So what are the techniques they use to get an inbound link without reciprocating or by devaluing the link so much that it is worthless?

• Multiple links into different sites for a single link out from a central directory
• Links into sub domains
• JavaScript wraps
• Blocking search engine spiders using Robots.txt
• Using META tags to block the search bots
• Orphan link directories

Reciprocal and Inbound Linking

Despite announcements to the contrary, reciprocal linking is not dead yet. The premise is a simple one: I’ll link to you if you link to me. What could go wrong with such a simple arrangement? Inbound links. Some webmasters salivate at the thought of a bunch of juicy one-way, inbound links to their site. All the sweeter if they have gamed another webmaster into giving them one by promising reciprocal linking but hiding their link from the search engines.

Since a one-way, inbound link is generally given more weight by a Search Engine, webmasters do what they can to develop inbound links, for example, offering free web tools or by writing articles like this one.

Checking for the Scammers

Sometimes this is obvious and sometimes a little digging is required. I often use http://www.linkmarket.net to help generate links and will manually check every site I consider exchanging links with using the following criteria:

• Check the link page is there. It is surprising how often the link page doesn’t actually exist!
• Is the site a sub-domain? Personally, I don’t like to reciprocally link to sub-domains because they typically use a central site directory. In other words, you will provide multiple links into a site using sub-domains but only receive a single link back from the central link directory.
• Is there a link to the homepage from the link page? If there isn’t, the chances are the link page is an orphan page or a central link directory for a number of sites. An orphan page is invisible to the search engines while a central directory provides a single link out for multiple links in and may not even be visible to the SE’s at all.
• Can the link pages be found from the
  Must Project Managers Be Technically Savvy?
  “Must Project Managers be technically savvy?” This topic always seems to cause quite a stir. While some believe that all you need to manage a project is a PMP certification, others are convinced that you can't successfully manage a software development project unless you truly understand the intricacies of the product.I agree! To be an effective Project Manager, you must know the ins and outs of your solution. You must be capable of designing and developing the solution yourself.Here are 5 fundamental project management tasks that Project Managers can't accomplish unless they have a strong technical backgrou
  nd link without reciprocating or by devaluing the link so much that it is worthless?
  • Multiple links into different sites for a single link out from a central directory
  • Links into sub domains
  • JavaScript wraps
  • Blocking search engine spiders using Robots.txt
  • Using META tags to block the search bots
  • Orphan link directories

  Reciprocal and Inbound Linking

  Despite announcements to the contrary, reciprocal linking is not dead yet. The premise is a simple one: I’ll link to you if you link to me. What could go wrong with such a simple arrangement? Inbound links. Some webmasters salivate at the thought of a bunch of juicy one-way, inbound links to their site. All the sweeter if they have gamed another webmaster into giving them one by promising reciprocal linking but hiding their link from the search engines.

  Since a one-way, inbound link is generally given more weight by a Search Engine, webmasters do what they can to develop inbound links, for example, offering free web tools or by writing articles like this one.

  Checking for the Scammers

  Sometimes this is obvious and sometimes a little digging is required. I often use http://www.linkmarket.net to help generate links and will manually check every site I consider exchanging links with using the following criteria:

  • Check the link page is there. It is surprising how often the link page doesn’t actually exist!
  • Is the site a sub-domain? Personally, I don’t like to reciprocally link to sub-domains because they typically use a central site directory. In other words, you will provide multiple links into a site using sub-domains but only receive a single link back from the central link directory.
  • Is there a link to the homepage from the link page? If there isn’t, the chances are the link page is an orphan page or a central link directory for a number of sites. An orphan page is invisible to the search engines while a central directory provides a single link out for multiple links in and may not even be visible to the SE’s at all.
  • Can the link pages be found from the
    The Job Seeker's Internet: Just a Pile of Fool's Gold?
    According to a July 2002 survey conducted during the Pew Internet and American Life Joint Project, over 52 million people have looked for job information online and more than 4 million continue to do so every day.Furthermore, the study showed, some 47% of all the adult Internet users in the United States have gone online looking for positions or job information. Doubtless, those figures are even higher today, so one might readily assume that the Internet offers the exposure to job leads that the great majority of job seekers want. The truth, however, is less reassuring.Here’s why:At fi
    e: I’ll link to you if you link to me. What could go wrong with such a simple arrangement? Inbound links. Some webmasters salivate at the thought of a bunch of juicy one-way, inbound links to their site. All the sweeter if they have gamed another webmaster into giving them one by promising reciprocal linking but hiding their link from the search engines.

    Since a one-way, inbound link is generally given more weight by a Search Engine, webmasters do what they can to develop inbound links, for example, offering free web tools or by writing articles like this one.

