Cross Promotions on the Internet

Attract more of your kind of most valued visitors to your site more effortlessly and credibly by cross-promoting with other sites you respect that attract similar people.

Links are still the most credible and efficient way for people to learn about your website. Cross-promote by carrying articles, tips, offers of value to your kind of visitor, credited to the other site, with a reciprocal link with them. Ask them to do the same.

List your "Favorite Sites" or "Related Links", and include as many as you can that you genuinely respect; ask those on your list to provide a similar feature, including your site on their list.

Cautionary note: I have been offered a reciprocal link on a page in a site that a person could never find. Before you comply to a reciprocal link, visit the website to see if their links page is easily accessible. At first glance you should be able to find a reciprocal links pages if you haven't found what you are looking for.

Some people use reciprocal links pages for the sole purpose of gaining a higher placement in search engines. However, others use it to offer visitors ways to learn more about the topic that first drew them to your site.

Looking for complimentary websites

Go to your favorite search engine and use words that would reflect what a potential partner's target audience would use to find their website. For example I would use these words in searching for cross-promoting partners. . . "Small business software" or "home office magazines."

Visit the first 20 sites to see if you like what they offer, and how they offer it. If you like what you see and think this would be a mutual beneficial relationship, write them an e-mail, suggesting how you think you are reaching similar kinds of visitors and could leverage your outreach by a reciprocal link. Not everyone will accept your offer. Find out others who have linked with them for additional options.

Consider the rule of the weakest link: people will not trust your site if they find one of the sites with which you linked to be sub-standard in some way. As a cross-promoting partner, Kare Anderson (at www.sayitbetter.com) would say, "Go slow to go fast" by taking your time to make sure that you really respect each and every site team you approach to cross-promote.

To increase your credibility and evidence of goodwill, add your potential reciprocal link partner to your site before contacting them. Then contact them stating why you liked their website, how you think your visitors have similar interests, where and what you suggest as a place on their site for their link, plus any additional information that shows the value of your site, before requesting they link back to you.

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