Article Swapping: Encourage What Goes Around—to Come Around by Mark Bullock

{3:50 minutes to read} Article swapping is an excellent opportunity to leverage content others have published on their blogs/websites.

Excellent example: Our client, Ada Hasloecher, a divorce mediator, referenced an article on spousal maintenance written by a colleague, Clare Piro, who is also a client. Clare’s well-written article—which cited Dan Burns—another mediator, and client—discussed using annuities as a form of creating the opportunity for maintenance.

  • All three of these clients are not geographically competitive.

  • All are strong mediators in the New York area.

  • All have known each other for years and respect each other’s work.

  • All gained access to each other’s audience via this type of cross-linking (promotion)—to everyone’s advantage!

There’s a number of different ways of leveraging each other’s expertise and content on your websites and blog. The above is a great example of how to do it. They simply got each other’s permission, and one thing led to another.

Although you don’t necessarily want to swap articles with a direct competitor, if you’re an attorney or mediator, you may want to bring in a financial professional’s perspective, perhaps as a guest author/article on your blog.

Appropriately, we try to be proficient and professional in what we do, care about our clients and try to promote ourselves using educational and informational content marketing through blogging and newsletters.

Article swapping presents an excellent opportunity—when you have colleagues within the industry, or complementary industries—to leverage other’s work that’s already been created; and all parties involved win!

Go ahead and ask permission, then link/quote/re-publish.

There was a time in which duplicate content could have a negative SEO effect. That’s not really the case anymore. When Google sees a piece of content in three different locations, it’s going to give the nod to the stronger, higher-ranked site, but it’s not going to take away SEO from others.

In this context, duplicate content can actually be a help, especially if you’re writing an introduction to or mentioning someone else’s article on a similar related subject. Have the link open in a new tab or new window so readers aren’t leaving your website to the other person’s website.

If an article is complimentary, and you agree with the point(s) made and the content—have at it. Just make sure you have the author’s permission. There are tons of links out there that people never gave permission for. It’s just professional etiquette to let the person know that you’re considering linking from your article to theirs.

The old phrase is, “The rising tide raises all ships.” Article swapping is a perfect way to encourage cross-promotion—a great example of what goes around comes around.

Which of your centers of influence, colleagues, or other professionals in complementary services publishes articles on the web that you could link to, refer to, quote in your articles, or re-publish on your blog?

Although it’s still a “work in progress,” you can always check out RecommendedAuthors.com for some great potential sources.

Contact us today with any questions or comments.

 

Mark Bullock
Telephone: (631) 754-0800
Email: Mark@phoneBlogger.net
Website:phoneBlogger.net

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