There has been a lot of discussion about links recently.  I think if we all take some simple steps we can really help each other out.  It is a common practice on Active Rain to link other people in our blogs, it is good blogging etiquette.  If you are writing about something that was inspired by another AR member it is good blogging practice to link back to the person or to their original blog.  Makes sense, right?

I am proposing that we just take this simple practice on small step further.  I was reading FRANK LL0SA, Virginia Real Estate's blog about Project Link for Charity! .  Frank is donating money to charity for every link he receives.  You can read more about that on Frank's blog.  I think it is a great idea. 

What I am proposing is LINK LOVE for the sake of love or etiquette.  Whenever you link someone in your blog why not take an extra two seconds and link their website.  I just did this above when I mentioned Frank.  Virginia Real Estate goes directly back to his website.  *look for more link love in the rest of the blog.

If you go to the AR search feature and type in your name you will probably see the many people have referenced you in their blogs. Just think, if every person that ever mentioned you gave a link to your website you would be in Google heaven. Searching your name is a great thing to do anyway. Sometimes people write a great blog about you and for one reason or another you never find it. Or conversely maybe you've stepped on someone's toes and they are blowing up the net with hate blogs about you.  Either way, it is nice to know.  (The phrase "blowing up" is a colloquialism I learned from my pal Marci Toliver,* Fresh Eye Designs.) 

OK so how do you put this into practice.  First you should always use the AR search feature before blogging.  Read more about that here. Now that you know what you are going to write about and you have decided who to link in your blog you are all set.  Not sure how to use the link feature on AR, you can check out  Kristal Kraft,* Denver Real Estate's tutorial on linking How to Create a Link.  There are all sorts of handy tutorials on the very bottom of KK's profile.  You should check them all out.  

Now the last thing you need to remember is that blogs containing Links need to be public in order for the links to count.  I think that is right - SEO experts can chime in on that in the comments.  One other note about comments.  Links left in comments do not count for SEO or anything else for that matter, so there is no point in spamming people with your link in comments.  It is also poor blogging etiquette.  

I'd like to know what you all think of the Link Love for Love program.  If you would like to give me some Link Love can't promise to send you any money but I think a cookie would be in order!  Feedback on this idea is strongly encouraged.