Step 4 - Who You Should Link To This again will probably be very different from what you are doing now. The answer is simple: Link to any quality site who operates a visible linking policy. The focus here is on two things, QUALITY and VISIBILITY. Do not just blindly accept links, go visit the site of the person offering you a link exchange. Do not click any links provided that go straight to their link directory, visit their home page to verify you can access their link directory from it. Here is what you are looking for: Does the site have real content? Important point, you have all seen these silly pages where someone has bought an expired domain name and all the page has is pay per click links or Google links to other sites. Do not link to these sites, make sure the site has CONTENT, as in useful information or a product, and not just links to other sites. Ask yourself, would my users find this site useful if they were interested in its subject matter? Is their link section easy to find??? If you visit the partners home page and you cannot easily find the link that leads to their link pages/directory, forget it! Remember, your links button is now in your main navigation, you want the same exposure in return or this won't work for you. If their link section is only featured at the bottom of their page PEOPLE will rarely find it. If they call their link section "resources" or "partners" it will get MUCH LESS attention from surfers. Our recommendation is if their links directory is not called "Links", "Links Directory" or something very similar don't exchange the link. Instead send them here. Are their links organized? First of all, if all they have is one long list of unorganized links on their links page, DO NOT link to them. They may well be marked by search engines as a links farm. If you link to them you could damage your own sites position. If their links page has links: 1, 2, 3, 4 or links: A, B, C, FORGET IT! Surfers rarely browse through such links. You are looking for nice clear categories just like you have. This is the only way that web users will find your site regularly. Check over the site, if it contains hacks, warez, racist or illegal material obviously do not exchange links with it. Basically this is common sense, you are looking for a RECIPROCAL link. One of equal value, all you want to do is make sure the other site is offering you the same quality exposure you are offering them. Do not be afraid to turn links down. Ask yourself, is there a chance my site will be found in their links directory? If the answer is no, don't waste your time. Just politely decline the offer and refer them to us, we may be able to get them to sort their links out. Exchanging with thousands of hidden links will not help your traffic, all they will do is use up your web space. Look at your links pages as internet real estate, if you are going to give someone space on your pages you want equal value for the exposure you give them. Step 5 is "Create A Linking Policy" Click Here