Aug
Link Buying Is Out, Link Tricking Is In
Link building is big business. Asking for links, linkbaiting, buying links, spamming links, injecting links, whatever. And it doesn’t matter if Text Link Ads is no longer listed in Google or if they are randomly stuck in and pulled out, or if ScratchBack convinces some people that it’s still worth buying links that don’t affect Google rank, there will be serious link building activity for the foreseeable future.
But link buying is old-fashioned. Buying links takes time and money, and that sucks for everyone. Rich people can hire an SEO firm to do the work for them, costing only money. But what if you want good links without spending a dime, only your time?
Then try the latest trend, which is link tricking.
Link tricking is probably the most ingenious link building strategy out there. You have to be a very sly and cunning internet marketer to pull this off, but from what I can see, it’s working, so it might be worth it.
Now I don’t know if this strategy is being employed by in-house link builders, an outside SEO firm, or from people who got tricked into it… but here’s an example of the trickery:
It all starts with an email. This is one I received.
Hi,
I want to compliment you on your website. I am really into health and fitness because I am a dancer, so it is so enjoyable, as well as beneficial, for me to visit your site often. The information is some of the highest quality fitness information I have seen on the web, while your site it very easy to navigate and beautifully designed. I would like to become a professional dancer after I finish college, and it is very important for me to stay in great physical condition if I want to pursue this career path.
I have a suggestion for your site. I buy all of my dance wear from
http://shop.justforkix.com/departments.asp?dept=8
as do several of my friends, whom I have also referred to your site, and we have all been very pleased with them. I think some other visitors of your site would like to check them out too, so it might be a good idea to put a link to them on your page.Thanks for creating and maintaining such a fantastic website. I will come back often.
Sincerely,
Tina
If you do SEO, you’re probably laughing at how obvious this is. But you have to realize, not everyone is smart.
Some “not too savvy” webmasters probably received the same thing and thought that it was a genuine request, when it was most likely a conniving internet marketer executing a clever (and free) link building plan.
Here are some people who were fooled by this type of message:
Samrat Hacks (and apparently loves to dance)
I’m going shopping about dance shoes
Everything your child needs for dance class!
Cheer clothes… close enough to dance clothes.
My sister called and I spammed her.
Link tricking, isn’t it wonderful?
Is it worth it though?
I think so. I actually think this is the best link building strategy out there. First off, you don’t have to spend any money, so it doesn’t hurt your wallet. Second, since you’re not actually paying for the links, it must be Google-approved!
Time for me to go build some links…
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It’s true, everyone, The Sucker is back!
I held him hostage over the summer while I filed my Real News reports but decided enough was enough.
I shall return with Real News tidbits, though — just that it’s August and I’m vacationing, kind of like a therapist or something.
Glad to see you back, Sucker!
Hurrah! And with a great resource for dance supplies too – just what I’m hoping for when visiting the Internet Marketing Sucks Blog. Thanks!!
Wow…link tricking. I never heard of that before. I am going to use something like that to seduce many webmasters!
I have heard of a similar approach when trying to obtain joint venture partners, but to use this same approach to solicit or rather seduce people into linking to your website is rather ingenious.
I am also going to test out this link tricking tactic to see what happens.
Thanks for the tip.
Interesting strategy. I guess it’s just like they say… there’s a sucker born everyday.
I receive such emails frequently, however i do not see a point to link out to non authority sites, unless in my blog posts. This however is an interesting technique. – Rif Chia
Well I am sure that this could work and especially if you run a shop. But I guess that if you’re creative enough you could do this with almost any type of site.
My sister called me and asked whether boiling water to mix with formula was safe. I told her about Nursery Water, a brand of water my friend uses with her infant. I think your audience would also find this product very interesting. I am in no way affiliated with the product. Nor do I run a spam blog. Nope, nosiree.
HA HA HA!!! That was a good one, I have gotten some as well, but most of them requesting recip or some other partnership, will look out for more of these, or maybe write some myself
This technique is really not money and time consuming. Quite interesting technique but I think it still depend on the quality of your website and of course you have to write it in an interesting that could catch the attention of the recipient.
Yes you are right. Link buying is out even Google doesn’t like this technique. Most of the people now dont go for Link Buying.
Hmm quite inovative, I might have to experiement with this and see how it goes.
Yay! I am glad the updates on the blog are back, I’ve been lurking waiting for them. Great post as always, it really does seem a good idea, don’t think I have the gumption to do it though lol.
I live in constant fear of Google coming into my backyard and filling in my pool.
the idea may work but the idea behind the idea just sucks!
its another kind of spamming.
Woow, only a retard person could believe such a thing
LOL, I would spot that a mile off and would have thought that other webmasters would have as well, but obviously not.
Hi,
I was not fooled actually. I was paid for it
This is a great idea, as a webmaster I’ve seen it a few times. The automated link exchange requests where I put up a link and don’t get a link back, really frustrate me, don’t ask for an exchange if you’re not going to follow through!
This is the e-mail I received:
Dear Sir or Madam,
> I work on a website that offers private and group language tuition online, provided by fully qualified native speakers of the student’s target language and after perusing your website I am keen to host an advertisement on your site http://www.______.com.
>
> I would be interested in placing a one-page advertisement on your website. I will provide a unique text for this advert that will be created by our professional writer for your site, in accordance with your editorial guidelines.
