Ask The Expert

What's OK To Link To On My Website?

Q: How do we know when we can link to someone else's site or reprint an article we receive via e-mail, etc? — Ed Weber, National Worksite Benefit Group

A: Please note that I am not an attorney, so anything I share with you is not to be taken as legal advice nor can it be construed as such.

Okay, now that we've gotten that little bit of legalese out of the way, let me answer your questions.

There are generally no rules (as least that I've heard of) that prohibit you from linking to other people's sites. This would be like telling the guy who's holding a big sign saying "shop at NWB Group" to stop it. He's doing it for free, so why stop him, and it's good for business.

The same is with linking. Most sites want you to link to them as this increases the chances of people seeing them, and if your page has a high Google Page Rank (PR), even better as it makes them look good in Google's eyes.

Here is a great, simple little article about this:
http://www.bizhelp24.com/business-law/linking-to-other-web-sites-3.html

If you want to get really nitty gritty, I suggest this site: http://fairuse.stanford.edu/Copyright_and_Fair_Use_Overview/chapter6/6-c.html

When it comes to reprinting content, since each company is different, the best bet is to look at the website's 'Terms and Conditions' section. They will usually outline the use of their content.

And it never hurts to contact the company and request permission if you are unsure!

Jeremiah Desmarais and his team have won 3 awards in 2006 for their marketing initiatives that touch Norvax' client base and carrier relationships on a daily basis. He is author of several white papers including the applauded ‘Selling Insurance Online: Identifying 9 Top Trends for 2006’, and has been a contributor to the Agent’s Sales Journal, Health Insurance Underwriter as well as a guest speaker at various carrier events and workshops. He is a member of the Society of Industry Leaders. He welcomes feedback at jdesmarais@norvax.com.

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