The Downsides Of Reciprocal Linking To Increase Search Engine Rankings

Author’s Note: This post briefly explains what reciprocal linking is, why it is an SEO tactic, and then investigates some of the downsides of reciprocal linking. 

Whether you’re a blogger or an SEO pro, you know that building up your blog's search engine rankings is a key to success. Many bloggers love using reciprocal linking to help increase their blog's rank in search engines like Google and Bing. It works by gaining links back from other websites that are relevant to your keywords so they can all be listed as one entry in the SERPs (search engine results page). The way it works is when you link to those other websites, those sites will then link back to your site and to others that are related so that your post can be listed as the hyperlink.

Problems arise when bloggers do not follow proce dures, and when the process may not always work correctly. Reciprocal linking is a technique that requires much more than just following a few simple steps. Temporary issues with the reciprocal linking process can sour a blogger's chances of gaining the links they need.

Bloggers who have been marketing their products using reciprocal linking have encountered many problems since the beginning of 2014, according to SEO expert Darren Shaw’s report on the Huffington Post’s website (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/01/11/reversing-blogger-link-sales_n_2582133.html). These issues can quickly lead to a drop in search engine rankings, reduced traffic to your blog and decreased brand awareness with search engine users. When Google constantly flags reciprocal links because they are found to be fake or otherwise not relevant to the content on your site, it is likely that those links will not be taken seriously by search engines. Not only that, but when Google occasionally spot checks a site’s links to see if they are relevant and clickable, it can bring down your site’s traffic as a result.

Bloggers who have been fixing their sites for problems with reciprocal linking may also end up with broken links in the search engines. When there is an issue with the reciprocal link program, Google updates its algorithm to recognize websites that it believes are no longer working properly. When this happens, it creates a negative effect on your site's search engine rankings.

A blogger who has been using the reciprocal link process to boost their site's search engine ranking may find that their efforts are not as effective as they once were. This is because bloggers can quickly reach the maximum number of links allowed by Google. Once this happens, your blog will no longer reap the benefits of expanding your network of sites.

Reciprocal linking can be a great tool for creating an active and healthy blog community with other bloggers, but it can become tainted when used in a deceptive way or manipulated to the point where search engines distrust it. If you plan to use the reciprocal linking process, you should be aware of the potential problems it can create for your blog. 

For a more detailed report on the negative effects of reciprocal linking, read Darren Shaw’s article at http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/01/11/reversing-blogger-link-sales_n_2582133.html .

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Conclusion:

Reciprocal linking can be an effective way to help your blog gain search engine rankings, but it is best when used correctly. If used incorrectly, however, it can bring down your blog’s traffic and confuse users who are looking for relevant content. Be sure to keep this in mind when deciding whether or not you want to use the reciprocal linking process on your blog.

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