By: Martin Lemieux

Failing to plan anything is like planning to fail! Like many things, so many people fail to plan, here you will learn how to effectively strategies and plan your link exchange program!

Even if you just started you reciprocal link program or you have been performing link exchanges for a while now, there might be something you failed to plan out and this article will help you out!

For the beginner, you want to be ready for what's ahead! Now I say that because each link program is different and so should your arsenal!

1st thing is be ready before you look for link exchanges, I have a file that I keep ready to help me link to sites a lot faster than typing everything in all the time. Some will be automated and some you will have to e-mail them directly. Here's an example of the file I use each time I'm looking for link partners! Just open up "Note Pad" and create this text only file.

Link Submission.txt

Dear Reader:

I just linked to your site and would appreciate a link back to my site!

Here is your link: http://www.smartads.info/resources/promotion

Here is our information:

Title: Affordable Web Design & Web Site Marketing Tips
URL: http://smartads.info

Description: Smartads is here to help you expose your business to the world. SEO Services & Affordable Web Site Design for your online promoting needs. Web Site Marketing Articles to help you get more traffic to your site.

Sincerely,
Martin Lemieux

==========================================

Webmaster:

I just browsing you link section and was wondering if you perform link
exchanges? If so, here a link to my companies link opportunity:

http://www.smartads.info/web-design/links

Sincerely,

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

You'll want to start by categorizing your E-mail program!

What I mean by this is that not all replies to your e-mail account will be the same. Some programs out there are utilizing automated link directories! Now this will be easier for you to submit your site to their directory but it does have it's downs as well!

Since some of the link directories out there are automated by: (links manager) it will automatically check the link back to that site on a regular basis. I've come across many sites that deleted my link because it's says that it couldn't find their link on my site anymore. But since it is just a program, it might of been a bad time to check from slow internet services or a short downtime. Don't get fustrated, we all get them, just contact the site administrator and let them know that their link is still in the same place!

I apologize since that was a little off topic but was necessary to mention!

Back to your e-mail (inbox) What you want to do is create a folder to save in-coming e-mails related to the sites you linked to. If it's an automated program they will automatically send you an e-mail asking you to link to them as soon as possible! Do so emmediately.

Once you send them an e-mail explaining were their link is, save that e-mail in a folder for "Awaiting Acceptance". See, you might have already linked to them and sent them their link but they still need to approve your link. Don't forget about them, always check your "Awaiting Folder" and contact those sites again! Once, they send you an approval, you will utilize the google toolbar again to check your link with speed!

Sometimes you just don't have the time to check for your links! This is what your going to do. Go to the site that linked to you and in your google toolbar you'll want to type in the 1st word of your title like this:

Once you type your word in, click on the ( HIGHLIGHT ) button on the right of the google toolbar. It looks like this:

Now your ready to breeze through someone else's site to look for your link! This is what your going to see which you'll notice makes seaching for your link a lot easier:

Now that you found your link, add them into your favorites to check your link later! I make it a habit to check 5 links to my site everyday. There are some sites that don't reply too quick or some sites remove your link when your not looking. Just simply catching them in the act of removing your link will make them think twice about doing it again!

Here is my last and final thought on the matter! Checking your link popularity. Of course we all want to know who links to us. Here's one of many services out there that does this for us and will check the most popular search engines for you.

CONGRADULATIONS YOU'VE MADE IT!

Give yourself a pat on the back because you now have all the tools necessary to create a great link exchange program!

I hope this 5 part series has been helpful to you, remember to tell all your link friends about it and please feel free to use each article within your newsletters! You will need special permission to use articles 3,4, and 5 only because they contain key images for the article.

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