Define the meaning of: Linking with "related" websites?
 

Can someone define related websites. My definition of this is competitor sites, am I wrong?

When I try to do link building, I hardly hear back! Maybe my email sounds spammy?

I try to go for non-competitive sites, but sites that are near to the product I'm offering - for example, web design sites for my hosting business. Am I on the right track.

I have 5 websites, I try and get backlinks to them but it's not as easy these days.

Actually, I'm #2 in Google for "website directory" which I'm over the moon about - thing is, my other sites are a main topic (like my hosting business), so linking with competitors defeats the object to be competitive IMHO, no?