Link Building - Established sites do they still do it?

[Steven1976a]

Do people with established sites with relatively good incoming links and good SERPS continue to build links by requesting to other websites or do you just let people approach you?

Also on the topic of links do old links count?

[Tubby]

I think old links just fade away . . Some links only last a week, then they get dumped because the other half of the reciprical link is in place and it was only there in the first place to get the incoming link.

Taking a total guess( figure picked out of the sky) I would say the half life of the average link is 7.56 weeks.

Sites that are established can simply fade away without constant supervision. Some fade away WITH constant supervision. .

If the original post was asking the question. Should established site simply sit back and enjoy the traffic. . . The answer is - relax at your peril. . there are upcoming sites that will eat you alive...

[Steven1976a]

Im stopping link building then! It seems a lot of hard work to build links for them not to count after 7-8 weeks.

So what method should you use? After every 2 months write to the people that you asked for a link only 2 months ago. This surely cant be the way forward

[Tubby]

OOPS - you misread me . Or I was not totally clear.

KEEP BUILDING LINKS.

[greeneagle]

Link Building is still valid if you can afford it. There are a lot of good directories around that will take approved sites. On a lucky day you may get 4/hour manually submitting. You are still talking a minimum of $10-$15 each if and when you get lucky.

Why not just pay established directories instead of hassling around there?

Right now one of the best bets may be to hire local high school or College Geeks with too much time on their hands --- instructing them on your needs. Hurry though, there's only a month left before they go back to school!

I do believe that reciprocal link mongering is dead due to relativity issues, however "reciprocal linking" is not dead when administered with relevance in mind.

I have never run a linking campaign of any kind for my own site:

Google

MSN

Yahoo

Ken

[scanmonkey]

Originally Posted by Tubby

I think old links just fade away . . Some links only last a week, then they get dumped because the other half of the reciprical link is in place and it was only there in the first place to get the incoming link.

Taking a total guess( figure picked out of the sky) I would say the half life of the average link is 7.56 weeks.

There will be a higher % of "link deadbeats" from the people that approach you.

greeneagle brought up the subject of good directories and there is a list here
http://www.webproworld.com/viewtopic.php?t=21900

here is a good reference and reading on linking, pay attention to the subject of "verticle areas for links"
http://www.webproworld.com/viewtopic...=62858&start=0

[A. Smith]

A very common mistake that small businesses make (me included) is to stop marketing when business is booming. Marketing, including link building, should be an on-going process.

Yes, it's hard, especially if you're busy filling orders, and it's easy to be fooled by success. However, most businesses (maybe all?) will have ups and downs, cycles, and on-going marketing is a pro-active defense to minimize the "downs".

[scanmonkey]

Originally Posted by A. Smith

A very common mistake that small businesses make (me included) is to stop marketing when business is booming. Marketing, including link building, should be an on-going process.

Yes, it's hard, especially if you're busy filling orders, and it's easy to be fooled by success. However, most businesses (maybe all?) will have ups and downs, cycles, and on-going marketing is a pro-active defense to minimize the "downs".

When business is booming is a good time to plow something back into marketing. Buy some directory listings, improve your page, add a shopping cart and product descriptions or if budget will allow outsource the some SEO.

[A. Smith]

Yes, and save for a rainy day! Many businesses went under after we were hit by hurricane Wilma... I'm still hanging in there, thanks to some money put aside.

[freetraff]

Originally Posted by Steven1976a

Do people with established sites with relatively good incoming links and good SERPS continue to build links by requesting to other websites or do you just let people approach you?

Also on the topic of links do old links count?

Surely super established sites can get good links just via giving others chance to link to them.

But they are still offering. It's not only about ranking. Don't forget the primary value of links - good links bring traffic. And even super established site is not against getting some extra targeted traffic, otherwise they should close running the business and all go to Hawaii sipping coctails, and give the site to Red Cross.

[janeth]

Most people I know that have established sites stop doing link exchanges but don’t stop building links.

There are a lot of ways to build links without doing link exchanges. A couple would be

1. Directories
2. Write Articles
3. Press Releases
4. Blog comments

There are more but I would have to think about it a little and that might hurt.

[privatefleet]

The more established a site, probably the easier it is to find quality reciprocal links so it's more important than ever to keep pushing.

It's easier to stay at the top (or thereabouts) than it is to get there in the first place (just like losing weight!) so it makes sense to keep building even if it's just with the aim of consolidating position

[Steven1976a]

Ken mentions that 4/5 links an hour for link building. At what point does it become to high and classed as spam for building links to quickly? We are quite fortunate in Asia that labour is affordable but at the same time we dont want to over abuse anything we just want to get the right balance.