Q and A: Should I swap links with this site?

Dear Kalena...

I have received a link request from [site URL removed] to exchange links. Should I do it?

Susan

Kalena's Answer:

Dear Susan

If you look at the page where they are placing their "links", you will see that the links are actually embedded in Javascript code. This is a sneaky way to make it look like there is a link to your site from theirs (to the naked eye), but it is not a text link that search engines can read, so it might as well not exist.

The best links are when popular sites and directories link to you, but you don't necessarily link back to them. This is what this site was trying to do to you - having you link to them, but them having no real link to you. Search engines are clued in to sites exchanging links to try to boost each other's results, so they don't give as high "marks" when each site links back to the other as they do when there is only a one way link from one site to the other.

This site is betting that you will use a simple HTML link on your site so that they can get some value from you linking to them, but you will get nothing from them in return. Tell them to bugger off. Better still, ignore them.

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