Normally these requests go straight to my trash. I’m also not one to publically call someone out. But this one was particularly galling for three reasons.
1. The link extortion, uh, I mean request.
2. The page they are offering links on already has 189 links on it, has a PageRank of zero and the Title tag is “New Page1″. So much for the page being “popular”.
3. Their website is just a complete disaster and they don’t have an about page or any information that would let me know who is behind this organization. Very sketchy.
If you get one of these, don’t waste your time. Anyone who puts a link to you on their site and then threatens to remove it if you don’t reciprocate is not a person you want to do business with.
Here’s the original email:
Good Day,
I am the Webmaster of www.ABInternetSolutions.com and have a popular links page at http://abinternetsolutions.com/resources/website_design.htm. I am emailing to let you know that I have added your link to my links page under your appropriate category. This link will be listed for only 7 days unless you add a reciprocal link back to my site.
Here is my link information:
AB Internet Solutions: Miami Web Design | Internet Solutions | Web Design Florida
http://www.abinternetsolutions.com
AB Internet Solutions is a Miami based web design firm – We Use the latest technology to provide innovative solutions in design and marketing and database management and e-commerce to equip companies to do business on the Internet. Web site designers providing e-commerce, search engine optimization, web design and Flash solutions. Miami web design, e-commerce, website, SEO and SEM in Florida.
Thank you in advance for adding our link to your website.
Sincerely,
Webmaster Mike
Mike@ABInternetSolutions.com
www.ABInternetSolutions.com
Here’s what the links page looks like:
This ugly PR0 links page already has 189 links on it. Not impressed.
My link is number 111:
I'm number 111 on a PR 0 link page with 189 links on it. However he'll remove it if I don't give him a link from my PR4 website in return. Oooh, I'm scared.
File Under: Link Extortion – Bad Link Exchange Practices – Linking Strategies to Avoid
Daniel D'Laine
4 weeks ago
Ahh! Someone with my very own views. I totally agree; you should ‘name and shame’ anyone who tries to pull the wool!
Have you come across the names: Freya Smith? I received a link request from her and did the swap as it appeared ok, then a few days later, her site was down (for over two days) so I removed her link from my site. A day later, I receive her email in pidgeon English ranting and raving!
When I went to look at the page with my link on it, it was live again, but when I had a look around, on the ‘contact’ page, the first thing it says is: ‘This site is up for Sale’. Haha! What self respecting person is going to swap a link on that site??
Then a day later, I received exchange requests from 3 separate individuals and when I looked, they were all for the same ec3consulting domain. Smells a bit scammy to me!! :0)
Then I got a link exchange request from a Ruby Clark who wanted her backlink putting on my coaching page and my link was to go into her list of exchanges at round about the 112th position… so I jumped at that – NOT!
I think all scams should be named and shamed. This is what I do to the people who regularly plague my inbox with their SPAM:
(http://danieldlaine.com/danieldlaine/2011/10/04/i-hate-spam-2011/)
Anyway, like the site – nice and clean and like the attitude.
Regards
Daniel D’Laine