Insurance Agent Forum

[Alston]

I'm looking to trade links with agents. This should help all of us who participate improve our site rankings.

All you need to do is:

1. Create a web page on your site that has links to the provider lists for your state
2. Link back to
   Lists of Doctors: Provider Lists for Private Health Insurance Plans from that page
3. PM me with:

• Your Name
• Business phone number,
• URL of your provider list page
• One-line slogan or sales message

I will link back to your new page, and add your information the page below:
List of Doctors

Creating a provider list page on your site should help you with or without the link exchange. I get a lot of hits from my provider page. Your potential clients will appreciate the page as well.

[COLOR=Navy]Free SEO Consultation[/COLOR]
Anyone who participates (can take constructive criticism) can PM me to request 30 minutes of SEO consultation from me. I'll spend 30 minutes looking at your site and typing up an email with suggestions.

The email won't be a teaser. I don't have an SEO product or service to sell, but I'd be willing to share some of the ideas that have helped me.

[COLOR=Navy]Back Link Value[/COLOR]
The page is new and I've just started promoting the site. However, over the next few months it will be promoted using at least $1,000 and various SEO strategies that have worked for my other sites. It should help the ranking of any site that has its link on it. [COLOR=DarkOrchid]

[COLOR=Navy]Your Link Placement and Formatting[/COLOR][/COLOR]
You can see how your information will look by checking under the Connecticut sub-heading. This is the my home state.

[COLOR=Navy]Other Information
[/COLOR] I will only link to pages that are focused on the provider lists of the individual health insurance plans for a given state.

A sales message is expected, however it can't be the dominant theme of the page.

Your page with links to the provider lists must be no more than 2 clicks away from the home page of the site.

This is first come first serve. That means only one entry per state unless the previous entries are not comprehensive.

You may want to use text similar to the following when linking back to my page:

If you live outside of the area we service you will find a <a href="http://cheaper-insurance-online.com/insurance-information/medical/list-of-doctors.htm">Lists of Doctors &amp; Hospitals in US Private Health Insurance Networks</a>.

The link back to my page can be anywhere on the page. We're not looking to steal your clients, the link is for the search engines to read, not your prospective clients.

I reserve the right to modify text or delete entries at my sole discretion. Also I will remove the link of any site that removes the link back to my site.

Examples of pages with provider list information:

Lists of Doctors for Connecticut individual health insurance

Hospital List for Connecticut

[theinuranceguy]

But what if we are not Doctors?

Originally Posted by Alston

I'm looking to trade links with agents. This should help all of us who participate improve our site rankings.

All you need to do is:

1. Create a web page on your site that has links to the provider lists for your state
2. Link back to
   Lists of Doctors: Provider Lists for Private Health Insurance Plans from that page
3. PM me with:

• Your Name
• Business phone number,
• URL of your provider list page
• One-line slogan or sales message

I will link back to your new page, and add your information the page below:
List of Doctors

Creating a provider list page on your site should help you with or without the link exchange. I get a lot of hits from my provider page. Your potential clients will appreciate the page as well.

[COLOR=navy]Free SEO Consultation[/COLOR]
Anyone who participates (can take constructive criticism) can PM me to request 30 minutes of SEO consultation from me. I'll spend 30 minutes looking at your site and typing up an email with suggestions.

The email won't be a teaser. I don't have an SEO product or service to sell, but I'd be willing to share some of the ideas that have helped me.

[COLOR=navy]Back Link Value[/COLOR]
The page is new and I've just started promoting the site. However, over the next few months it will be promoted using at least $1,000 and various SEO strategies that have worked for my other sites. It should help the ranking of any site that has its link on it.

[COLOR=darkorchid][COLOR=navy]Your Link Placement and Formatting[/COLOR][/COLOR]
You can see how your information will look by checking under the Connecticut sub-heading. This is the my home state.

[COLOR=navy]Other Information[/COLOR]
I will only link to pages that are focused on the provider lists of the individual health insurance plans for a given state.

A sales message is expected, however it can't be the dominant theme of the page.

