How bad are reciprocal links for a website ?

Discussion in 'Link Development' started by spiritus, Jun 12, 2008.

  1. #1
    I want to start a link building campaign for my website but have two queries.

    #1 Doesn't a large number of reciprocal links on a website detract from the design of your website. Having tons of links doesn't look good IMHO.

    #2 Does a link only really help your site if someone actually clicks on it ? Example: Leaving a comment on someone's blog would only be useful to your own website if someone clicks on the link next to your comment ?
     
    spiritus, Jun 12, 2008 IP
  2. MoneyMoose

    MoneyMoose Peon

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    #2
    Link building campaigns are generally used to increase SERP rather than actually garner clicks. Graphic ads have a better CTR.

    As for you questions,

    #1: This is true. Link farms look awful and spammy and can also be penalized by Google.
    #2: Backlinks (dofollow ones, at least) help your website rank in SERPs as well as traffic.
     
    MoneyMoose, Jun 12, 2008 IP
  3. freelistfool

    freelistfool Peon

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    #3
    Reciprocal links in and of themselves are not bad. Just don't build a huge link farm. Find quality websites that you think would be valuable to your visitors and exchange links. Better yet, find sites that you think should link to you because of your content. Contact them and tell them why your site would be valuable to their visitors.
     
    freelistfool, Jun 12, 2008 IP
  4. rose12

    rose12 Banned

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    #4
    For a website link reciprocal linking is always bad. that why three way link exchange has been started. People are doing three way instead of two way or reciprocal link exchange. Search can easily understand that the sites are doing manipulation and may penalize the site which are doing reciprocal link exchange. So never do reciprocal linking for your website. Get one way links for your sites by doing directory,rss, article, press release etc and do normal three way link exchange.
     
    rose12, Jun 12, 2008 IP
  5. magoo

    magoo Peon

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    #5
    Reciprocal links will not do you any harm! people have started doing three way linking because reciprocal linking has been somewhat devalued in Google. Whether or not it has any benefit now nobody really knows except Google, however it is certainly not going to count against you. You need to build links, just avoid link farms
     
    magoo, Jun 12, 2008 IP
  6. hamik112

    hamik112 Peon

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    #6
    They wont hurt you and if you need to put a lot of reciprocal links, just spread them out through your site on different pages and just put them down at your footer to avoid, build up of links.
     
    hamik112, Jun 12, 2008 IP
  7. Geeurbie

    Geeurbie Peon

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    #7
    Well, said.
     
    Geeurbie, Jun 12, 2008 IP
  8. InternetMarketingPro

    InternetMarketingPro Banned

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    #8
    Recips are not bad. Recips just do not weigh as much as they have in the past. 3 way linking was started so links would weigh as high as one ways but are easily obtainable as a recip. Since search engine algos are as smart as humans, 3 way linking doesnt look like a recip to the algos but is as easy as gaining a recip. There are many niches where site owners wont take links without a recip. Those niches tend to be the ones that have large traffic volume like adult, gaming, games & free stuff.
     
    InternetMarketingPro, Jun 12, 2008 IP
  9. Mikesblank

    Mikesblank Active Member

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    #9
    Reciprocal links can naturally occur, therefore not all are penalized. Just don't do it excessively, and keep it exchanged with related sites to your niche/theme.
     
    Mikesblank, Jun 13, 2008 IP
  10. macdee1823

    macdee1823 Peon

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    #10
    As long as your exchanging links with a site that is relevant to yours you should have no problem.
     
    macdee1823, Jun 13, 2008 IP
  11. swipper

    swipper Peon

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    #11
    CaN i ask question, what if the site is same theme as your site but too many un-necessary links added on that site which you want to exchange links it still ok??

     
    swipper, Jun 13, 2008 IP
  12. Danielu

    Danielu Active Member

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    #12
    You wont have problem if you will do some reciprocal links. Avoid link farms, let`s say no more than 30-40 links sitewide.
     
    Danielu, Jun 13, 2008 IP
  13. dspohn23

    dspohn23 Peon

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    #13
    Reciprocal links are still useful. Not as useful as they once were, but are still very useful. Make sure to link with sites that are similar to you in topic and keywords.
     
    dspohn23, Jun 13, 2008 IP
  14. visman

    visman Well-Known Member

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    #14
    I agree. This is real link exchange strategy
     
    visman, Jun 13, 2008 IP
  15. Breakaway11

    Breakaway11 Well-Known Member

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    #15
    Too many reciprocal links on your site will bring down your sites authority, and Google doesn't count reciprocal links as high as others.

    There are tons of ways to build more one-way backlinks, so just take a look around ,and you'll find some great ideas, that don't clutter up your blogroll.
     
    Breakaway11, Jun 13, 2008 IP
  16. abraxas

    abraxas Well-Known Member

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    #16

    Agree, there are many different ways too build lots of 1-way links, so I wouldn't bother with reciprocals...
    Just have a look here around the DP forums.
     
    abraxas, Jun 14, 2008 IP
  17. Geeurbie

    Geeurbie Peon

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    #17
    Well, let not call them bad... Just not a good idea! There are lots of other more useful things you can do that will optimize your efforts. Why waste time on this?
    You only gain if your link partner has a higher PR than you. They can also drop the link anytime without notice... Not worth my effort.
     
    Geeurbie, Jun 23, 2008 IP
  18. webmasterran

    webmasterran Well-Known Member

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    #18
    might help in gaining PR but wont help on the SERPs for that u would require one way same niche links
     
    webmasterran, Jun 23, 2008 IP
  19. perfect_square

    perfect_square Active Member

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    #19
    yea, you will get better results if you can exchange with a site similiar to yours.
     
    perfect_square, Jun 23, 2008 IP
  20. Paul Teitelman

    Paul Teitelman Peon

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    #20
    Link exchanges are pretty risky in comparison to a lot of the other link building strategies out there. I would use this strategy in moderation and only link with either your friends or other sites that are VERY niche related.
     
    Paul Teitelman, Jun 23, 2008 IP