I’m now reading Chris Anderson’s latest book, “FREE”.
Alot of it has to do with what we as internet marketers do online, so I highly recommend you buy it or borrow it from your local library when you have the chance.
I think he published the book online as well, but since I hate reading long-drawn books like this one on my computer screen, (even though I love my huge 21.5” Dell Monitor) I waited till I got the chance to read the hard-copy version of the book.
(Explains why the publishing industry is still surviving even with the endless amount of free information online, eh?)
Anyway, Chris has a paragraph in the book that just stood out to me and I thought I’d share it with you.
It’s about the invention of the hyperlink, and why you will want to link out to other people’s sites even though it brings you no tangible benefit right away.
Today when you link to someone on your blog, you are effectively granting them some of your own reputation. In a sense, you are saying to your audience :”Leave me. Go to this other place. I think you’ll like it, and if you do, perhaps you’ll think more of me for having recommended it. And if you think more of me, perhaps you’ll come back to my site more often.”
Ideally, this transfer of reputation leaves both parties richer. Good recommendations build trust with a readership, and being recommended confers trust, too. And with trust comes traffic.
Bottom-line: Don’t worry about the “loss of PR” that takes place when you link out or whatever.
As long as you think your reader might benefit, it’s okay!
