Donations, the Sort-of Paid for Links

So you’ve grinded out a few one way links, run out of reciprocal link partners, and found yourself still outside the first position.  What’s left?  You’ve updated the structure of the website and optimized META information, internal links, etc. and you have no place else to go.

It’s time to start buying your links.

Now, I realize that Google, as well as others, frown on paid links and consider them ‘illegitimate’, and if you wear the whitest of white hats, you probably won’t consider purchasing your links; however, there is an often overlooked solution: donations.

A donation is NOT (technically) a paid link, it is a link resulting from a generous contribution to a service or cause.  Some may argue that donating money just to get a link is selfish, not generous.  Maybe so, but in the end, no matter how you look at it, you’re still donating to a good cause.

I ran a 5k race last weekend for a very good cause and, for my entry fee, I received a t-shirt depicting the names of major donars on the back.  When I looked at those names I did not think, “those selfish bastards just wanted their name listed on a t-shirt,” I thought, “that’s very generous of them to contribute.”  And that’s what people will think when they see your link.   It’s understood that you receive something from a contribution, whether it’s a link, a sponsor logo, or just self-gratification.

Try searching for the phrase ‘donations’, ‘donors’, or ‘donate’ in Google and see what you come up with.

Geoffrey Hoesch is the owner of Dragonfly SEO, a Baltimore SEO company.

Link Request Emails: Short and Sweet

Once you’ve found good web pages from which to get links, you’ll need to contact the webmaster and request the link. This can be a tiresome process, and you’ll find that many webmasters will outright ignore your email. Being a webmaster myself, I understand the decision to ignore link requests; I receive dozens of requests per week, and most of these requests look exactly the same. Although I am a bit more savvy than the average webmaster when it comes to exchanging links (I check the links quality to determine whether an exchange is worthwhile), I get tired of hearing the same requests over and over. Nearly every link requester seems to be working from the same template, which is something like the following:

Dear Webmaster,

I was browsing the internet and came upon your site. I was impressed with the professional quality of it and thought that a link to my site would be appropriate.

As you may know, links are beneficial to your website…blah blah blah

If you’re like me, you receive plenty of spam email per week, and you’re a bit leery when it comes to emails that flatter you in order to get on your good side. From my experience, the tactic does not work, and once webmasters see flattery, they’re quick to send your email straight to junk mail.

I’ve read plenty of articles regarding link request letters, and many of them suggest ‘coaxing’ webmasters into exchanging links with you. Many SEOs recommend that your first build a relationship with a webmaster before requesting a link. Besides being a little underhanded, it seems to me that this tactic is probably not worth the effort. From my experience, the most successful emails are to the point and honest.

Most of us don’t have time to read a long email and are not interested in cookie cutter requests. Therefore, I recommend the direct approach, which many webmasters, many of whom are familiar with the importance of link building, appreciate and reward. Webmasters who are going to give you a link are going to give you a link, so don’t waste time with the fluff.

Here’s a sample email that has worked for me.

Dear Webmaster,

I was wondering if you’d consider posting my related link (explain how it is related) on your site, here: (URL).

Please consider this code:

<a href=”yoursite.com”>Your Site</a>

Thanks for your consideration.

Sincerely,

You

That’s it.

Geoffrey Hoesch is owner of Dragonfly Professional SEO Services.