Reciprocal backlinking

[never_summer]

I see this quite a lot in the wedding industry. For example, wedding photographers having a page full of links on a page called something like "our friends" linking to other wedding suppliers and vice versa.

Does this really help SEO? Surely google is smart enough to not account for these sort of links?

 

[OldWelshGuy]

Linking from a links page isn't ideal. swapping links between links pages is walking on thin ice as it can get you penalised, and once one of the sites gets penalised, as they are all linking to each other the house of cards will come tumbling down.

if you are going to swap links then do it from a specific page on that niche, i.e. better to have a 'wedding transport' page and then have some images etc and links to the car suppliers.

 

[never_summer]

For sure, I think I'd be better off investing my time and offering to guest post on the suppliers blogs then instead of just asking for a backlink!

 

[OldWelshGuy]

Spot on

 

[claus1860]

Domain Authority is a key measure for how popular a site is with Google & Co. If you get several backlinks from low DA sites that's not really worth much. Look at the DA of your suppliers and pick those with the highest rating for you guest posts.

 

[StevePoster]

Reciprocal linking method is recognized by Google and I would recommend to diverse your strategy to different platforms that will give you enough reach for your targeted audience. Quality links is always earned from your beloved users.

 

[Digitalberg]

Press release, articles and blog posts mention is the good idea for back linking

 

[never_summer]

Thanks for all your tips guys!

Regarding press releases, there's not really much I can do in this area for the wedding industry?

 

[Steve Alphabet]

Here's a good link building tip which can be used in any industry. Research a few popular and well-established websites relating to weddings. Then scan them for broken links (I use http://www.brokenlinkcheck.com). when you've found one, email the webmaster. For example: "Hi, I noticed you have a broken link at <insert URL>. I thought you'd like to know! And by the way, I run a wedding website as well <add your URL>, so if you'd like to link to it, please feel free." Obviously you need to personalise it a bit more, and choose your targets well. But more often that not you'll get a backlink, or at least expand your network.

 

[never_summer]

Here's a good link building tip which can be used in any industry.

That's pretty neat actually. It very much seems that SEO is very much the long game - but all little things like this will all add up and help for the future. Just takes time I guess.

 

[Steve Alphabet]

It very much seems that SEO is very much the long game - but all little things like this will all add up and help for the future. Just takes time I guess.

Long-term is the only sustainable way... Google is only going to get more smart. All the best with it!

 

[ethical PR]

Thanks for all your tips guys!

Regarding press releases, there's not really much I can do in this area for the wedding industry?

Why not?

 

[never_summer]

Why not?

What would I have content wise that the media would be interested in? For a shop for example, if you've got new products coming out I can see where press releases are handy. But for a wedding video company I struggle to see what the media will care about.

 

[ethical PR]

The answer is I don't know specifically for your business, as I don't know your business or the media you are targeting.

However, it's not about press releases, it's about how you secure media coverage, in the media you want to be in front of... For example, quirky wedding surveys (you turn the results into a news story), a competition for a happy couple to win a wedding video, top tips on putting together the perfect wedding video, are all ideas that could work for local news and lifestyle media.

 

[TODonnell]

Find places to drop links where you will get customers from i.e. where they might be looking.

Focus on getting paying customers through linking and only half-bother with the SEO side. Then your ranking should be future-proof.

If you get cheesy backlinks-for-Google's-sake then you run the risk of tripping a filter; if not now, then in the future.

One good trick, if time-consuming, is to use a backlink checker to see where your competitors are getting links from. Just avoid directories and blog networks and the like.

 

[OldWelshGuy]

One thing I would say regarding the above post. Avoid POOR directories. there are some great directories out there there are also good local niche wedding directories out there.

General poor quality directories are to be avoided

 

[Digitalberg]

Thanks for all your tips guys!

Regarding press releases, there's not really much I can do in this area for the wedding industry?

Check this legal zoom for Why Press Releases Are More Important Than Ever!

 

[websensejim]

Reciprocation has been part of the Web since year one. Old school reciprocal linking as OWG described it has certainly had its day but there is nothing inherently wrong with it if its done for the right reasons - i.e traffic and branding. In fact its very natural for businesses to reciprocate with each other. Just be smart about it, choose your link partners carefully and scrutinize the pages where your link might appear, and go beyond simple links. Think reciprocal content for example. There are lots of opportunities out there.

 

[joeptsearle]

With regards to the press releases, I have found that PR log is a great site for press releases. Just thought i'd add it seeing as there are loads of free press release sites out there that do squat for your business exposure :/

 

[devidweb]

Link exchanging between to more sites is called reciprocal linking. This is unethical and totally against Google's guideline.

 

[fisicx]

Rubbish. Nothing wrong at all with reciprocal links. Google is quite happy with this. What Google doesn't like is if you are trying to manipulate ranking by exchanging links.