Don't Spam for Links!

The first thing you should let the recipient know is what they get out of responding to your request. Focus on benefits, not the features of your site – what do they care about your features? Tell the recipient how your website can solve his problems, and aim for their ego- if you tell them that you only plan to link eight or ten sites and they have been selected, that makes the request seem customized and more appealing!

2. Grab the reader’s interest

If you want people to read your link exchange message it will have to stand out. “Dear webmaster” is not going to cut it. Use the recipient’s real name – and write a personal message. Starting with “Dear webmaster” makes it all the more likely that it will be moved to the trash. Use a real email address with a real name as the sender address – the more professional, the better. Free email addresses from funky mail clients and email addresses with numbers look spammy.

3. Create the need and wish

The recipient of your link exchange message won’t react to your request if they have no need or wish to. You have to create this, preferably by doing something in advance. You can kick a webmaster up a notch from interest to feeling invested by downloading his ebook, subscribing to his newsletter or RSS feed, or asking permission to reprint a quote. They will feel more need to reciprocate if you have already done something. Be accessible, and show trust; include your phone number in your email.

Don’t make the recipient have to think. Supply copy/paste HTML code with your link information to make the linking process as easy as possible, but make it clear this is only for their convenience and of course they should use what linking methods they are most comfortable with.

Once you have established a rapport with the first webmaster you approach, you should find it easier to build the next relationship and the one after that. Yes, it takes longer than automated spamming asking for links, but the rewards and response are much higher when you take the time to do it right!