A web ring, also called a webring, is a way to link websites together on the Internet. A web ring can have as many or as few websites in the ring as desired; usually, web rings are based around a common interest, experience, topic, or hobby. Joining a web ring is a great way to get more visitors to your website.
A web ring might begin with one person, also called a moderator, deciding to start the ring to group together similar websites. The owner of the ring might then contact other websites, or the site owners might contact the moderator, to see if they are interested in being part of the web ring. If they are, each site in the ring will feature a navigation bar that links to the site prior to it and after it in the web ring. A link to the main site for the web ring is also provided, if one of the sites in the ring should go down.
The main page of the web ring will generally provide information about the ring and its purpose. It will also share information on how to join the ring, along with a list of websites that participate. If you want to browse the sites this way to see if this particular ring will suit your purposes, this is a faster way. Otherwise, you can browse through the sites the traditional way.
The sites in the web ring link to each other in a circular way. Eventually, if you click on the links on each website, you will return to the beginning of the ring. Each site in the ring will feature some variation of a "forward" and "back" link, to make the process easier.
Using web rings to promote your website is a great way to drive more traffic to your site. Chances are, if visitors enjoy some of the other sites featured in the web ring, they will also enjoy coming to yours. Your website is also more likely to appear in search engine results if more websites are linking to it and more visitors are coming.
Browsing sites through web rings is an easy way to find more information on any topic you are interested in. You can also meet people who have similar interests, careers, or hobbies and begin new friendships this way. Though web rings are not as popular as they once were, they are still a useful web tool.