While most webmasters agree that reciprocal linking is a very good way of increasing web site traffic, get your reciprocal link request wrong, and you won't get the link.

To make sure you don't this mistake, here are some important tips for requesting a link from a potential link partner:

1. Make sure your entire web site looks professional. Nobody is going to link to a scrappy or unprofessional looking website.

2. Whether you use a linkbot or not, you must carry out some physical research on any potential link partner's website.

1. You need to answer these questions:

   • Is the website of a similar or complementary theme to your website?

   • Is the website content useful?

   • Does the website look professional?

   The key is to look at the website content from your visitor's point of view. They clicked a link on your website to find more information, make sure the content at their destination is worthwhile.

2. Traffic to a new website will come almost entirely from reciprocal links. To maximize the traffic through your reciprocal links, check out your potential link partners "Links" or "Resource" page:

   • Are the links useful?

   • Are the links logically grouped and easy to search?

   • Are there less than thirty links for each category? You will not get any traffic from a page that has more than this.

   • Do they look appealing?

   • Are the links of a similar or complementary theme to the main website?

3. If the website is worth linking to, locate and copy the "link code" that the Web site owner would prefer you to use for their reciprocal link, such as:

• Link title

• Link URL

• Link description

You need to make a note of the web page you would like your link to appear in, and if the website has a categorized link directory, the category.

4. Find the contact details for the owner of the website.

The increased harvesting of email addresses means that not many webmasters will put an email link on their website, most will use a contact form.

Try to find the name of the owner. Many website owners have a web page about themselves or their business.

5. Using the link information you found during your research, make an html link

The only time it is acceptable to use information "discovered" by your linkbot is if you can't find any linking information during your research.

6. Contacting the owner or webmaster for a reciprocal link will mean you must do one of the following:

• Fill in their link submission form.

• Contact them using their contact form.

• Send them an email (This is the last resort). Sending emails to the WhoIs contact details is the same as spamming, DON'T DO IT.

Use pre-written templates of linking letters that you can copy and paste into the contact form or your email program.

To ensure the email looks personal, fill in the following "gaps" on the template:

• The web site owners name. Don't use Hi John, or Hello John, use Dear John. If you can't find the owner's name don't use any salutation at all.

• The URL of the web page where you would like you link to appear. If necessary, state the category you would like your link to appear in.

• The full URL of the reciprocal link on your website.

• The title of your link.

• The URL of your link.

• The description of your link.

Make sure you state your email address and your website URL after your name at the end of the email.

If your website has a low Google PR, state this and tell your potential link partner that your website is new, does not have a high Google PR and linking with you will not do their Google PR any good.

Tell them you have a policy of linking with quality sites that have a similar or complimentary theme and consequently your Google PR is going to steadily increase, as will the number of people visiting their website from their link on your web page.

Anybody receiving a link request written using these tips will be more inclined to swap links with you because you have taken the time to check out their web site and your professional approach will have a positive subconscious effect on their decision.

Written by Colin Evans C 2004 - All rights reserved.

To find other tips, advice as well as articles, tools and resources to help you increase traffic to your web site visit: http://www.colevans.com