So what If in 2011 I just gave you free backlinks on my network?

[Mike Anthony]

The rage these days in SEO is building your own network to rank your site and to sell links to others. I'm thinking of doing something a bit different this year though. After all if SEO traffic is one of the best ways of getting traffic for IMers what does it really say about internet marketing when the only way to get on page backlinks is buying a pile of links?

Can everyone in IM afford to buy each link to get enough PR to rank their site? Nope.

Now stick a pin and lets think about article marketing. Still works and kind of effective but some of the best sites only allow you to post links in the footer of your article and we almost all know that google prefers in content link. Plus what shot do you ever have of getting on the home page of your favorite article directory no matter how great your article or content is?

So heres what I am playing around with. A network of sites where great content gets you featured on the home pages of sites and where you can exchange links with all members of that site. Each site has a niche - news business travel etc. Not your conventional article site where everything gets approved -just the good stuff (and therefore qualifies for a news site with Google as well). So its a bit different from an article directory and earning the right (though a point system) to get links on additional member sites is something I haven't seen anywhere. Benefits?

A) imagine if you could share link opportunities with everyone who now uses article marketing - real links that you didn't have to buy. You write an article you get a link on the network and you get credit to get a link from a member's site.

B) Get on sites that people actually want to read and return to that are sorted by site by niche not just one big near worthless article directory or everything and the kitchen sink.

C) get links on pages that are not plastered with adsense but exists to profile the best content providers.

am I stoned or should I move forward with you as my guinea pigs.... umm backlink recipients

Will take a while to build up PR for the network in the usual way I would build a network (plus all members would be required to link to one of the sites for a little extra boost) but finally a way for people to get real on page quality links without buying each one and not have to rely on just blog comments or profile links.

What think Ye? Has Mike anthony lost his mind more than normal? Would you be interested in getting in on such a network? Does it have any appeal going forward or are you pretty satisfied with what already exists?

Who would be in?

[styb2002]

If there really is such a website, you can count me in. However what is your propose fee for such a great web site. Give me more info... Thanks

[auradev]

Isnt that what about.com is except with out the ads?

[orvn]

This sort of article repository interests me because I enjoy creating original content that other people seem to like also.

Would it be an endlessly accumulating directory of niche oriented articles?
How many niches would you start with, i.e. how specific would each niche be?

I'm curious as to why there aren't a many sites like this on the web.
There's a ton of social sites which are similar, but driven by user ratings.

Have you ever heard of the 2leep network for viral content? They have a very effective model, for something similar to this.

[Mike Anthony]

Originally Posted by auradev

Isnt that what about.com is except with out the ads?

Not really. You have to apply to be a writer and meet requirements. Its not about promoting the best articles or even promoting writers. They have limited available topics and they certainly don't allow you to get links from other members.

[Mike Anthony]

Originally Posted by orvn

I'm curious as to why there aren't a many sites like this on the web.
There's a ton of social sites which are similar, but driven by user ratings.

Most of the web 2.0 sites are setup to make the founders multi millionaires but it really is amazing . Facebook created nothing but a container and no one who put content into it got anything back. Article directories don't seem to be into much besides adsense dollars. I am surprised too at the state of the internet that no matter how much content people create there is this attitude that their content cannot have followed links to their sites.

Have you ever heard of the 2leep network for viral content? They have a very effective model, for something similar to this.

thats a good example but like Digg its too wide. I am thinking of specific sites for specific niches not just one site with just too many subjects garbled together.

[yukon]

Sounds good, but I'm not an article writer & I have very specific keywords I would like in a FREE article that I can post on my own site.

I don't mind having the authors backlink on my site/page, still I need very specific keywords & articles.

Why not setup yet another site in the network that is used as a suggestion box for articles, or some way to connect to an author (one account) that can write the article. Sure I could chase down the author of a similar post from their existing backlinks, but that sucks & takes a lot of time, & you might never get a reply.

Someone needs to connect authors (free articles) with webmasters that need content. Also make some way to grade a person that request an article. Example, you don't want to have a guy that keeps making article request, then post the article on his site without backlinks, need to find a way to blacklist If it happens a single time (think Adsense one strike your out TOS).

Just an idea...

[benintheworld]

This sounds like a good idea - I would be in!

[Mike Anthony]

Originally Posted by yukon

I don't mind having the authors backlink on my site/page, still I need very specific keywords & articles.

As far as the main sites you have to watch quality and not have IM links in the middle of a health piece so you write on what you are comfortable getting back links to.

As far as members swapping links and articles that would be based on a point system. When you contribute a good article you get the link back to your site from the main niche site and you get access to site owners open to links and stories at that time. No points you don't even see the new ones.

You'd have to contribute something though or it would just turn into a link farm in no time. I don't know all that many sites I would really crave getting links from that are that concerned with getting free content by itself.

and yes there would be a programmatic way to check the link down the line. don't follow the rules and you would be bye bye with all your links.

[Mike Anthony]

Incidentally this is just about to be be built. Already have a good deal of it together but its always good to get the impression from people who would use it before taking the final plunge into a big project.. So if theres enough positive to the idea it WILL be built.

[Mike Anthony]

What in your opinion would be the best niches after say News or entertainment?