I have read somewhere that trying to promote your site to be PR 8 is actually very risky. The theory goes that Google do not give away PR 8 or higher so easily, so if your site is aming for PR 8 with backlinks to artificially control the PR, Google may not pass the value of those links. What's your opinion?
It's not risky to try, it's difficult to succeed. To be PR8 you'll need more than artificial backlinks. And if you got a PR8, it's will be because your site deserve it, so don't worry, go ahead .
have seen a lot of PR 7 sites. PR is difficult to achieve but I think PR7 can be achieved at some point in my life time. (Not sure if I could, but I would try) Thanks
Good point. Looks-so-artificial links might not be counted by Google. But then unless a site is owned by a big company, any new website really doesn't have a chance to grow to PR8. So lots of links purchased and exchanged would be needed - all artificial. It is possible that any PR7 site could grow to PR8 eventually, so then it could be a matter of time to get PR8 also...
I've seen sites doing PR4 in 1 year. I saw them upgrading to PR6 in 3 years so assuming this, there is a time constraint where your PR will increase to PR7-8. ofcourse there will efforts going along with PRs.
I think if you offer some free services like statcounter, and embed your link to those users' website, it's an easy thing to get PR8.
You can increase your PR quicker than that. People are way too focused on tool bar PR anyways. If it ranks, it ranks.
I would rather prefer a search engine ranking to PR any day - why care about PR so much - unless you wanna make money selling links.
To have high PR you need good quality links. Having a lot of links won't work. So, if you have that in mind, and get only super cool links (like from Google, Yahoo or W3.org home pages ) you don't have to worry about penalties. Good luck with that PR8 thing.
Back to the issue of time... does time really matter?? or is it simply that it takes time for other links to appear??
If you try doing it with a million low quality links, you are only going to get flagged for review. To get a PR8 you had better have something about your site that sets you apart from the rest. If you try reaching the "Authority Site" status just by faked links alone Google will notice and start discounting your links.
the only time I concern myself with PR is when I am selling links...other than that once I have the rankings I'm happy
I know SEO very well. I know SEO is for the SERPs, but I am thinking of selling links as well But it's not that I only care for PR. If I promote a site for that purpose only, I don't think I can achieve the goal. That's exactly what I concern. To get PR8, you need lots of backlinks. (quality ones) But PR 8 is the teritory of "authority sites" in theory.. so, if you promote so much for the PR, Google may penalize as they may detect fake links... still possible to get caught. If you simply expect people will natural-link to your site eventually, I am not sure if its practical. I know good content pages will attract people, but to promote a site to PR8? That's very tough.
There is noting to worry about it but for that you need more what your site have this is not impossible this just diffcult.
I dont get it why it's risky. Are you saying that its risky because you will lose time, effort and $$ ? If thats the case yes if you're mainly aiming for PR. High PR websites do have one in common. They are good sites that is worth linking to thats why they have that kind of PR.
There's no harm in setting a high goal. To be honest, it would be easy to detect an artificial PR 8 because such a site would have to be well-known.