Comments on: Do you ever link to the competition? http://www.smallbusinesssem.com/do-you-ever-link-to-the-competition/2353/ Because not everyone can throw thousands of dollars at the 'How do we market ourselves online?' question... Thu, 09 Feb 2012 02:57:14 +0000 hourly 1 By: Joel McLaughlin http://www.smallbusinesssem.com/do-you-ever-link-to-the-competition/2353/#comment-172971 Joel McLaughlin Mon, 02 Nov 2009 00:03:11 +0000 http://www.smallbusinesssem.com/?p=2353#comment-172971 I do it on a case by case basis. If there is a valuable resource that helps your website visitor's, why not? Of course, if there is a high statistical chance that you will lose business, it may not be in your best interest. I do it on a case by case basis. If there is a valuable resource that helps your website visitor’s, why not? Of course, if there is a high statistical chance that you will lose business, it may not be in your best interest.

]]> By: Rachel Goldstein http://www.smallbusinesssem.com/do-you-ever-link-to-the-competition/2353/#comment-171524 Rachel Goldstein Fri, 23 Oct 2009 20:30:15 +0000 http://www.smallbusinesssem.com/?p=2353#comment-171524 I say yes, link to the competition. If content is king, then you need to offer useful, rather than sales-y content. So your goal then is becoming a thought leader, which means your site needs to speak to your colleagues as well as your potential clients. In some sense your colleagues are your competition, but I don't think linking to them can hurt you. I have to work hard at convincing small business owners to link out ("I don't want people to leave my site") and to offer useful information for free. Those of us who live and breathe SEO know how important this is, but many small businesses and entrepreneurs still need to be persuaded. I say yes, link to the competition. If content is king, then you need to offer useful, rather than sales-y content. So your goal then is becoming a thought leader, which means your site needs to speak to your colleagues as well as your potential clients. In some sense your colleagues are your competition, but I don’t think linking to them can hurt you.

I have to work hard at convincing small business owners to link out (“I don’t want people to leave my site”) and to offer useful information for free. Those of us who live and breathe SEO know how important this is, but many small businesses and entrepreneurs still need to be persuaded.

]]> By: Muqtada Khalid http://www.smallbusinesssem.com/do-you-ever-link-to-the-competition/2353/#comment-171316 Muqtada Khalid Wed, 21 Oct 2009 19:31:34 +0000 http://www.smallbusinesssem.com/?p=2353#comment-171316 i m on the same stage and thinking and also would to advice being an SEO that never do this trick as you always suffer the negative points, yes, if only you have a mutual agreement to do that then go for it. i m on the same stage and thinking and also would to advice being an SEO that never do this trick as you always suffer the negative points, yes, if only you have a mutual agreement to do that then go for it.

]]> By: Bryan http://www.smallbusinesssem.com/do-you-ever-link-to-the-competition/2353/#comment-171001 Bryan Sun, 18 Oct 2009 14:08:38 +0000 http://www.smallbusinesssem.com/?p=2353#comment-171001 I do link exchange links with a competitor and makes it dofollow. I'm not that kind of person that will not link to a site because of competition. I do link exchange links with a competitor and makes it dofollow. I’m not that kind of person that will not link to a site because of competition.

]]> By: James http://www.smallbusinesssem.com/do-you-ever-link-to-the-competition/2353/#comment-170791 James Thu, 15 Oct 2009 10:06:06 +0000 http://www.smallbusinesssem.com/?p=2353#comment-170791 There are different types of competitors Direct Competitors - the real estate office across the road that is already trying to put you out of business - no - You are offering the same products and chasing the same market and the same SERPS Partial Competitors same market some of the same SERPS some similar products - (You sell houses in Queens they sell apts downtown Manhattan) may be but is it part of a larger possible relationship. Indirect or attention competitors in the same market with some of the same SERPS but different offers (you are selling lawnmowers and they are selling weed killer or chain-saws) - why not build the relationship and you may be able to help each other out. There are different types of competitors

Direct Competitors – the real estate office across the road that is already trying to put you out of business – no – You are offering the same products and chasing the same market and the same SERPS

Partial Competitors same market some of the same SERPS some similar products – (You sell houses in Queens they sell apts downtown Manhattan) may be but is it part of a larger possible relationship.

Indirect or attention competitors in the same market with some of the same SERPS but different offers (you are selling lawnmowers and they are selling weed killer or chain-saws)
- why not build the relationship and you may be able to help each other out.

]]> By: Kevin Spence http://www.smallbusinesssem.com/do-you-ever-link-to-the-competition/2353/#comment-170719 Kevin Spence Wed, 14 Oct 2009 16:49:03 +0000 http://www.smallbusinesssem.com/?p=2353#comment-170719 It's not all about pagerank. In my experience, linking out to a relevant site is always a good thing, and one of the hardest practices to get people to accept. But from my experience, yes, it builds trust. Now, as you said, these guys aren't using clean links, so there shouldn't really be an SEO effect. But it is good for the users. In fact, if I had a local news company that did this, I would visit their site exclusively. Sure, you pass some traffic to a competitor, but this site is now an aggregator. You can visit them to find out what's going on, whether they're reported it or not. It’s not all about pagerank. In my experience, linking out to a relevant site is always a good thing, and one of the hardest practices to get people to accept. But from my experience, yes, it builds trust.

Now, as you said, these guys aren’t using clean links, so there shouldn’t really be an SEO effect. But it is good for the users.

In fact, if I had a local news company that did this, I would visit their site exclusively. Sure, you pass some traffic to a competitor, but this site is now an aggregator. You can visit them to find out what’s going on, whether they’re reported it or not.

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