The act of acquiring links can be a challenging and time consuming process – particularly when your site is brand new. While there is plenty of low hanging fruit out there in regards to getting your link published, the rewards for doing so are minimal and in some cases can actually harm your search rankings. One of the best ways to build link credibility is to work with other webmasters – along with your friends and acquaintances – and make them feel special in the process. We will discuss the best ways to acquire links while feeding the egos of those who can provide them.

Throw Webmasters A Compliment

Many of us create articles and posts that pertain to the best products for a certain need or the best websites for a particular category. If you are wishing to receive attention and links from any given webmaster, the flattery bestowed by mentioning them in one of these ‘Top 10’ or ‘Best’ articles often does the trick. Simply put, a well-placed reference to an individual’s website is valuable – even coming from a site with less notoriety. Most webmasters appreciate and understand the importance of this type of link building and will be happy to reciprocate the favour at some point in the future. You also want to make sure that you are pinging your blog‘s articles so they update as soon as possible in major search engines.

Who To Target

Not all webmasters are going to be receptive or appreciative of their egos being rubbed. Many top tier webmasters in their respective categories simply do not have the time to personally network with every potential link builder; they also most likely have all the links and exposure that they need if they are in the top of their niche. Focus instead on smaller niches (the fewer search results, the better) to locate potential blogs and websites that may appreciate their egos being fed by an honourable mention on your site or blog. It is much more likely that someone on a similar level as you will be willing to return the favour.

Enlist Some Help

Some of the best potential advocates for your website are your friends and acquaintances. Not only is persuading them to share your link easier, but you can build up visitors, leads and conversions simply by these friends sharing your link on social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter. When it comes to persuading those close to you to share your website with others, both results and tactics may vary. Each person is unique and you will most likely need to come up with a “personalised plan” for getting them interested in sharing your links.

Putting It All Together

In order to begin the process of feeding others’ egos, you will need to do a few simple things. Research your search niches and find compatible blogs and websites with which you feel you can barter for links. Then, create solid, flattering content that includes the selected websites while also demonstrating your site’s value. Third, make sure that you are pinging your blog to get those updates listed as soon as possible. Finally, utilise the help of friends by giving them the praise and encouragement they need. By repeating these strategies, you can begin to build dozens of reciprocal links in no time.