Advertising/links on web site

Re: Advertising/links on web site

Rob Loxley — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 16:25:39 GMT

Maybe she's using something like tineye.com or Who Stole my Pictures plugin

Re: Advertising/links on web site

Cat Henstridge — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 14:42:05 GMT

It depends really on what you are linking for. If it is just for your clients information and to promote products or services you believe in then you can link to whomever you like and it would be a good idea, as Arloe says, to include a short explaination for each link.

If it is to promote your website and appear higher up in Google searches, then it is the inbound links that are important, so you have to persaude sites to link to you! However, it is important that these sites are highly ranked by Google and not just 'Link Farms' which are sites with loads of links in them, as these will cause Google to actively downgrade your site.

As an exotic vet you shouldn't have too much touble arranging links from exotic sites and forums, in fact you may well find you are on them already! Other good sites to link from (and are free!) include anyvetuk.co.uk, vetclick.com, the RCVS 'Find a Vets' section and VetSurgeon.org (unless Arloe has put in a 'no follow' link). Also, the charity websites are highly ranked, so if you are on any of their schemes, make sure a link to your page is on any listings they have.

You should also register and add your website to business listing websites, again these links will count towards ranking and you can control your page and reply to any reviews that are left. You should also claim your business on Google, which may help with the ranking but Google isn't letting anyone know!, but it is vital as people can leave reviews on Google, which you can respond to and you can add extra information and photos.

Cat

Re: Advertising/links on web site

Neil Wheadon — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 11:10:20 GMT

I have a degree of sympathy with the lady in question.

I get paid for photography and have had over 150 published in various magazines and books. Imagine my surprise on finding a leaflet advertising joining the Cyclists Touring Club 2 years ago and seeing that 3 of the 5 photos used were mine. £70 later and everyone was happy. It's tricky these days with photography as with the ease of copying and distribution, once a photo is published they have a life of their own. My main gripe is not being asked. I'm fortunate having other revenue streams but for professionals I can see their point.

Re: Advertising/links on web site

Martin Atkinson — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 10:37:41 GMT

[quote user="Neal Palk"]

There's no 'sponsorship' or excess commerciality if it is a relevant reciprocal arrangement?

[/quote]

No but there is a danger that it looks as though there may be. Interestingly I took a picture of a guinea pig off Google images for my website and a very irate woman phoned who accused me of breach of copy-write and threatened to sue me if I didn't take it down - she is breeder and it was one of her piggies. She is of course technically correct but it makes one wonder how anally retentive someone must be to a) trawl the internet and find such an image on someone else's site and b) recognise a guinea pig which looks exactly the same as millions of others. I offered her a link from my site but she declined and the picture was removed. Having read Arlo's post I'm glad she declined the link after all.

Re: Advertising/links on web site

Arlo Guthrie — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 10:20:12 GMT

[quote user="Neil Wheadon"]Links traditionally helps with Google ratings (pushes you up the search list)[/quote]

Just to be absolutely clear about links and Google:

Only inbound links to your site from other sites help with your Google ratings.
An inbound link to your site from another site which you DO NOT reciprocate is more valuable to your ratings than one you reciprocate (in other words, Google thinks you are more important if lots of people link to you, that you don't link back to).
So, reciprocal linking is better than nothing, but not nearly as good as getting lots of people to link to you with nothing in return (which they will do if they think you have a site / product of interest.
Outbound links can, I believe, actually dilute Google ratings. So if you have lots of outbound and none inbound, that is probably worse than having none at all.
Generally, I think pages of links for the readers of a website are of relatively limited benefit, unless they add something that I don't already get from Google. So, for example, I don't think veterinary practices should just provide links to every petfood brand, but instead offer a paragraph of text about just the one they recommend, and a link. The value there for the reader is not the link, but the advice.
For above reasons, I am VERY sniffy about who I link to, and very rarely do. A really good search engine marketing campaign really means giving others a strong enough reason to link to you, without the need for you to link back!

Re: Advertising/links on web site

Hannah Wynne Richards — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 10:12:42 GMT

Mark If you recomend some insurence companies above others-and are not registered with the Financial Services Authority-then you may be skating on thin ice

Wynne

Re: Advertising/links on web site

Neal Palk — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 10:02:51 GMT

[quote user="Martin Atkinson"]

I have links to the crematorium we use, our out of hours provider and DEFRA. I want nor ask for anything in return they are there for the benefit of the client. If I started putting links to local breeders, kennels, businesses etc I would be concerned that I was making the site into a semi-commercial site sponsored by advertising which dilutes the professionalism of it - not what I want.

[/quote]

There's no 'sponsorship' or excess commerciality if it is a relevant reciprocal arrangement?

Re: Advertising/links on web site

Martin Atkinson — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 09:45:11 GMT

Re: Advertising/links on web site

Neal Palk — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 09:09:50 GMT

Reciprocal links to other (usually similar sized) companies is usually appropriate - often at first via friends and colleagues who have their own businesses. It looks like you already are, but try and stick to products and services (loosely) relevant to you own of course!

Re: Advertising/links on web site

Laurence Webb — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 23:32:46 GMT

I spoke to the FSA about putting affiliate links onto our website for insurance companies who will pay for clicks that result in a new policy. I was informed that using links was effectively a recommendation of a policy, even if links to multiple insurance companies were used.

Obviously this is not allowed unless you are FSA registered as a broker/advisor which costs (IIRC) £1500 per year.

Mind you, seeing how many affiliate links to insurance companies you come across on the internet I doubt this is well policed!

Re: Advertising/links on web site

Neil Wheadon — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 21:31:22 GMT

I can only speak from the experience of being chairman of the Tandem Club (6000 members) and being heavily involved with CTC tours. (1200 participants a year)

Links traditionally helps with Google ratings (pushes you up the search list) Links are provided from both sites to organisations that we felt were in keeping with both clubs interests and we requested, but didn't demand a reciprical link, no money changes hands.

I would doubt that an insurance company would link back, but a small start up company, local supplier might, but choose carefully as people assume that the links you supply are those you support.

In the case of the Tandem Club, we have supplied larger links on the home page for advertising revenue.

You will find though that you will receive regular requests to link with other sites, most are totally inappropriate

I expect others will know more but this is a start.

Neil