Your page with links to the provider lists must be no more than 2 clicks away from the home page of the site.

This is first come first serve. That means only one entry per state unless the previous entries are not comprehensive.

You may want to use text similar to the following when linking back to my page:

If you live outside of the area we service you will find a <a href="http://cheaper-insurance-online.com/insurance-information/medical/list-of-doctors.htm">Lists of Doctors &amp; Hospitals in US Private Health Insurance Networks</a>.

The link back to my page can be anywhere on the page. We're not looking to steal your clients, the link is for the search engines to read, not your prospective clients.

I reserve the right to modify text or delete entries at my sole discretion. Also I will remove the link of any site that removes the link back to my site.

Examples of pages with provider list information:

Lists of Doctors for Connecticut individual health insurance

Hospital List for Connecticut

[wilkin]

Hey Alston,
This sounds like a great idea. I agree that linking to other agents sites this way can help us all. I'll send you my new page to review.

Bill

[Alston]

Originally Posted by wilkin

Hey Alston,
This sounds like a great idea. I agree that linking to other agents sites this way can help us all. I'll send you my new page to review.

Bill

That's great! I've got the site into some quality directories already.

I'll give you some SEO tips for your site by PM shortly.

[tjackson]

Hey Alston,

I appreciate your idea, but just a thought. I have been studying SEO a lot over the past couple months (to prove it, my page is on the first page of google for key word "medicare advantage leads" -- medicareadvantageleadsnow.com -- after only being up about 3 weeks).

The current thinking is that "link exchanges" a link from someone you are also linking to will actually hurt your ranking rather than help it. You definitely want links to be relevant (meaning the link is coming from a site that is similar in substance and purpose). Just some thoughts.

Tony

[Alston]

Originally Posted by tjackson

The current thinking is that "link exchanges" a link from someone you are also linking to will actually hurt your ranking rather than help it. You definitely want links to be relevant (meaning the link is coming from a site that is similar in substance and purpose). Just some thoughts.

Tony

[COLOR=Navy]That is exactly why this will work so well![/COLOR] The sites that will link in will be hand screened insurance-related sites and site itself is insurance-related. This is not a typical link trading page. This site is actively promoted and soon will have many more links coming in than going out.

By the way, the site that supports my agency https://1800insuranceCT.com has top rankings on Google and MSN for "Connecticut Health Insurance", "Connecticut medical insurance", "Connecticut Blue Cross" and several other competitive phrases.

I also have other insurance-related sites that are ranked well for other phrases I target. Some of those sites will also link to this page.

The goal is to make this a truly useful page that will have links to individual health insurance provider lists for every state. Once that goal is achieved, I'll push to get one-way links from bloggers and others who are looking for resources for their readers. This will increase the link pop without increasing the number of outgoing links. This should increase traffic for all participants.

[K-Dub]

This is actually a great idea! I already get quite a few leads directly from my website, this will only improve that!

I'm sending you my info as we speak Alston!

[tjackson]

Ah yes, now I see what you mean. I think it will work.

TJ

[Alston]

Originally Posted by tjackson

Ah yes, now I see what you mean. I think it will work.

TJ

Cool.

I hope that you will participate.

Several forum members have contacted me already to express interest and to reserve their state.

Let me know if you want to be added to the site.

[GreenSky]

Alston:

This can only help. While I'd like to reserve 49 states (you can have CT), let's just shoot for California.

I'll get the link going ASAP.

Rick

[Alston]

Originally Posted by K-Dub

This is actually a great idea! I already get quite a few leads directly from my website, this will only improve that!

I'm sending you my info as we speak Alston!

Kris,

It was great speaking with you last night. And thanks for participating in this project.

I hope that some of the information I shared/will share with you will help you get more traffic and make more money.

Good Luck

[Jeff]

Alston,

I'd like to participate in Maryland if still available.

Thanks,
Jeff

[sunkist219]

All the SEO material I've ever read said that it's not beneficial to link to a new site until they've developed a page rank. Usually I only link to sites that have a page rank of 3 and above. According to what I read, if you link to a site without a page rank, you're just sharing your good rating with them and not really getting anything back. I could be wrong though.

