I know that trading links with sites not related can get you filtered (or penalized) if the other site is not related to your own, but how broad can one get? Directories in general are really not related to anything other then directories. There is nothing on my sites that are related to the top levels of any directory (unless it's a niche directory). I assume that getting your link in the proper category can counter this...but what about linking back to it? There are other sites as well that may or may not be related specifically to my site. Like if I had a site dedicated to Viagra or something, would any med site count as related, even though my site is specifically about just that one drug? I guess these count in reverse as well... if I have a general medication site, would trading links with a site specifically about Viagra count as a related link? What about swapping links to a forum directory for a forum...other then the "forum" I have nothing related to most of it's listed sites. Is that good enough? Or maybe a politics site linking to Digital Point...would a linking pointing to the main forums count (heh, if DP would link back to me) or would it be better to deep link directly to the religion & politics forum?
Google ranks pages not websites. Yes, a theme of a website is important, but not as important as the page that your link is placed on. Lets say I have an insurance site, and I want to have my links placed on a PAGE, not a site, that is relevant to insurance. If a pet site did a blog, or had a PAGE about pet insurance, that would be a good PAGE for me to have a link on. So, even though the site theme is about "pets" the PAGE that my link is on is relevant to "insurance". Does that make sense? Theme is important, but Google ranks PAGES, not websites. BTW, I've built all these methods into lavalinx and you can get an account there for FREE now. Adam
If you want "related sites", just run very, very niche directory instead. Everybody would love nich directory, --- stop running "General Directory"
@ Leroy James Thanks for your reply. Additional comments welcome I'm sorry, you either mis-read what I wrote, or I was not clear enough (maybe both)...but I don't own a directory, rather I am submitting to them...
yeah i would agree with you on the directories thing, how most of them are just that, directories of tons of websites. there aren't very many which have special focuses or niches. i'm searching for those types of things too. i'm looking for an education-related niche. but i also use LavaLinx and it works great for link trading and for people to link back to you.
You have the advantage of having the SITE:.EDU while searching which can narrow down your search a bit for the educational type sites, as on some level, any site ending with that is at least partially related. Some times I wish that more niches had that option... I'd love to search for SITE:.OCC(ult) and be able to get everything in my genre. I'll need to check out your link maybe...
yeah it's true, i do have an advantage over the .occ ... hmm, i don't know how to remedy that situation. you have some interesting points of view, i read some of your other posts on threads here. take care.