Is the Reciprocal Link Dying a Slow Death? - The Empire(s) Strikes Back
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There are signs that, because of the negative repercussions of spammy reciprocal linking schemes, the major search engines may be taking steps to decrease the significance of reciprocal links in their ranking algorithms. Search engine representatives at the last two major SEO conventions hinted at the fact that reciprocal links may be losing their “potency.” Here are a couple of comments from “Industry Leaders” (whatever that means) to that effect:
A comment taken from the Search Engine Strategies conference in Stockholm, Sweden in October (via www.seoroundtable.com):
“Paddy Bolger from Top-Pile says you should buy links, even Yahoo! Directory, be choosy but buy. He is strongly against reciprocal links, not that it might hurt today, but it will hurt in the future.”
A comment taken from the World Search Conference #7 held recently in Las Vegas, US (via www.linkadage.com/forum):
“Too many reciprocal links are easily spotted by the search engines. You need plenty of one way links…Keep your links on-target. If you sell jewelry, don’t get links from real-estates sites…”
Now obviously, I couldn’t find any official word from any of the major search engines (what a surprise), and I personally still engage in reciprocal linking to an extent, so don’t get rid of your reciprocal link directory just yet!
The main point that I’m trying to get across is that, like most SEO techniques, reciprocal linking may lose its significance as time passes. Don’t put your eggs in one basket. If your main (or only) technique for acquiring backlinks is reciprocal linking, it may be time for you to consider alternative means. As DazzlinDonna (SEOchat moderator) likes to say…"be prepared."
Now let’s hit on some sound advice pertaining to the acquisition of “good” reciprocal links:
- Make sure that your link partners are relevant to your site in some way.
- Keep your links current. Get rid of “dead” (unreciprocated) links.
- Make sure the reciprocal link is on the domain of the site you're exchanging links with.
- Make sure that your link partner is not blocking search engines from spidering their links page or that their site hasn’t been removed from Google’s index (banned). Simply search for the links page url on Google to confirm that the links page is getting indexed.
- Use anchor text on your links that target your keywords/keyphrases.
- Make sure that you have reciprocal links point back to interior pages on your site, and not just your homepage.
- Stay away from link partners that link back to you with redirected links.
There are many other facets to successful reciprocal link building. The key is to understand what types of reciprocal links to stay away from, and to diversify your link acquisition strategy, so that you are not left holding the bag if the major search engines decide to lessen the significance of reciprocal linking.
Until that day comes (and it may never come!), make sure that the reciprocal links that you do acquire maximize your SERPs positions.
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