Link exchanges aren’t all that they have cracked up to be. If you’re not familiar with the practice, it is when two or more websites decide that they are going to link to one another. Link exchanges or reciprocal linking is supposed to bring more organic site traffic and increase a site’s authority. Although it may seem innocent, link exchanges can be dangerous. Not only are they in violation of Google’s Webmaster Guidelines, they are also not guaranteed to do much of anything for your business or site. There are other options that you might consider.
1. A professional can be hired
If you’re really looking to get your SEO in order with no fuss, consider hiring link building services to get it done correctly. The world of SEO is constantly changing and there’s a lot of nuance to it, so if you can outsource it, you can focus your attention on other aspects of your business.
2. High Quality Content
High quality, valuable content is the best. Engaging content can help you get found by people in your field. High quality content will lead to excellent editorial links, which organically gets you noticed.
3. Write Guest Blog Posts
While guest posting may look very much like link exchanges but they have their own unique characteristics. Your visibility will improve and you may even get more traffic by being featured on the appropriate blogs. You will need to pay for many guest posting opportunities.
4. Make sure to choose quality directories
It is possible to submit your website to high quality directories. Make sure that the directory you choose should have a high PageRank and a long history, and don’t use a submission service that puts your site on hundreds of directories. It will appear spammy and can be detrimental to your site in the end.
5. Social Media
It’s a great way to get noticed. You’ll need more than just social media profiles, you’ll also want to comment, repost and engage with others. It is important to create quality content and engage with others on social media.
6. Photo of Leverage
A picture says a thousand words, and when it comes to link building, this couldn’t be more true. If you have great photos that you don’t mind giving people free access to on sites like Flickr for only attribution, you’re in a great position to get looks and recognition. Every site is looking for great photos to grab visitors’ attention.
7. Forums for the Community
Answering questions and posting them on message boards and community forums. You’ll often have the opportunity to post your website and other information. You will not only be building online friendships, but also providing value for other members.
Now that you’ve got some healthier alternatives to link exchanging, you can start building better links, relationships and site traffic. You can build links in a variety of ways, including free or low-cost methods. These alternatives will help you stand out on the Internet.
Enterprise Podcast Network – EPN.