where you are placing our link has been properly indexed by the MSN, Yahoo, and Google search engines." The page that my link would be located on your clients site is not cached by Google. Also, you are requiring 3 links to your clients site for one link back (you only have one text box for "link,anchor text"). Doesn't make too much sense to me. I was going to exchange with the site because I'm sure that the links pages would be indexed soon, but I don't give multiple links to sites when doing link exchanges.

We just loaded these pages two days ago, so not all the pages are indexed. Usually, I do not even post a link exchange request until all of the pages are indexed, but I jumped the gun this time. We deleted her previous 20 page site and created a core site with over 200 content driven, static pages. More will follow over the next year. I do understand if someone follows the same policy that I do regarded indexed pages.

As far as the 3-1 link, there is no where in anything that I have stated that says you cannot employ the same strategy that I am using for links. In fact, take a look at the quote in my first post:

You may also want to take a look at the link/text strategy that we are using for this site. You may want to employ the same strategy for your descriptive text and anchor text.

If you choose to employ the same method, then just put your info in the "Site Description" box - that's what I always do.

Whether you choose to exchange links with any of my client sites is up to you.

Understood. I think that most people would agree that a three link/anchor text exchange is not a very good way to obtain linking partners. You are correct about it being my choice to exchange links, which is an obvious conclusion, but I was giving some constructive criticism.

This is but one of the many linking techniques that we use for our clients, and it works quite well.

I don't understand why you are hung up on the so called 3 for 1. In fact, of the tens of thousands of links that we have brokered over the years this is the first hint of a "complaint" that I have heard.

Setting up links this way does not only benefit my clients - in the future it will also benefit the site owners that place the links and site owners that employ these strategies.

As link trading becomes more sophisticated and site owners try to overpower the SERP's with tens of thousands of links search engines such as Google, MSN, and Yahoo will have no choice but to alter the way that they interpret site popularity based upon links. Within the next 12-24 months I predict that standard link pages will be devalued. Sites that use standard linking methods - even sites with tens of thousands of links - will see significant drops in the SERP's. We are already seeing the early signs of link relevance.

The best way to combat these inevitable changes is to make your links pages a series of small stories or paragraphs. These paragraphs should all fit a common theme that ties to the title of the page (i.e. South Carolina real estate) so that the entire page ties together. This will give credibility to both the page as a reliable source on your own site as well as lend credibility to the outbound links from your site.

Beginning in early 2006 we will be undertaking a project and contacting all of our link partners and asking them to switch their link on our site to this format, as well as replace our link if they have our old format.

To do well in SEO you need to know not only what makes a site rank well today, but also use common sense to anticipate where the SE's will need to go in the future to prevent search engine spam. This way, when a major algo change like the infamous Florida update takes place our clients should see little or no negative repercussions.

Interesting thoughts, indeed. I'm not sure if that will differ from the links with descriptions that people use nowdays, since link value is being lowered in general. I know MSN scientists were working on very interesting content clastering and analises - there are some works available in pdf that I can't find right now, but do you have any official sources you could give us links to that make you think that technique mentioned above is the way to go?

Originally Posted by gemini

but do you have any official sources you could give us links to that make you think that technique mentioned above is the way to go?

What do you mean by official? From G, Y, or MSN?

I do my own thing when it comes to SEO and it is all based on common sense and not trying (or claiming) to crack an algo. Perhaps a better way to look at it is, "If I had my own search engine, how would I combat spammers destroying my results and lowering the credibility of my search engine?"

Sites rank well for two major reasons:

1. What is on the pages (HTML and content)
2. The links that point to the site

In the old days you could spam your way to the top of a search engine with keyword stuffing and hidden text. The major search engines have all but put a stop to that.

Now you help spam your way to the top of the SE's with link bombing. Granted, MSN and Y don't have the same link emphasis as G, but it is still present in their algo. Since the major SE's want to protect the integrity of their results, the next logical step is for the SE's to combat link spam.

Of course, link spam doesn't work for everyone. I read a lot about people with 20k links and they can't make a dent in the SERP's. Quality counts.

Now let's get back to the way that I want to handle reciprocal links on my pages. First off, I categorize my real estate link exchanges by state and then add content relevant to that state (although I should probably also add a solid paragraph of text).

Now, if I can get my exchange partners to submit "mini-stories" with 2 or 3 links and I add a few appropriate headings on the page it will lend credibility to that page. My thinking is that this will also help my sites to become authority sites on the term "real estate". Truthfully, if this works as planned it will probably benefit my link partners more than it benefits my sites.

My plan is to restrict each page to 5 or 6 of these paragraphs and use multiple pages as needed. However, I probably will not use sub pages for the overflow (i.e. the secondary Alabama page can only be accessed by the primary Alabama page). Instead, I will list both pages on my main resources page. (BTW, it really ticks me off when people create one link page and then you have to drill down 50 pages to get to the bottom of the links. For link pages to be of any benefit to link partners they should be built in parallel and not in series).

In its most basic elements, search engines look for content and links. This link strategy addresses both of those items.

Originally Posted by HHI Golf Guy

What do you mean by official? From G, Y, or MSN?

I thought you base your strategy on some facts. Yes, we're all gessing here, so that is fine too - I was just wandering if you have something more insightful

Now, if I can get my exchange partners to submit "mini-stories" with 2 or 3 links and I add a few appropriate headings on the page it will lend credibility to that page. My thinking is that this will also help my sites to become authority sites on the term "real estate". Truthfully, if this works as planned it will probably benefit my link partners more than it benefits my sites.

My plan is to restrict each page to 5 or 6 of these paragraphs and use multiple pages as needed. However, I probably will not use sub pages for the overflow (i.e. the secondary Alabama page can only be accessed by the primary Alabama page). Instead, I will list both pages on my main resources page. (BTW, it really ticks me off when people create one link page and then you have to drill down 50 pages to get to the bottom of the links. For link pages to be of any benefit to link partners they should be built in parallel and not in series).

I've been thinking about similar technique - I'm kinda sick of seeing all the same states, links and descriptions all over the real estate sites - it just looks so-o-o... seo/link exchange cliche.. basically if a realtor wants to have his relocation partners in different states - why won't he/she get a few reps per state - one per area and give them a whole page to have their content on it, so that would be a mini home page for each relocation partner - that could get at least a few hundred fully loaded, content rich extremly relevant pages that would benefit all of the partners at first hand. I'm saying a few paragraphs - at least 500 words for each real estate partner - this would also serve as good referral strategy. The only problem is writing this unique content for the partners - this is where the paid copywriters/content writers would be in great help

Originally Posted by gemini

I thought you base your strategy on some facts. Yes, we're all gessing here, so that is fine too - I was just wandering if you have something more insightful

There can't be any hard facts yet - the SE's have not deployed the changes to their algos. It just makes sense that they will eventually have to stop link spam. Even if they don't change their algos, this strategy will still benefit inbound and outbound links. There is no risk on my end - or for my clients.

Our sites will still have some standard links, and I'll even use a few other link strategies.

a mini home page for each relocation partner

Do you think that too much "foreign content" with your strategy or mine - will end up diluting the overall theme of the site?

Originally Posted by HHI Golf Guy

Do you think that too much "foreign content" with your strategy or mine - will end up diluting the overall theme of the site?

Have you had experience diluting the overall theme? I haven't so I wouldn't know for sure, but employing the same techniques back to your site (I mean incoming links with custom content pages from others) - shouldn't it justify? Well, if not, than it can be justified by thought trhough internal linking between those pages and your content... I guess.

This topic worth to discuss let's keep it alive.