    Checking for the Scammers

    Sometimes this is obvious and sometimes a little digging is required. I often use http://www.linkmarket.net to help generate links and will manually check every site I consider exchanging links with using the following criteria:

    • Check the link page is there. It is surprising how often the link page doesn’t actually exist!
    • Is the site a sub-domain? Personally, I don’t like to reciprocally link to sub-domains because they typically use a central site directory. In other words, you will provide multiple links into a site using sub-domains but only receive a single link back from the central link directory.
    • Is there a link to the homepage from the link page? If there isn’t, the chances are the link page is an orphan page or a central link directory for a number of sites. An orphan page is invisible to the search engines while a central directory provides a single link out for multiple links in and may not even be visible to the SE’s at all.
    • Can the link pages be found from the
      Downloadable Audio Books: A Popular Trend
      Audio books are a recording of traditional books, read by a narrator. They are available in abridged and unabridged versions. The abridged books are altered at the narrators' discretion but still carry the original intent of the story. Unabridged titles are read word for word form the original printed text.Audio books are gaining popularity all over the world for many reasons but mostly because you don't have to give up reading just because you are too busy. Many of us enjoy reading a good book and have favorite authors whose books you had to buy and carry with you all over the house in the hope that you will g
      ticles like this one.

      Checking for the Scammers

      Sometimes this is obvious and sometimes a little digging is required. I often use http://www.linkmarket.net to help generate links and will manually check every site I consider exchanging links with using the following criteria:

      • Check the link page is there. It is surprising how often the link page doesn’t actually exist!
      • Is the site a sub-domain? Personally, I don’t like to reciprocally link to sub-domains because they typically use a central site directory. In other words, you will provide multiple links into a site using sub-domains but only receive a single link back from the central link directory.
      • Is there a link to the homepage from the link page? If there isn’t, the chances are the link page is an orphan page or a central link directory for a number of sites. An orphan page is invisible to the search engines while a central directory provides a single link out for multiple links in and may not even be visible to the SE’s at all.
      • Can the link pages be found from the
        The MOST Powerful Marketing and Advertising on the Planet!
        It sounds too simple to be true, but it really is... A well targeted and timely PRESS RELEASE to the media is the most powerful form of marketing and advertising on the planet! A high quality press release, with the proper targeting and distribution to reach the correct media members, could have many businesses sailing on a sea of new sales and profits. Just one feature or a mention in a popular or targeted business publication has the potential to cause some business's phones to literally be ringing off the hook!The next big question that arises, "How do you go about writing a quality press release that will grab
        ctory. In other words, you will provide multiple links into a site using sub-domains but only receive a single link back from the central link directory.
      • Is there a link to the homepage from the link page? If there isn’t, the chances are the link page is an orphan page or a central link directory for a number of sites. An orphan page is invisible to the search engines while a central directory provides a single link out for multiple links in and may not even be visible to the SE’s at all.
      • Can the link pages be found from the home page? Again, unless your link appears on a page that is visible to the search engines it is pointless exchanging links. Webmasters trying to game the reciprocal link system will set up a link directory but will not actually link to it from the main body of the site; in effect preventing the search engine spiders from ‘seeing’ it.
      • Is the link a standard text link or is it wrapped in JavaScript or using a php server-side include? JavaScript wraps are a common way of hiding a link from the search engine spiders whilst giving the appearance of being a normal text link. PHP or other server-side includes are also sometimes used to disguise links.
      • Does the Robots.txt file exclude the search engines from spidering the link pages? A quick check of the Robots.txt file will soon tell you if the SE’s are excluded from the links section.
      • Are there META tags in place to prevent the SE spiders from following the links? Some webmasters will place the NOFOLLOW or NOINDEX attribute in the META tags on link pages.
      • The rel="nofollow" attribute applied to “a href= links”. A way of fighting comment spam in blogs, this attribute is also being used to prevent SE spiders from following the links.

      Luckily, Firefox has some useful extensions to assist with these tasks. Chris Pederick’s Web Developer toolbar (http://chrispederick.com/work/webdeveloper/) and Quirk’s Search Status toolbar (http://www.quirk.co.za/searchstatus/) are two excellent additions to a webmaster’s kit that allow quick access to the information.

      A Brief Word About PR (Page Rank)

      Don’t assume that because a page is showing zero PR (Page Rank) that it is being hidden from the search engines. PR updates are irregular and take time to filter through to the lower site pages. Although zero PR may indicate sneaky linking practices, this is not always the case so it is worth checking just to be sure.

      There are lots of webmasters out there who are eagerly seeking links with like-minded individuals who run websites with a proper approach to reciprocal linking. By adopting a more rigorous approach to examining the sites you intend to link with,