Link Exchange does work in Google...?

[SEOWizard]

Although I don't understand the Google algorithmn completely, I do understand exactly what kind of HTML google likes for top listings. From that I made some pretty good web traffic over the years.

When launching a 2nd website on a different topic, I found it nigh impossible at first to get it listed...I was bemused...but then I learned that link popularity was a massive factor in listings, something my new website didn't have.

Being a commercial web site, no one was willing to link to me for free...I checked out my competition and found they had done a 'link exchange' with other websites. Most of these websites were unrelated in topic to the commercial web site. That defied the common belief 'not all links are created equal'. These were unrelevant links txt links pointing back to their commercial website, which got them list 1st page on google.

So, I decided to do a link exchange - I managed to gain around 50% of the links my competition did with a basic link exchange...and whammo, page 2 on Google, MSN and Netscape. In fact, occasionally crawled up to page 1 of google and sometimes went to page 3. On netscape, page 1 and page 1 on msn for sometime. So basically, the link exchange worked.

I tried the link exchange stuff with another website, and it too is listing on page 2.

I have a 3rd website, and used mostly links on forums. Before it didn't list, but now it is top 10 after dropping some links on forums. (it is a slightly unpopular search term).

I have also found links from blogs work. So is there any reason not to link from blogs you control.

So it seems

- link exchange works!
- links on forums work!
- links from blogs work!

Primarily based on the logic - 'if someone links to this website, it must be worthy in some way'. This would include links pages it seems too.

Anyone wish to give their opinion on this?

[Doxaseek]

I would say that while recip links have been greatly devalued in Google in recent months, they are still of some value. Obviously relevant recips are better than irrlevant recips as well.

Remember, any industry is a competitive industry. So, if your competitors are all recip linking, even if recips are diminished in value, all sites end up in the same place- relatively.

The long and the short of it is even in Google having some recip links is better than no links at all. And that's definitely the case in MSN and Yahoo.

One caution though: if you get caught linking to what Google deems "a bad neighborhood" this could hurt moreso than if you have no link at all.

[dur0000]

Any progress SEOWizard? Did link exchange work? :)

[SEOWizard]

Yes, recip links do work, but of course EXCESS recip linking is bad (as detailed at Google guidelines).

Links are links at the end of the day and there will be a % threshold for recip linking. I use recip link as part of my SEO, not the entire plan for SEO.

[jhen]

Yes, recip links do work, but of course EXCESS recip linking is bad (as detailed at Google guidelines).

Links are links at the end of the day and there will be a % threshold for recip linking. I use recip link as part of my SEO, not the entire plan for SEO.

this is true. Reciprocals still has an SEO effect on sites. We just have to choose our link partners wisely and must keep them in a minimum coz one-way links should be our priority

[Dan01]

SEOWizzard, how much content do you put up per day? Obviously links are important, but good content is important too.

[simhar]

I've found recip links just cancel each other out and add up to nothing ! In-bound links are the key !

cheers

simhar

[Jazajay]

You have to take into effect the random surfer theory - by default some sites will link to each other, it makes sense for them 2 to benefit thier site visitors.

Take the intistute for the blind and screen readers manufactuer web sites. Both site visitors would find the other site benefital.

I have no proof they do link together as I cant be arsed to look, but it would be a prime example if they do.

Recips are not dead but they are not the be all and end all either.

You cant relie on them only, and they have to be related, but a few here and there are not going to hurt you, and may well improve your rankings. Just make sure they are related and you get more 1 way links than you do related recips.

Check out the link building sub forum (http://forums.searchenginewatch.com/forumdisplay.php?f=44) over at the Search Engine Optimization Forum (http://forums.searchenginewatch.com/forumdisplay.php?f=40)

and

Googles advance operators (http://www.google.com/help/operators.html)

to come up with simple ideas.

heres a tip look at url: and allinurl:

Think out side the box - don't be a lemming. :D

links on forums work!

You missed links at guest books. :D
These don't work/work for long. They get extremely devalued, I never get signiture drops what a waste of time.

Recips work and blogs may work if the link is related and not hidden from the bots.

Do you think a person who has 10 links in thier signiture get much weight/equity? These are user genrated links not site generated links and therefore cant be trusted. They are free for all who register. They provide no value to forum site visitors 97% of the time if the links are in the signture.

Forum to forum linking is not related please put that to rest while we are at it.

But if that is all the links you have it wont take much to knock you off the positions you hold by some 1 getting only 1 or 2 decent links.

O, O, O what about pixel links they still have loads of value as well.
You know the 1x1 pixel link to your site on pixel pages yes I magine that a 1x1 pixel is very informative about the links destination to the sites visitor. :D

And the fact the page is made up of no content and hidden links a lot of the time, a 1x1 pixel link to your site is hidden don't think it isn't, is going to be the perfect partner for you.

If links from forums work why do you think they are disallowed here at SEW with it being a Search Engine Optimization Forum and all?

Jaza

[Dan01]

Good question.

I have never heard of 1X1 pixel links.

[Jazajay]

Sorry Dan my fault I forgot to add this after The 0,0,0 line - :rolleyes:

(Sorry I should have included it closer to the other sarcastic bit in my last post, therefore making it more related to it when you read it)

Pixel links are on pixel pages. Do a search I imagine you will get 1000's.

Most hide the link back be it with a redirect or nofollow. You can pay for top position at the top of the page for their site visitors If you want to burn your money - :rolleyes:

I made sure I added it this time. :)

O you can buy more pixels sometimes at a dollar a pop sometimes at 15 dollars per pixel.

Some pages do have small amounts of equity though mainly because they have 200 000 links back from other pixel pages. But the average page has about 400 external links on it so any equity you get would be laughable.

They provide no anchor text, no alt text or content 90% of the time just a link off a 1X1 pixel, coloured brown.

If you want to waste your life, and do nothing for your rankings, please by all means search for such pages.

However spending a day in here reading my posts will get you 1, I said 1, link back that will do you far better than 100 links from them.

Jaz

[Rajat Garg]

I've found recip links just cancel each other out and add up to nothing ! In-bound links are the key !

cheers

simhar

This is assuming all the factors are equal. Usually, that will never be the case and thus, someone will benefit.

Extensive interlinking doesn't help. At the end of the day, if you are writing valuable content, you should automatically start getting links