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Jun 05
Jun 05
by Andy Hagans Strategy with 15 Comments
Today’s post marks our 3rd installment of the 57 post "Don’t Hate on…" LBB entry series. [Part 1: Don't Hate on Reciprocal Links (No, seriously!). Part 2: Don't Hate on Graphical Links.]
It all started when I read the latest of Stuntdubl’s awesome link building-related posts, The Art of Writing a Good Link Request (check out the "sister post", too, Examples of Bad Reciprocal Link Requests).
Since we’ve all received about a zillion link requests in our life (most of them complete bollocks*), you have to be a bit creative if you want to be successful with them.
*thanks for the adding that word to my vocabulary, Nick W
That being said, if your content is truly unique and if you appeal to a certain audience, "link begging" can still be a powerful (and cheap) method. It worked with my most "famous" site, and has worked for many others.
Two Tips for a Link Begging Campaign (Worked for Me!)
1) Increase Your Open Rate
Try setting the subject of the email to THEIR site title. That will pique anyone’s interest. If I get an email with the subject "Link Building Blog", my heart flutters, I’m flattered (hey, someone is interested in my site!). Trust me, this will get the highest open rate of almost anything with the webmaster crowd.
Under no circumstances should you put the word "link" in the subject, that will often get your email deleted straightaway.
2) Appeal to the Heart
If you’re lucky enough that they even open your link request email, your message had better be good. I have found that sounding "like a beggar" (in a good way) actually works sometimes–if people think you are honest, they will help you out as often as not. I even go as far as to say "If you could find it in your heart to link to our site…" 
By now, everyone knows about PageRank and link building, you’re not going to trick anyone… just be sufficiently humble! And whatever you do, please Don’t Hate on Link Begging.
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It’s also helpful if the salutation of the e-mail contain the person’s name. It gives the request a personal touch. Sometimes, it’s difficult to find the name of the person who’s responsible for the site that you’re e-mailing. But if you dig around the “About Us” page or the “Contact” page long enough, you’ll often times find the right person to whom you should address the e-mail for the link request. Personally, I pay more attention to mail in my inbox that starts “Dear Jimbo…” as I do to mail that begins “Hey…” or “Webmaster of Example.com…” etc. If you can’t find the time to figure out my name, why should I bother linking to you?
Great point Jimbo, thanks for commenting!
I always try and find the persons name and address them that way. I also talk about the subject matter on their site, this what really gets them interested to discuss what they are obviously interested in.
If anyone states: “can you find it in your heart etc” I delete it. It’s better to be straight up than beg IMHO.
Well yes I suppose either method would work depending on the sector. Just Don’t Hate on Link Begging
Thanks for the mention Andy. I vote don’t hate on any link method, just understand which situation which type should be used.
I think there is a different approach for every type of industry. That’s what makes SEO so fun…learning all the businesses.
>THEIR site title.
Yep. I like e-mail, and read all my site me-mail. Make it about them.
Good stuff mate. Cheers, and nice use of bollocks.
>I vote don’t hate on any link method, just >understand which situation which type should >be used.
Well said.
>Cheers, and nice use of bollocks.
Is there ever really a BAD use of ‘bollocks’?
It’s indeed a very good idea to put their title in the subject.
However, people always recommend to write something ’smooth’ to request a link, begging, but I’d say “cut that crap” and just ask “Can we exchange links please? It will benefit us both”. All webmasters know what linktrading is about and don’t care about how well-written your message is.
or am I the only one with this opinion.
Link exchanges are good. But, one way links are better. Liek this one
~ Sometimes it is quality no quanity that matters.
I think it helps to mention some particular aspect of their site, to show that you actually looked at it. For example, if you mention in the Subject line of an email to me that you like the rapper / director Kanye West you will get my full attention because it demonstrates that the email came from a person and not a bot.
>I think it helps to mention some particular >aspect of their site, to show that you >actually looked at it.
Mos def.
Thanks for the posting, nice that I found this link building weblog here;) and I thought for sometime I knew somehow what link building was-> now I realise there are many other ways =)
The best way for me was to look for sites linking to other relevant fields, and also asking them If I could get a link.
As well as some of the above techniques, I try to close the request in a friendly and humble manner, usually it goes a little like this:
Thanks for the opportunity to be listed on your site!
Let it be, let it be… What a strange place here.
I haven’t been up to much lately. So it goes. What can I say? I’ve just been letting everything wash over me recently, not that it matters. I just don’t have much to say these days.
ah non c bon