Outbound link etiquette examined

As a web site owner you might wonder if you should use outbound links. Outbound links are links from your Web site to another company’s Web site. Perhaps you’re reluctant to send people away from your web site. Well, here’s the verdict: if you have a good Web site, people will remember it and keep using it. Outbound links are good Web etiquette.

Outbound links can be beneficial for multiple reasons. And here’s why you should use them.

1. Outbound links can help your search engine rankings

Any time you have your keywords in a link (external or internal), they’re weighted more heavily.
For example, say you are a green architect and you want to add a link to your Web site about recycled building materials.

You could make the link look something like: www.resource2k.org

Or, you could make it look like this: Recycled building materials from Boulder ReSource

The words in that url will be beneficial to your rankings in search engines. So, instead of putting just the url, which won’t help your rankings at all for keywords, you can use your outbound links to your advantage!

2. Link to resources that educate potential customers

Offering footnotes or references to your articles provide legitimacy to your information, as well as provide a place for your customers to learn more. It’s a win-win situation, your site is more professional, and your customers can become more knowledgeable.

3. Build link partnerships that will generate new traffic

Finally, building and maintaining a useful bank of links to partner sites or information sites can generate more traffic to your site. If you’re a green architect, and you have recommended suppliers or preferred materials, it would be great to build a set of links to these vendors. In turn, ask them to link back to your site, and you’ll get your name in front of plenty of targeted customers!

Search engine marketing strategies that are effective and long-lasting are the old-fashioned kind. Use good common sense. If a quality site seems like it will benefit to your potential customers by educating them about your products, or providing a way to buy related goods, by all means link to it!