>
> It would be fantastic to hear back from you about this. I look forward to your reply.
>
> Best regards,
> Alex
Is it something similar to the link tricking?
Can I trust that person? I seems too fishy.
@dokidok
That is simply someone wanting to buy advertising on your site. Happens all the time. It’s not “link tricking” but rather “link buying.”
Basically, they just want you to post some text on your site and then they’ll send you PayPal money. If they don’t pay, you just remove the advertisement. Not too risky.
I like the idea, although they used spam to do it I like it. I am not completely against spam even though I do dislike most of it. Its a neat idea and I might have to try it out someday. Thanks!
Thanks Sucker. Where can I find more information about the text link ads prices? This person asked me how much I will charge per text add.
RE: text link ad prices
Two main places to look:
1) Text-Link-Ads.com will give you a good idea of the price spectrum.
2) Webmaster forums such as DigitalPoint. Just remember these prices will be much lower than in a marketplace such as TLA. So ideally try to set your prices more in line with what you see at TLA.
Wow… I can’t believe anyone would post that. I can see a scraper blog doing this, but there are apparently a lot of dumbos out there.
I’d think you would loose a lot of time with that one.
How is this crawlable? I am going to have to re-read this article a few times, I think I may be a little too tired to understand. Wouldn’t this still fall under “Link Building”?
@Spam Filters
Yeah, re-read the article a few times…
Ha ha ha.., it seems interesting
Interesting concept, and I suppose it would work on those poor unsuspecting site owners who don’t know they could be using their own affiliate link.
I can’t see myself doing that, it just seems wrong taking advantage of those that don’t know better.
But, I do have a link to a great site that I think your readers would love
Mike
I can’t believe that people were actually fooled by this trick. It is so obvious. I guess when people are appreciated and promised more visitors they tend to follow the e-mail seriously.
Yeah its very true, now there is just tricking and more tricking.
It is obvious but there are people still dumb enough to fall for it and praise is always a big turn on.
I think linking buying doing by tricks is most successful way of getting backlinks. This is cheapest method for getting backlinks.
Very clever trick… But also a easy way to get links. Just send it away and wait for potential victims…
@Sucker
Text Link Ads is a double edge sword. It can boost your website but can also harm it if detected by Google or reported by competitors.
Rif Chia
I guess it’s like fishing. The stupid fish will likely take the bait and post it on there site while most will just swim by. Good post though.
Link buying is in intensive care and I dont think that it will make it.
I think that link tricking is the best thing that could have happened and it is mainly because we all dont want to spend too much money!
He he… Long live tricksters!
I think the best way is the short way and when there are so many ways one can get what we want without putting out a lot of money, then why not try it and make use of it.
I think this is way forward, some say its unethical but I really do not care about that.
SEO Elite actually comes with this spammy email ready for you to send.
This is the software most of the Indian SEO GURUS freelancers from India and all those places use.
Well I don’t buy this idea. Webmasters today are lot smarter nowdays. Trying this idea would be the best thing one can do to waste time and energy.
Well for one it doesn’t exactly suck a lot of people make quiet a good living out of it,
i wonder why you say it sux
well i get such mails daily in great numbers since i am not into SEO so firstly i thought this is something genuine as you stated in the post but i was still dubious about it so i consulted it with my friends then they told me the same as you stated above……… thanks for telling people about this
I had start to use this link building method, but haven’t good results yet :/ … work work work
Never heard of before! Want to try my hands on it!!
link tricking
nice topic and often happens with most off, but it would not successful for long time, because as you understand people also get understand these all are just a tricks.
I had start to use this link building method, but haven’t good results yet :/ … work work work
This trick I think the genius way to make big link but don’t use it with spam email.
If you have better idea than this so tell me more
I can hardly believe that this works. Most people are so lazy, they would never bother going through with your request! You would probably have to send 100 requests for even one link! If you are in the Internet Marketing arena like we are, I’m sure your target would laugh at your request. Although, there are a LOT of stupid people out there…
TomG.
The part about not having to spend any money is right, but then again you need to be able to convince people and that can be hard.
The internet is growing fast, and many people are being aware of these tricks, and now you’re post has given the tricksters away! :p
To above ^ the internet is growing so fast there won’t be any half decent domains left!
hahahah…. this is a wonderful idea….
This probably isn’t the most ethical way of building links and could build you up a bad reputation if you send these emails to the wrong people (who are savvy and will know what you are doing) but hey, it might be worth a shot at least.
Interesting strategy. I guess it’s just like they say…
Obviously the most profitable way of making anything is by exploiting gullible people. Sure it may pose some moral problems but I don’t think that internet marketers have any problems with that.
Hm quite innovative, I might have to experiment with this and see how it goes.
That’s brilliant and so true. I get these sort o emails every now and then and some are not dancing but more like competition related. Basically they want a link when it comes down to it.
Most of the time i do ignore it, but sometimes I reply and see if they answer. Personally i think the competition link bait ones work the best, I reckon..
People are now turning tricks on the web. We’ve come so far and yet…we’re back to the world’s oldest profession!
It’s just like hacking…. no matter how “secure” a system is, there will always be a way around the system, and no system is 100% Safe. The same thing can be applied to SEO, no matter what the new rules are, people will always find a way to get that extra SEO juice to their website.
-Randy