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Reciprocal Linking: A Disturbing Trend
by Vishal P. Rao ©Copyright 2004

In the world of Internet Marketing, and Web site promotion,
nothing changes faster than the parameters that rule good
Search Engine rankings and placement.

This has led to a developed new science in the last few
years, SEM (Search Engine Marketing). This new science, SEM,
has been a boon to both Web Masters and the merchants that
maintain Web sites as a way to increase exposure and revenue
for their products and/or services.

SEM has become a much sought after entity, with SEM
specialists, who focus on optimization of a site, routinely
adding linking campaign management to their overall
repertoire of services. This has resulted in a large influx
of Web sites focusing on linking campaigns and reciprocal
linking as it has been established that good, solid
reciprocal linking campaigns increased traffic and visitors
to a site exponentially.

However, like with everything else online, the idea of SEM
and linking campaigns has spread like "wildfire", with sites
seeking links seemingly endlessly. This has led to what can
only be termed, "linking explosions", with many sites
posting links to everything and anything in an effort to
increase their Search Engine rankings and placements.

The actual attainment of effective linking campaigns, is a
work oriented, tedious undertaking, with literally months
spent developing a good campaign. While a good linking
campaign does increase rankings overall, with the Search
Engines, the question remains, "does it increase sales"?
After all, consumers are the ingredient that facilitates the
sale of a product/service in the long run, not the rankings
or placement of a site. Questions about whether linking
campaigns increase revenue for a site are coming into play
now.

Recent data (courtesy: WebSideStory) has shown that 
consumers, now more than ever, are arriving at Web sites via
"search features", not by direction to a Web site via 
another Web site link. The use of "search features" to 
arrive at a site has increased by almost six percent in the 
past year. In addition, direct navigation by visitors to a 
Web site, has also increased from a year ago, by almost ten 
percent. In direct contrast, Web link "arrivals" of visitors
has dropped in the past year, by a somewhat staggering, 
twenty percent!

The World Wide Web quite obviously has now become more
utilitarian to consumers, and linking campaigns, as a
result, may become more ineffective as time goes on. Linking
campaigns, by their very nature, promote "browsing" and
time-consuming "visiting" of many sites, before the
product/item/service, is found by the consumer. As the Web
progresses and consumers become increasingly discerning in
their overall approach to the Web, they are now going right
to the source, more often, via "search features" and direct
navigation.

Accordingly, then, the "digging around" on other sites, has
diminished over the past twelve months, and in all
likelihood, will continue as a trend well into the future,
hampering the effectiveness of linking campaigns overall. 
This trend reflects an international shift towards this
method of finding information on the Web, and is not
localized whatsoever, crossing many demographic and
geographic barriers.

It's really difficult to effectively pinpoint the cause in
this shift for consumers. However, the sheer magnitude of
the linking campaign craze that is so prominent now, may
account, at least in part, for the shift in the attitudes of
consumers. Because of the popularity of linking campaigns as
a method of increasing rankings and placement, attaining
"quality" links (those with a Page Rank of 5 or higher) has
become more difficult for Web masters. In addition, the
sheer volume of linking requests to pages with a high
ranking, has also increased, to the point where higher
ranked Web sites are inundated daily with linking requests,
interfering with their ability to attend to their own
business.

Web masters have now oftentimes taken to using any links
whatsoever, as long as the links added have the appropriate
Page Rank. Little thought seems to be given at times, to the
theme of a links page or the relevance of links that have
been added, leaving visitors to some sites confused and
frustrated. This will in all probability lead consumers to
turn to the Search Engines and direct navigation even more
in the future, not less.

This could have dire consequences for many Web sites down
the road, as those at the bottom of search listings could
conceivably be forced out of business. 

There are methods however that can aid in the retention of 
top rankings and listings with the Search Engines, in and 
above linking campaigns. These methods would also hold 
greater appeal for consumers in general, as they would add 
quality to a Web site, as well as content, something that 
will add "longevity of appeal" to a Web site:

1. The writing of good, content oriented copy which imparts 
value to a Web site. Good copy has always been utilized to 
establish good overall traffic and conversion patterns. 
Even Search Engines seem to understand this and routinely 
rank Web sites with good pertinent content, higher than 
other Web sites.

2. The placement of ads on high traffic sites. Just one good
ad, placed on another Web site with good overall traffic, 
will significantly increase rankings and placement by the 
Search Engines. 

3. The submitting of a Web site to all possible, pertinent 
directories. Directories were always a good method of 
increasing rankings and placement, and they still, to this 
day, are a good choice. 

4. The optimization of all other aspects of a Web site, from
the meta-tags to the design. Meta-tag optimization, like 
directory listings, continues to be a good overall 
optimization technique. The design of a Web site can also 
enhance rankings and placement, as the site needs to be 
"readable" to the Search Engines, and some flash and other 
enhancements, can prevent "readability", thus hampering 
rankings and placement.  

5. The enhancement of traffic by offline marketing 
campaigns. This is one facet of Web site traffic management
that many individuals neglect, but that can successfully 
increase rankings significantly. 

6. The use of PPC (Pay Per Click) campaigns. While these can
be expensive, if care is not given to the bidding, they can 
also enhance traffic to a Web site, as "traffic begets more 
traffic", establishing a ranking pattern for the Search 
Engines. 

7. The addition of keywords that are relevant to a site, 
throughout the copy, the title, and the meta-tags and any 
other text, such as articles and reports. Keywords are the 
"guides" that the Search Engines use to find a site and rank
it. The addition of good relevant keywords always enhances 
rankings and placement.

Linking campaigns, as you can see, while having their
overall place in effective rankings and placement within the
Search Engines, are not the "be all and end all" of
optimization or rankings. Many various fundamentally sound
methods of optimization still exist, and should be utilized
in any well-rounded Search Engine Marketing campaign.

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Vishal P. Rao is the editor of 
http://www.home-based-business-opportunities.com - A website
dedicated to opportunities, ideas and resources for starting
a home based business. He is also the owner of the 
http://www.work-at-home-forum.com - an online community of 
folks who work at home.
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