From the previous chapter, you now have a better idea of how to produce a list of link prospects and trim them down to the ones most likely to link to you. Now comes the fun part... To improve the chances of your link request message being read and acted upon favorably, you must convince the webmaster of the following..... - you have visited their
web site and taken the time to read through it and learn what
it is about and finally.... that you respect the webmaster's time and take this individual request seriously - that you are not just blasting out hundreds of messages to anyone with an e-mail address! Why? Because webmasters of popular sites typically receive numerous sloppy, untargeted, unprofessional link requests, the majority of which they immediately delete. However, you can use this to your advantage. The same factors which cause really bad messages to be ignored and discarded will enable your good messages to stand out from the pack and be noticed. This sounds like it's going to take a long time for each message, right? Not necessarily. Not if you make a professional looking template message and modify a few key sentences for each webmaster you contact. Let's take a look at two sample link request letters and then review the components of a good link request letter. Examples: BAD LINK REQUEST LETTER ---------- Dear webmaster, I just visited your site and liked it alot. Please consider
linking to my site (Link-Popularity-Guide.com), Thank you. Steve
GOOD LINK REQUEST LETTER ----- Subject: Link-Popularity-Guide.com Dear Andrew: I came across
your WebSitePromotion.com site recently and thought Our site (http://www.Link-Popularity-Guide.com)
focuses on the Our site includes
a free step by step tutorial which teaches I wonder if you
would be interested adding a link to our tutorial. I Thank you for your time. Steve Smith,
webmaster ------ The more personal, the better Webmasters want to think that you visited their site personally and that you took the time to write out a detailed personalized message. The more you can personalize the better. Specifically try to include the following: - Their web site name: It shows you are not just sending a blanket form letter. Also, some webmasters maintain multiple sites and may not know which one you are referring to. - Their first name: Try to look around the web site and see if the webmaster lists his name. If you can find it, include it in your message. It is a nice touch! Possible subjects: If your URL is descriptive, you might want to just include your domain name and nothing else (e.g. Link-Popularity-Guide.com). If the site you are contacting contains a large list of links, you might want to try a subject such as: 'Suggested site: yourdomain.com' Avoid using a generic subject such as 'Reciprocal link request'. Messages with this subject look SPAM-like and are frequently deleted. Respect their requested mode of communication Most sites openly list their webmasters address and welcome targeted link suggestions. Some sites instead prefer a web-based comment or form box. Carefully take a look at the site and determine their preference - then use it. For example, if a site asks you to use a special form to submit link requests to, don't just send an e-mail to the webmaster. (It shows that you didn't take the time to read the site. Also, some larger sites use a semi-automated process to add links. Using their form makes it much easier for them to update their site). Describe the benefit of your web site In a concise, positive manner, try to sum up the purpose of your web site and why it is useful. Keep in mind, some webmasters may just cut and paste this description into their pages, so make sure it represents your web site the way you want. Describe the benefit to their visitors In plain english, tell the webmaster why their visitors will find your web site useful and why adding a link to your web site will improve the webmaster's site. Be positive, but realistic (and humble). Note the location you would like to be placed If you have a good idea of the page where you think your link would be most appropriate, mention it (either by name or URL). It will show the webmaster that you took the time to explore their site and will also make it easier for them to add your link. Should you offer a reciprocal link? Many people assume that you need to offer a reciprocal link in order to get a site to link to you. This is usually not the case. Most webmasters are constantly striving to improve the quality of their web sites. If your web site would be a good addition to their web site, you are essentially doing them a favor by letting them know about it. In many cases, this should be all the incentive they will need. Keep in mind, in many cases reciprocal links do not make sense... It might make sense for a travel agent in Kansas to link to a Hawaii resort, but does it really make sense for the resort to link back to the agent? Would that benefit the visitors to the resort's page? Probably not. However, there are cases where it makes good sense and will benefit both parties... Two different hobbyist sites might choose to link to each other to mutually boost each other's traffic. Added special touches Try to think of anything else special you can do to distinguish yourself. Maybe include your phone number to show this is a serious communication. If you sell an intangible product (software, e-book, etc.), consider sending a free copy or excerpt of your offering. If it is around the holidays, you might include your personalized holiday wishes at the end of your message. Summary Keep in mind that once added, a link usually provides years of targeted traffic. Even a small site that delivers only 5 or 6 visitors a day to you, can bring you over 10,000 visitors over a five year period. With this in mind, isn't it worth an extra minute or two to craft the best letter you can?
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