Many new travel bloggers don’t bother with a links page until a few weeks or months after their blogs have been in existence. Having a links page provides you with several benefits including the space to add many links, a cleaner homepage, and advertising opportunities. It’s not in your best interests to stick with that long sidebar you’ve got and you can set up a links page in no time.
You Need The Space
Exchanging links with other travel bloggers (or relevant blogs) benefits your site by increasing the number of inbound links to your blog and increases your visibility. Your sidebar will get too long and look ugly after many link exchanges so create the space to add as many links as you want. Having a links page is also a good way of saying you’re happy to exchange links with other people who visit your site.
Meeting Other Bloggers
I’m not a big fan of links pages where users can add comments for their own links – it’s rather impersonal and you can’t control the content well, giving the page a very disorderly look. Rather, have a links page and at the top let other travel bloggers know you’re opening to exchanging links. It’s a good way to meet others in the community and get to know them, as well as exchange links.
Create Categories, Avoid The Long List
Something I haven’t quite implemented yet, but once you get you links page up create some categories on separate pages. The longer your links list grows the less that page will be valued by search engines and read by human beings. Shorter links pages or those broken up into categories on separate pages (i.e. travel resources) may also build Pagerank. It’s controversial, and I’ll be talking about text link ads this week, but if a links page has some sort of Pagerank you may be able to sell text ads there.
- On top of that, some sites really only want to exchange links with your ranked pages (which in most cases is just your sidebar). They’ll offer a link from a high Pageranked site of theirs in return for a ranked link from you. Again, having ranked links pages can give you more space to make these kinds of exchanges.
- Typically the websites (not travel blogs) that really want to be in your sidebar or on a ranked page will be willing to pay for it if you ask. You can tell that when your links page doesn’t cut it for someone.
I’d also recommend having a link to your links page at the top of your site or prominently on the sidebar. When other bloggers visiting your site don’t see it, they probably won’t get in touch for an exchange.
Some Other Benefits Of A Links Page
There are a few other good reasons to have a links page on your travel blog.
- It can show some ‘blog clout’ as your lists grow and is evidence you’re connected in the travel blogging community.
- Makes your sidebar a bit more special and a place where you can highlight some of your favorite sites and blogs.
- It doesn’t hurt to have one.
That last one is important – it doesn’t hurt your travel blog to have a links page. They are very easy to set up, just add the page and a way to contact you, and you’re set to go.
Do You Have A Links Page?
Once you get your page set up, use these good ways to get links for your travel blog now. You can also leave your information in the comments below to exchange with my sites and other Travel Blog Advice readers – feel free to leave your links in the comments below to exchange.
[photos by: Terwilliger911, oskay, Jason-Morrison]
Great article. Anyone looking to link exchange with me can shoot me an email. Thanks!
I have a “Blogroll” page with a contact form if anyone is interested in exchanging links. I’m down if you are. 🙂
Or email [email protected]
Great article!
My links page is definitely in need of an overhaul. The challenge I have is how to pick which to include? There are hundreds of wonderful blogs out there, but I don’t just want to have a list of all of them.
I may take a page from a couple other bloggers and do regular reviews of travel blogs, then link to the review on the links page along with an excerpt from the review. That way, I’m committing to the readers that I do actually READ and know the sites I’m including rather than just a list of other people who want to trade links. May not be as good for SEO, but I think it’s a better service for the readers.
I’ve seen many people who put a select few blogs in their sidebar to give them a bit more attention and SEO love. There’s a plugin that http://twogortw.com/ uses that rotates the sidebar links (I can’t remember for the life of my what it’s called.) so they can include a few but not have the sidebar too long and out of place. I just checked their site and couldn’t find it but also noticed how well their links pages are done. Might be an options as well.
I’m one of those people you mention. I didn’t create a Links page until quite a few months after I created my site. Admittedly, it’s been a little neglected of late and nagging me to update it, starting with your blog!
I like the idea of breaking the list into major categories once it gets long enough but not on multiple pages. I prefer to see a long list if need be than click away. The categories may also create contention if one is not listed under the right one.
Yet to see any SEO improvements by having a Links page but I like the community spirit it creates.
Good post, Anil. I look forward to your upcoming text link post.
I’ve read that getting a link from a links page has low SEO value but they are still links and I suspect it does, even if in a little way. Btw, have just added you site to the links page here and over at techguidefortravel.com 🙂
Hi, excellent post. I have a links page and Blogroll and just a few weeks ago setup a link directory as a subfolder to my blog http://www.yourguidetravelaustralia.com.au/directory/ I am hoping this will become a resonable income earner. It only cost about $60 installed and I have been lucky enough to get $105 so far with zero Pr. Hopefully it will get a PR soon.
Love your blog, there is plenty I can do to improve my blog.
PR updates usually roll around every 3 month. Are you looking to do any exchanges with non-Australian blogs as well? Either way let me know, there are a few Aussie travel bloggers subscribed to this thread who may be interested.
Great post. My boyfriend and I just started our travel website (http://acoupletravelers.com) and have created a links page (which we still do need to organize and categorize) but we are definitely interested in link exchanges.
I’ll help spread the word 🙂
Thanks for the tips. Categorizing seems so obvious yet I hadn’t thought of it! My list is starting to grow look a bit jumbled…
The clutter can sneak up on you quickly, especially with link lists!
I have heard that it’s important NOT to call the page links or resources or something generic like that (for SEO purposes). “Blogs I Love” or “Fellow Travel Bloggers” or “Travel Blogging Community” would do the trick and is more personal than just “Links”. I too like exchanging links for the purposes of fostering a community spirit but do hope it does add at least some benefit in terms of SEO.
Happy to exchange links with any like-minded travel bloggers out there. 🙂
It doesn’t matter; if your site is properly linked and sitemaped, Google can figure it out no matter what you label the page. All of those links on a page are a clear sign to Google and while it’s nice to have some Pagerank on a links page, the real benefit of one is more incoming links to your site which may help Pagerank throughout your site. Sure, links to links pages aren’t of the highest value as far as Google is concerned but they still hold some weight.
Thanks Anil. Glad to hear it. Now I have to get cracking with building some links.