Getting links to your site is mucho importanto; not necessarily because of the traffic it will bring, but the SEO link value you’ll earn. It’s true – negotiating links can be a manual, arduous process, but you can save time if you approach it smartly. When reaching out to a webmaster, you want to make sure you are clear in your intention of providing information about the existence of your site, and not to ‘grease the webmaster’s palm’ or buy your way onto their page. Do it ethically – provide other relevant websites with knowledge of your value, and let the webmasters decide if you are a good fit for their site. This good intention is in line with search engines’ interests.

Here’s the Top 5 checklist I use when chasing down links.

• Look for relevant sites to get links from, because these will make the most impact. In getting links, think “Quality, not quantity”. Check niche directories, your competitors’ backlinks, and even searches on keywords related to your website (many times websites that get served are not direct competition – getting links from other keyword related sites can have a big impact).
• Use the Google toolbar PR rating as an indicator of page value. Although this is not the updated often, it is still a relatively directional data point.
• Create a spreadsheet of sites you reached out to, and their response (if any). If they offered to post a link, note where the link is located. This spreadsheet may save you from duplicating your efforts or repeating yourself to uninterested parties. If the only way to negotiate a link is to do it reciprocally, this spreadsheet can also help you make sure your link partner is keeping up with their end of the bargain (provided you revisit this spreadsheet routinely).
• Don’t be afraid to provide a “thank you” gift for the webmaster. A coupon or a gift from your site might create a stronger connection between you and the webmaster, and entice them to consider linking to you longer. Note: I do not recommend doing this as a bribe – do it in good faith, and only after the link has been created. Obviously I can’t convince you to be a pure ‘white hat SEO’, but bribing or buying links can have negative side effects in the slim chance you’re caught.
• Offer to post some of their content on your site, or create your own unique content about their site or service (think reviews, interviews, opinions, pictures, etc.). This will often get you a link, especially if the site you’re referring to is smaller or in the social network space. Who doesn’t like to point out where they’ve been mentioned?

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