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You would have to be expecting a fair amount of traffic to make it attractive for them if you are charging, if your just swapping then fair enough.
Rory if your only starting out you may find it difficult to get a supplier to place an advert on their site for you as some customers may take it as they are recommending you and there is a risk there as you may be an unknown risk
I'm just trying to gauge wether others would see this as a viable start into marketing and if others have any horror story's I should be aware of.
Hi Rory
It's not uncommon for suppliers/clients to exchange links to each other's websites. I wonder, however, if many potential clients click through or even realise that they exists?
What can be good for you though is if your supplier is willing to add your link without adding a no-follow attribute. This may help rank your own website (if you have one) higher.
Having said that, page rank isn't what it used to be and here at Landscape Juice I use no-follow so that I don't compromise our position in search engines.
I guess one way is to build relationships with other contractors and offer them services that they cannot do, and vice versa.
I know I have clicked on some before as its how I found the company where I buy my hedging plants and get the oil for my machines/van.
I am not clues up with how search engines work etc I leave all that to the fella doing to website to manage and make sure it's where it needs to be.
As for relationships that is what I was thinking to try get the extra work via a 3rd party. My soil guy has a stack of my cards on his desk as he only recycles soil etc
I found that fostering a good relationship with local garden centres is well worth the time and effort. I don't have a website to swap links, but a local garden centre regularly recommends me to their customers and gives my cards out. I get lots of work from them. They have a workshop out back making fencing and garden buildings, which is way better quality than the mass produced stuff, so I generally order this kind of thing from them. As a result I'm now a recommended installer for them and get even more work out of it. All completely free, just by building a good working relationship with them.
If you already have good relationships with your suppliers then I can't see why what you are suggesting should be a bad thing at all. The great thing is that if they know you will most likely get the materials from them, they are even more likely to recommend you so that they get some business out of it too. Everyone wins.
Hi Rory,
Mutually beneficial relationships with suppliers and nurseries can be the difference between your business flourishing or failing. I say embrace it! LJN is a perfect example of using your contacts to fill advertising space; just check out the ProGreen and Pellenc ads all over it.
Suppliers may be dubious of putting your name on their site if they're unsure of your work, but would more than likely be happy to offer a % discount on orders in return for advertising space.
Do you want to earn income via this approach? if yes - as already mentioned - you need loads of traffic but it works.
Amazon, Ebay, Garden Beet (me) and Gum Tree to name a few follow this idea.
I would run Google adsense to make life even easier.
I understand the idea behind swapping with other businesses but in terms of SEO link swapping is not that great. I dont think it really assists your customers either.
Notwithstanding your website is a lead generator - why not make money from exiting users if they have no interest in purchasing from you - but happen to land on your site ? The trick is working out will you loose a sale.
Adverts dont have to look ugly - they can be well designed into your website.
You can be part service provider, publisher and advertiser