SBI's Value Exchange takes all the tedium out of reciprocal linking.

Those of you who are already SBIers will already know why Ken Evoy calls it Value Exchange, because that's what it provides - a value-added service to your link building strategy.

You can register for Value Exchange as soon as you've put together at least 20 content-rich web pages and start building link popularity straight away.

Word on the webmaster forums is that the search engines are placing less and less emphasis on reciprocal links, so always remember link building is only part of your overall website marketing plan, definitely NOT your No.1 strategy!

Like most of the services SBI! provides, the Value Exchange process is a no-brainer - you simply include your site details, the heading and description you would like included in your link, and the primary keywords to match with other sites, ensuring your links stay on-topic and on-target.

To stay one step ahead of Google's artificial linking policy, you can edit your information any time you want.

Exchanging links with Value Exchange

Once Value Exchange HQ has loaded your particulars, it will spit out a list of possible link partners who have matched for your most valuable keywords.

All you need to do is scroll through the list, check each website to make sure you're comfortable linking to it, then click "Yes", "No" or "Maybe" in the drop-down box beside each website listing.

When you've completed the task of eyeballing each site and deciding if you want to link to it or not, Value Exchange will send a friendly message to all those sites you've ticked with a "Yes" asking if they'd like to exchange links with you.

Given the majority of sites are on the Value Exchange list because they're keen to exchange links, it's unlikely they are going to say no, particularly when the letter SBI sends is so inviting. Websites that you have knocked back will be immediately dropped from your list and the "Maybe's" stay there until you make up your mind one way or the other.

Your would-be linking partner has a couple of choices once they receive your SBI-generated link request letter. The message is posed as a polite question, although the website details are included.

• Smart operators and webmasters who value their time will use the information in the email to create a link on their site, then email back the URL where your link can be found and include their own linking details, making the whole process smooth and pain-free.
  
  
• Other webmasters will use the "I'll link to you if you link to me first" routine, which usually requires multiple exchanges of emails, OR
  
  
• The webmaster won't respond at all.

Value Exchange HQ gives you tools to track the status of your links and accelerate your linking campaigns. The tool regularly tracks and records the status of your incoming and outgoing links, so you can continually monitor the quality of your links.

And just to keep you on your toes, Site Sell will regularly remind you when you have new possible linking partners, so the process of link exchanging is an ongoing one. 

That helps keep Google happy.

Unlike most other aspects of SBI, non-SBIers are allowed to register for Value Exchange, creating a wider and more diverse pool of possible linking partners to choose from, but the tracking tool is only available to SBI site owners.

If you are a non-SBIer and would like to find out more about Site Sell's Value Exchange, find out more here:

SBI Value Exchange