One of the tried and tested methods of getting traffic to your web site is exchanging links with other like minded web site owners. But I ask you is link exchanging really worth the effort against other less burdensome web site promotion methodologies you can employ.

Once you have your nice shiny new web site uploaded on to the internet the next step is to get traffic to it. Perhaps the obvious way many new webmasters and even experienced begin to do that is by firing off emails right left and centre to other webmasters seeking a link exchange. But is that the right thing to do I wonder. It is very time consuming to identify potential suitable link partners with the reward often not matching the return in either successful link exchanges or traffic to your web site.

It is a game. Many web site owners will not reply. Or those that do may seek to impose conditions on the link exchange. In my experience, and probably yours too, some of the replies will involve an outright refusal because their site has a higher google page rank than yours and they absolutely cannot risk linking with you because it will damage their precious page rank. The fact that their site might be hidden away on page 658 of the search results is immaterial to them - but they must protect that page rank at all costs.

Another old chestnut is that the webmaster you are seeking to exchange links with will insist on a front page link on your site nice and prominent but in return they will put your link away hidden on some links page where nobody will ever find it unless by accident.

I have even had some people say they will not link with one of my sites unless I actually change the wording on the front page. I have experienced other similar demands on link exchange requests as I am sure you have too. It is very frustrating do you not agree.

Frankly I have become tired of playing the link exchange game. If I get approached by other web site owners for a link exchange I will always consider that request and see if something can be worked out for mutual benefit though I no longer actively seek to initiate link exchange requests because given what you tend to come across I am of the opinion that it is largely wasted effort.

Of course link popularity is important in attracting traffic to your web site but there are many other methods to achieve that without relying on the old staple of a traditional link exchange. A quick example of one being to participate in forums related to the topic of your web site. Include your web site URL in your signature and join in forum threads. Each reply you post will include your web site address and any other forum member who sees your post may visit your site via your link. The more posts you make, the more links you are gaining which in turn increases the chance of people visiting your web site.

You may take a similar approach by commenting on blogs and including your web site address and also in web site guest books and similar.

Writing articles and submitting them to the major article directories just like this one is another excellent way to promote your web site and gain links at the same time. Your articles may be reproduced by other web site owners, on blogs or used by ezine and newsletter publishers. Using a resource box in each article including your web site address means additional complimentary exposure for your site.

Writing a short article takes very little time. For example writing the article you are reading now took me about half an hour over breakfast and a coffee. Each one you write and submit to article directories means you are automatically gaining backlinks to your web site with the prospect of people visiting your site via your link in the resource box.

Another good way to promote your web site easily and quickly is to use the free press release distribution services which are out there. In a similar way to article submission you gain automatic backlinks and exposure with minimal effort and absolutely no financial outlay.

The half hour I spent on this article will be a much more productive half hour than spending that time emailing web site owners to explore a traditional link exchange. I suggest to you that there is little need play the link exchange game. Try some of the other linking and web site promotional methods outlined in this article to attract traffic to your web sites and you may be pleasantly surprised by the results.

About the Author

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