Link swapping is a process used by webmasters to improve their website’s search engine ranking. The process generally involves exchanging links with other websites, with the hope that search engine algorithms will count the links between the websites as a vote of confidence for both websites.
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Types of Link Swaps
A few different types of swaps can be done: reciprocal, three-way, and two-way. In reciprocal link exchanges, both websites agree to link to each other. When doing a three-way swap, one website links to two other websites, which then link back to the original website. In two-way swaps, two websites exchange links without involving a third website.
Link Swap Dos and Don’ts
No matter which link swap is used, a few things should be kept in mind. First, the websites involved should have similar content. If one website is a business directory and the other is a pet store, the link swap is not likely to be beneficial for either website. Second, the websites should be of a similar size. If one website is a small mom-and-pop shop and the other is a large corporation, the exchange is not likely to be beneficial for either website. Third, the websites should be of a similar age. If one website is a new website and the other is an old one, the link swap is not likely to be beneficial for either website.
Benefits of a Link Swap
The benefits of link swapping are twofold. First, the websites involved will receive a link from a high-quality website, which will help to improve their search engine ranking. Second, the websites involved will receive traffic from the other website, which can help to increase their website’s popularity.
Planning the Swap
If the website you are interested in exchanging links with meets all of the above criteria, the next step is to contact the webmaster and propose a swap. Be sure to include the following information in your proposal: the website you are proposing to swap links with, the website you are proposing to swap links from, the types of links you are proposing to exchange, the PageRank of the websites involved, and the Alexa Traffic Rank of the websites involved.
If the webmaster of the website you propose to exchange links with agrees to the link swap, the next step is to create a link exchange agreement. The link exchange agreement should include a statement that the websites involved agree to swap links for a period of time and that the websites involved reserve the right to terminate the link swap at any time.
Once the link exchange agreement has been created, the next step is to add the links to the websites involved. Be sure to use anchor text that accurately describes the website’s content. For example, if the website you are linking to is about cars, the anchor text you use should be “cars.”
If you are interested in doing a link swap with another website but not sure if the website you are interested in swapping links with meets all of the above criteria, the best thing to do is to ask the webmaster of the website. You can ask the webmaster of the website a few questions, such as: “What type of website is this?” “What is the content of this website?” “What is the Alexa Traffic Rank of this website?” “What is the PageRank of this website?” “Has this website been penalized by Google?”
If the webmaster of the website you are interested in swapping links with cannot answer all of the above questions, it is best to avoid doing a link swap with that website.
Featured Image by Photo Mix from Pixabay
