It just occurred to me that one of the best things about the internet is that we have the opportunity to help each other prosper. That's pretty neat, I think, and it isn't even difficult.
I'm talking about link exchanges. Everyone knows they need their web site to rank high in a generic search -- unless they want to pay for clicks. And while optimizing a site for SEO is fun and does do a lot of good, there's that external SEO to deal with.
And that's where friends come in.
While the big companies can hire someone to go out and get them links, most of us cannot. But we can trade with all the people we know and trust to do business well. We all have someone else who helps us do business in some way, or we have customers we can trade with.
For instance, if you run a small retail store, you have dozens of vendors -- some of whom are small enough that you could call them up and suggest a trade. You also have customers who buy from you regularly. Why not trade with them?
The same holds true for Realtors, Insurance Agents, Plumbers, Landscapers, Dog Groomers, Hairdressers, Chiropractors, Motel and Restaurant owners... in short, everyone.
The links you add can also be a source of referrals back and forth between your businesses -- which is a second benefit. Would you rather choose a plumber from the phone book, or from a list of "preferred vendors" on your favorite Realtor's website? I'll admit, you won't get a ton of business that way, but it certainly won't hurt.
One thing to keep in mind is the content of the links. For the maximum benefit, they should be from your keywords - definitely not from "click here." It will take a little extra effort to decide how to word a sentence to do that, but from everything I've read, it will be worth the effort.
Right now I'm working on getting links from "web copywriter" because I'm trying to raise the ranking of that page on my site. Location doesn't matter to me, because my clients come from all over the country, but if you have a local business, try to work in the name of your City as well as the keyword that will draw folks to you. For instance, link from "Boise landscaper" or "landscaper in Boise," rather than just "landscaper."
And that reminds me... if you link to a certain function of your business, be sure to link to the proper page. Just today I followed a link to find more information about something that was promised, and when I got there I got a home page with no clue about where to find the information. I left in disgust. I'm sure you've encountered the same thing.
That's my thought for the night. Let's all get busy and help each other tomorrow!
Yours for success,
Marte
www.marte-cliff.com
writer@marte-cliff.com
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