Beware of Link Scams

Not all offers for link exchange are what they seem. Some unscrupulous webmasters use mechanisms to prevent the search engine spiders from seeing outbound links (OBLs). Avoid these sites. Your so-called link on their site may as well not be there!

Sites with Server-Side Indirect Linking

Examine the "links page" of potential reciprocating sites carefully before exhanging links. Links from these pages should be direct. Place your mouse over one of the links and examine the link displayed at the bottom of your browser - it should link directly to the domain it purports to represent, like this one: Optimized Websites.

Sites with Javascript Menus

Sites that only use Javascript menus to access link exchange pages effectively block search engine spiders from finding those links.

Sites with Dynamic Event "Links"

Sites that utilize dynamic events ("onmouseover", "onclick") to establish links are not search engine friendly.

Sites with Unreachable Link Pages

Sites that use a links page that is not reachable from their home page. In these cases, automated exchange programs such as LinksManager will find the reported link and assume reciprocity. However, these out-bound links not linked from the home page will not be found by the search spiders.

Sites using Fictitious Home Pages not Spidered

Some webmasters will offer to exhange links via email campaigns. Be on the alert for those that purport to exchange links from "home pages" which really aren't. If you are being advised that your link will appear on "www.ourdomain.com/index.htm" you should check to see that "index.htm" is actually the home page you reach when you enter "www.ourdomain.com" in your browser. Additionally, load "index.htm" in your browser and use the Google Toolbar (you do have it, don't you?) to verify that Google has cached the same page.