Hello,

It's been awhile since I've created and promoted web sites. Are reciprocal links considered bad now? I've looked at the competitor sites and see no links to anyone.....yet they have a fairly good page rank on the google tool bar. Looking them up thru back links or utilities I find they have several links to their sites. Are they paying for them thus not requiring a back link? Or is there a hidden mirror site somewhere for a reciprocal link? Most directories required a link back to there site. Has this changed?

Thanks,
Radiumlight

Are you talking about those Affiliate buttons?

like the 88x31 buttons? or just exchanging links?

I have a site, and every site I link to, links back.

-JoshT

No, not affiliate or PPC, just exchange links. I used to encourage them, and put them on any sites I did (not those web rings either). Just related links to increase page rank and provide a service to customers. But the trend I've noticed lately; there just aren't any links showing to anyone else's site. Yet looking thru a utility such as "link popularity", links to the site are listed. Are exchange links a "no-no" now? Someone a while back contacted me with a request to link to one of the sites I did and "hinted" that an exchange link would be given but wouldn't be visable. Kind of like a dummy page? Or a mirrior site? I'm just asking what is the accepted protocol now.

Thanks,
Radiumlight

I almost understand...

You're asking what is supposed to happen to get top notch SEO? and if link exchanging is going out of "style" so to speak.

Well, if thats what your asking, then no. Having a link anywhere and everywhere is always good for your site.

Content is the most important thing for getting hits and such, if you have something of value to offer, and there is a support for it, then you just need to code right, and display the content correctly, and it should work out for the best.

Thanks Josh, I appreciate your time. Yeah, I know content is key. It's a new site, I was just looking for related sites to request linkage in an effort to promote the site for my client, like I used to do, a year ago or so and am not finding the "link to us" pages to submit the site to. Websites often had a "links" page or a links area but now I'm not seeing links to any other site (not including directories, of course). It looks like reciprocal links are not how it's done anymore. I guess that's what I am asking. That's not the way to go anymore?

Radiumlight