TIP: Asking Can Make Your Website Stronger

Asking for Links: The Art of Building a Strong Website

Vanessa Wood
Design to Spec LLC – Website Design in Darien, CT

Most people expect web visitors to just find their website. Remember the Kevin Costner movie “Field of Dreams”? — If you build it they will come… That’s not necessarily true on the Internet. Your website will be found by visitors using search engines like Google, Yahoo, and MSN.  One of the strategies to boost ranking in the search engine results is to have other websites link to yours.

Google loves links. The premise behind the Google search isn’t really about finding websites (we’re used to thinking that because that’s we use it to do!). It’s about creating a stronger Internet through “inter-connectivity.” You know the spiritual outlook that in life “It’s all connected”? Well, on the World Wide Web it really is… or should be!

One of the better books by the Chicken Soup For the Soul guy, Jack Canfield, is The Aladdin Factor. The book teaches the reader how to ask and supports why it’s so important to ask for what you want.  So, it’s not surprising that the best ways to get other websites to link to your website is to ask! There are numerous paid directories on the Internet, but you probably have access to even more contact right now who would happily put a link to your website on their website. All you have to do is ask.

Use an email that asks for a link.  You may want to simply announce that you  now have a website and ask that they link to it.  In some cases you may want to “exchange” links by offering to link to their website from yours.

So who to ask?

Ms. Bell.  If you already have a commercial telephone line you may be eligible to have the p hone company link to your website from their on-line directory.  Call your phone rep and ask.  As more people use on-line directories, this becomes a step your can’t afford to miss.

Professional Organizations. Are you a member of any professional group: AMA, SAG, AFTRA, ASCAP, NSA, CAMFT… ? Many professional organizations have on-line directories that will provide a link to your website.  If you are a member, you are probably already include in their on-line directory, so it is a matter of calling or emailing to ask that your website link be added.

Publishers.  If you regularly write and are published in your area of expertise, be sure to ask that your website address be included in the author credits or in the byline.  Do you advertise in a publication or in their on-line directory? Ask that your website address be included. For example Psychology Today  has an on-line directory of paid advertisers.

Suppliers and Partners.Have you ever visited a manufacturers website and seen a link to the location that sell their product?  If you’re a retail business you must visit your suppliers’ websites to see if there is an opportunity for you to be listed as a location to buy their product.  Have you published or self-published a book?  Don’t forget the publisher and even resellers (like Amazon.com) can link to your website.

Friends, Family & Associates. Don’t forget to ask fro links from those people who are closest to you. Does your spouse have a website? Did you create a project with an associate and they have a website that could like to yours?

[Published April 2006 in the Design to Spec Newsletter.
Updated 2008 for this format.]