any websites I come for you and will ultimately
across don't have a single increase traffic to your website:
link to another website.
Ask the webmaster why not, and Proof there's a real organisation
the answer you get is simple behind the website
enough: "If I link to other
websites people might leave my One of the best ways to prove
site." At this point I break the your organisation really exists
news that site visitors will is to link to other websites that
leave your site. And there's reference you. Any website
nothing you can do about this. willing to mention your
organisation is in effect
Site visitors won't leave your providing a reference for you.
site because you provide links to Just 52.8% of web users believe
external sites. They'll leave for online information to have
one of two reasons: credibility (source:
http://ccp.ucla.edu/pdf/UCLA-Inte
- They've found what they were rnet-Report-Year-Three.pdf) and
looking for and no longer have a four in five users say that being
reason to stay on your website able to trust the information on
a site is very important to them
- They can't find the information in deciding to visit a website
they're looking for and leave to (source:
seek it elsewhere http://www.consumerwebwatch.org/n
ews/1_TOC.htm).
"OK, so site visitors are going
to leave my site. But why should Links about your organisation can
I hunt around for websites to include:
link to?" I can think of four
reasons why linking out is good - Press articles
- Affiliation listings country!" Anyone can make this
- Professional association statement, so prove that it is
membership details true by linking to an external
- Awards your organisation has website showing a list of the top
won online toy sellers last year.
- Articles published by a member
of your organisation Most of the time your site
- Directory listings (such as visitors probably won't follow
Yahoo! or the Open directory) these links, but that doesn't
matter - the important thing is
Anyone can put up a website that you've shown evidence to
making whatever kind of claims back up the claims you're making.
they want to. Have a look at the
fantastic Christian women's Benefit to your site visitors
wrestling website at
http://www.jesus21.com/poppydixon The Internet is designed for
/sports/cww.html. It's got quite users to flow through it from one
a lot of information about them website to the next - don't make
and lots of photos. And it's 100% your website the last one in the
fake. flow. If you know of websites
that you find really useful, and
Backs up your arguments you think your site visitors
might too, be sure to link to
Ensure that all statements about them. By offering a range of
your organisation are backed up useful links you may even come
by third party websites. For across as an industry expert and
example, if you sell toys it's someone who really knows their
very easy to make a statement stuff.
such as, "We're the number one
online toy seller in the When providing links make sure
you do so at appropriate times. more confidence a search engine
Don't relegate external links to has of what your website's about,
a links page - site visitors all other things being equal, the
aren't so likely to visit this higher search engine ranking
page as a links page doesn't you'll achieve. By providing
immediately address their needs. outbound links to related sites
Instead, provide links as and you actually help the search
when they're appropriate to the engines analyse your site and
content of each page. therefore help your search
ranking.
For example, if you run an
accountancy firm you may wish to Jon Ricerca did a mini-analysis
link to a website that has an to see if outbound links affect
up-to-date reference guide about search engine rankings and his
new tax laws in the field of results were pretty conclusive:
accounting. You don't have the web pages with more outbound
time to provide that kind of links generally achieved higher
regularly updated information on search rankings ( see
your website but your site http://www.webcredible.co.uk/user
visitors would find it really -friendly-resources/search-engine
useful. Help out your site -optimisation/number-links.shtml
visitors and they'll hold your ). Be warned though, an inbound
organisation in a positive light. link is worth far more than an
outbound link so do not link to
Search engine benefits your competitor's websites!
One of the ways search engines Conclusion
try to work out what your website
is about is by analysing its Don't be afraid to link out. Your
inbound and outbound links. The site visitors will appreciate you
introducing them to useful would benefit from any of the
websites, you can increase your websites there be sure to include
credibility and you can achieve a them in an appropriate place on
higher search engine ranking. So your site.
check your favourites folder and
if you think your site visitors
About the Author:
This article was written by Trenton Moss. He's crazy about web usability and accessibility - so crazy that he went and started his own web usability and accessibility consultancy ( Webcredible - http://www.webcredible.co.uk ) to help make the Internet a better place for everyone.
Read more articles by:
Trenton Moss
Article Source: www.iSnare.com
