graphic elementTop Sites (supplement)

Snapshot: on 03/09/09 (the date of this article), the web site at position 80 on the "Animal Artist Hall of Fame" Top Site had received 2 hits into the Top Site, and 401 hits out. Can you afford to neglect a visitor traffic exchange as favourable as this?

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Evaluate a Top Site before joining

Remember that Top Site membership is a form of link exchange: they just happen to provide and utilise a count of visitor traffic. Top Sites with a large number of members (who all link to the Top Site) can be expected to have a higher PR than those with few members. Don't reject small Top Sites simply because they are small - they may grow!

Top Sites where the number of hits "in" exceed hits "out" may not be the best sites to join. This can be an indication of Top Site members repeatedly click their own links to gain a higher position in the list, which encourages/requires you to behave similarly!

Adult Content is prevalent on a number of Top Sites. You may wish to avoid this? Always take a look at the types of site listed before adding your site.

 

Link placement and banners

Member sites displaying a banner attract more visitors than those with a text description only. Before joining a Top Site, make an attractive banner for your site (normally 468 x 60 px).

Top Sites require you to install a voting code, and click that link in order for your site to be listed. Don't waste time joining a Top Site if you do not intend to install the voting code. You site will never appear on the list.

If you want your visitors to click a Top Site link (placing a vote for your site and moving it up the listing), you will need to put the Top Site's banner somewhere visible on your web site.

 

Maintenance of your Top Site membership

Most Top Sites reset on a monthly basis (i.e. the counts are reset to zero). Some reset on other frequencies. Most Top Sites suspend inactive members (i.e. member sites that have not sent any traffic to the Top Site in a given period - say 3 months). You need to be aware of reset frequencies, and click your own link to the Top Site once in a while to remain listed.

Member cheating is common. Don't join in. Top Site etiquette permits one click per day from a member. Many Top Sites have anti-cheating devises which place a limit on the number of clicks per visitor.

It is common for Top Site members to change the address of their banners, and forget to log-in to their Top Site account and amend their details. Missing banners will discourage visitors.

 

graphic elementGetting seen (part 1) - Search Engine Optimisation
graphic elementGetting seen (part 2) - Link Exchanges
graphic elementArticle writing

Article date: 03 September 2009 ¦ Suggest an amendment

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