[Alston]

Originally Posted by sunkist219

All the SEO material I've ever read said that it's not beneficial to link to a new site until they've developed a page rank. Usually I only link to sites that have a page rank of 3 and above. According to what I read, if you link to a site without a page rank, you're just sharing your good rating with them and not really getting anything back. I could be wrong though.

In the beginning that may true. However with the incoming links from the project participants the site will have a page rank soon. The only way to get involved is to get on board before your state is taken, which probably means before the site has a page rank.

The "Google Juice" that flows back to the participants should be much greater than the "Google Juice" coming into the site from the participants. There will be a lot of one way incoming links from non participants. Some will be paid for. Others will be from bloggers and webmasters who find the page useful.

I have some strategies that should not only pass on "Google Juice" or SEO value, but should also deliver actual visitors to the participants.

[sunkist219]

Originally Posted by Alston

In the beginning that may true. However with the incoming links from the project participants the site will have a page rank soon. The only way to get involved is to get on board before your state is taken, which probably means before the site has a page rank.

The "Google Juice" that flows back to the participants should be much greater than the "Google Juice" coming into the site from the participants. There will be a lot of one way incoming links from non participants. Some will be paid for. Others will be from bloggers and webmasters who find the page useful.

I have some strategies that should not only pass on "Google Juice" or SEO value, but should also deliver actual visitors to the participants.

True. I would normally be more skeptical, but based on what you've done with your other sites, you clearly know more than the average agent does. I think a lot of your comments on this forum have been quite helpful. I have a link page on my website that I could put you on, but it's a P&C website...it looks like you might not be looking for agents in that area? If you are, I'm interested in exchanging links so let me know what i need to do.

[Alston]

Originally Posted by sunkist219

I think a lot of your comments on this forum have been quite helpful.

Thanks for your kind words. I will let you know if I do a P&C project. I sell health insurance only, but I do have a couple of sites that I use for P&C lead generation.

In regards to linking to a page that has a lower page rank than yours:

So far all of the agents (except me) created their provider list page after they read this thread. This means that those pages are new. This means that they will not only have a zero page rank, they probably won't even be indexed until Google reads their link on my site.

I'm a big believer in Dr. Covey's Seven Habits. "Win-win or no deal" is one of the principles that I live by. If both parties don't win, chances are the arrangement can't sustained.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Originally Posted by Jeff

Alston,

I'd like to participate in Maryland if still available.

Thanks,
Jeff

You're in. I've updated the page. Another 10 agents have committed to the project. Some have done their pages, but haven't sent me the other information like their phone number or slogan. You are the first complete all the steps.

I also PMed you with some tips SEO regarding your title tags and anchor text.

[Jeff]

You're in. I've updated the page. Another 10 agents have committed to the project. Some have done their pages, but haven't sent me the other information like their phone number or slogan. You are the first complete all the steps.

I also PMed you with some tips SEO regarding your title tags and anchor text.[/quote]


Thanks Alston. I made the changes you recommended.

I also got my first lead from my website today thru organic google placement. I've been doing some other seo stuff but like to think your input helped.

[Alston]

Originally Posted by Jeff

I also got my first lead from my website today thru organic google placement. I've been doing some other seo stuff but like to think your input helped.

I'm glad that you are starting to get organic leads whether or not my input helped.

[Alston]

Who else wants to participate in this project?

The provider list page now has a Google page rank and it is getting some traffic. I haven't linked to it from the home page yet because there are so many states that are missing information.

Once I do the page rank should go up very quickly as the home page has a higher page rank.

Let me know if you want to be a part of the project.

[CHUMPS FROM OXFORD]

Hi Alston

I still haven't pulled the trigger yet. I guess my concern (maybe unfounded) is that I do see your site listed when prospects are searching for Ohio Health Insurance.

Granted, it is significantly below where mine is placed, but I almost worry that I'm helping my competition when I add that link.
I have just 8.9% of the SEO knowledge that you do (although, up from 7.2% last year), so please correct me if I'm worrying about nothing.

Thanks.