All About Links! The Benefits of Linking

By Joelene Wickens-Orlando
Posted Saturday, July 3, 2004

Reciprocal links are text or banner links pointing to a website, where in return that website carries a similar text or banner link pointing back to your website. In order for reciprocal links to be successful and to ensure that your page receives the visibility it deserves, you will need other sites to point to yours. The Web is only as useful as the sum of its links, as without links it is just a disparate collection of pages. The whole concept behind reciprocal links was to create a ‘linking’ pattern for the search engines to recognize the volume or level of traffic entering to your site, hence the term ‘link popularity.’ Based on the linking numbers you achieve actually improves your ranking within those search engines. The more your links point to your URL; the better you ranking will be in those top search engines. Now, you know that link popularity has become and is an important factor in how the top search engines rank web sites. Reciprocal linking has become very essential for the online entrepreneur of today. By exchanging links with other sites, you create a mutually beneficial relationship, which not only increases your link popularity, but also provides you with an additional source of traffic. And more traffic means more potential sales.

The benefits of linking outweigh the reasons not to venture in reciprocal linking for your online business. We all know that the whole purpose of even existing online is to get traffic coming into your site and by implementing a reciprocal links program to your existing model is another way to drive additional traffic to your site. Here are some solid benefits to reciprocal links and to earn a return on your website marketing investment.

Benefits of Reciprocal Links

Links are fast becoming one of the top avenues in showing your targeted market how to find your Website for products and services.

Links are a solid traffic driver since your links are focused in areas of your target market.

Reciprocal links act as an advertising model and offers continual business when users click on to your links.

The control is up to you where you want to place your links and what links you want to be seen on your Website. The control allows you to pinpoint where you want your traffic to come from.

Reciprocal links are extremely stable and tend to stay in place indefinitely, providing a stream of steady traffic day after day.

Search engine results tend to improve dramatically for sites that implement good linking practices, both in and out.

Reciprocal links is a solid branding tool for your business. The more links you have, the greater ‘branding’ effect links do for your business. This awareness can improve the click-through-ratio for your links.

Links are assets to your business. Like the bricks of a house, a few don’t amount to much, but pile them up and you have rock solid foundation, therefore enhancing the equity value of your Website.

With those great benefits in mind and not to mention, another great way to obtain a solid stream of revenue above and beyond your original business model. You will not reap the benefits or rewards by doing just a few reciprocal links, but a small steady program of exchanging links with appropriate, relevant websites will definitely help boost your traffic volume and get your business more visibility in the cluttered world of the Web. Reciprocal links with other businesses in your industry will generate more traffic and give you the same competitive edge that your competitors have.

About the Author
(http://www.emarketinganswers.com) is dedicated to providing free emarketing resources and online promotion tools.
Joelene Orlando is a Web enthusiast and a staff writer/consultant for eMarketing Answers with a broad knowledge of topics covering Internet marketing and communication strategies for small business owners.

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