Who's Still Buying Links?

[Jason Green]

In spite of the recent uncertainties about paid links and Google penalization I've found that sales of text links on my sites have continued (had 4 new sales today) - nor have I suffered any penalization.

Admittedly I do things in a slightly different way.

I also have a big client who purchases a crap load of links and he hasn't paid much attention

Also nothing that has happened over the last 6 months will stop me purchsing text links from other sites - I will still pay to get listed on other quality sites within similar niches that have an audience interested in my product/website/service.

My conclusion from all this is that:

- you only get penlized if you are making things really obvious and linking to whoever pays you cash (and not being picky) - or some other stupid thing like selling 100s of links on one page.
- most of the talk about Google penalizations are just rumors and misinformation built from pulling facts out of weak trends and coincidences.

What about others that were buying links previously - are you still buying links now?

[ssandecki]

Beware, Google is not done with their anti-link selling witch hunt, they will find almost all sites that do it. I never bought or sold text links, unless they used the ref="nofollow" tag. Remember, anyway you cut it selling or buying text links is cheating the pagerank system, I feel no remorse for the people who lost money, SERPs and page rank. This was the chance they took.

[AngelaE8654]

I agree that Google isn't done. Since they have a "reporting system" in place for sites that buy and sell links, I think they take it pretty seriously. All it takes is one competitor getting upset with you and BOOM...you're reported. I don't plan to ever take that chance and will build my links in a more natural way.

[Jason Green]

Originally Posted by ssandecki

Beware, Google is not done with their anti-link selling witch hunt, they will find almost all sites that do it. I never bought or sold text links, unless they used the ref="nofollow" tag. Remember, anyway you cut it selling or buying text links is cheating the pagerank system, I feel no remorse for the people who lost money, SERPs and page rank. This was the chance they took.

Buying a link in the yahoo directory is not cheating Google. Matt Cutts has said so.

If site owners review the purchased links properly I don't see an issue. It is a legitimate form of advertising.

If Google has trouble with this because their algorithm overly relies on measuring inbound links, then Google needs to adjust its algorithm (which it is doing) and not force advertisers and publishers to do things their way - especially given most publishers have little understanding on the intricacies of how Google works.

[Vic_mackey]

Originally Posted by ssandecki

Beware, Google is not done with their anti-link selling witch hunt, they will find almost all sites that do it. I never bought or sold text links, unless they used the ref="nofollow" tag. Remember, anyway you cut it selling or buying text links is cheating the pagerank system, I feel no remorse for the people who lost money, SERPs and page rank. This was the chance they took.

Its exactly that comment that I've hilighted that causes most confusion here. I'm still not sure if people just keep repeating it as deliberate mis-information, or if they just don't know any better.


Green Rep to the OP, he's exactly correct with his conclusion.

Ssandecki, lets look at this scenario and you tell me how google are going to detect this. I've got a site thats all about Garden Furniture. I decide I want to sell some links, so I get in touch with someone who sells garden gnomes, and ask him if he wants to buy a link. We agree a price, he sends me the cash. I then put an in-content link to his site. I'd love for anyone at all to explain to me how google are going to detect this.


I honestly think a lot of people are deliberately spreading rubbish when it comes to SEO, it can be the only explanation for some of the bizarre opinions people are throwing around.

[mikey1090]

I have stopped. I dont want to be penalised, 1 of my sites already is. Its not nice. I would advise against it.ye

[AngelaE8654]

Originally Posted by Vic_mackey

Its exactly that comment that I've hilighted that causes most confusion here. I'm still not sure if people just keep repeating it as deliberate mis-information, or if they just don't know any better.


Green Rep to the OP, he's exactly correct with his conclusion.

Ssandecki, lets look at this scenario and you tell me how google are going to detect this. I've got a site thats all about Garden Furniture. I decide I want to sell some links, so I get in touch with someone who sells garden gnomes, and ask him if he wants to buy a link. We agree a price, he sends me the cash. I then put an in-content link to his site. I'd love for anyone at all to explain to me how google are going to detect this.


I honestly think a lot of people are deliberately spreading rubbish when it comes to SEO, it can be the only explanation for some of the bizarre opinions people are throwing around.

That's all good until somebody who has a similar site doesn't like your prices and declines to buy an ad on your site. Then, they turn around and report you to Google for selling links. Google has a reporting system for letting them know who is buying and selling links; I suspect they take this pretty seriously.

[ssandecki]

Originally Posted by Jason Green

Buying a link in the yahoo directory is not cheating Google. Matt Cutts has said so.

No kidding, your not buying a link when you use that $299 service, you paying for quick review to be added to the directory. Many people are denied and lose $299.00

Originally Posted by Jason Green

If site owners review the purchased links properly I don't see an issue. It is a legitimate form of advertising.

It's been stated on Matt Cutter's blog, if you want to sell text links you must use the ref="nofollow", its abuse of the pagerank system, however you wish to look at it. This is Googles rules, deal with it.

Originally Posted by Jason Green

If Google has trouble with this because their algorithm overly relies on measuring inbound links, then Google needs to adjust its algorithm (which it is doing) and not force advertisers and publishers to do things their way - especially given most publishers have little understanding on the intricacies of how Google works.

Inbound links are not the only thing considered and don't give that much weight as you would like to assume.

[Vic_mackey]

Originally Posted by AngelaE8654

That's all good until somebody who has a similar site doesn't like your prices and declines to buy an ad on your site. Then, they turn around and report you to Google for selling links.

Well theres no way I'm going to approach a direct competitor, or even consider selling them links. If they sell the same as me then it would be silly to take $20 for a link and risk losing customers buying actual products.

But sold links can still add value to the end users. If you sell links to other, related sites, then these are most likely sites that your visitors can enjoy. And completely undetectable from google.

[ssandecki]

Originally Posted by Vic_mackey

Its exactly that comment that I've hilighted that causes most confusion here. I'm still not sure if people just keep repeating it as deliberate mis-information, or if they just don't know any better.

To call that comment mis-information is the actually process of you miss informing other people.

Originally Posted by Vic_mackey

Ssandecki, lets look at this scenario and you tell me how google are going to detect this. I've got a site thats all about Garden Furniture. I decide I want to sell some links, so I get in touch with someone who sells garden gnomes, and ask him if he wants to buy a link. We agree a price, he sends me the cash. I then put an in-content link to his site. I'd love for anyone at all to explain to me how google are going to detect this.

Google can detect it with many different methods, what if that user has bought links on other sites that get caught, what if they get reported for other negative actions or competitors report them. You assume that Google, which is a multi-billion dollar company, with more advanced technology then you can comprehend can be fooled by you.. ya right.

Originally Posted by Vic_mackey

I honestly think a lot of people are deliberately spreading rubbish when it comes to SEO, it can be the only explanation for some of the bizarre opinions people are throwing around.

Thanks for the insult, I'll remember this line.

[Vic_mackey]

Originally Posted by ssandecki

It's been stated on Matt Cutter's blog, if you want to sell text links you must use the ref="nofollow", its abuse of the pagerank system, however you wish to look at it. This is Googles rules, deal with it.

And he also says make pages for humans, not search engines. Does a nofollow tag look like its made for humans? I have never used a nofollow tag, and I never will.

Originally Posted by ssandecki

Inbound links are not the only thing considered and don't give that much weight as you would like to assume.

Inbound links are way, way over 50% of what is taken into account for the SERPS.

[ssandecki]

Originally Posted by Vic_mackey

Well theres no way I'm going to approach a direct competitor, or even consider selling them links. If they sell the same as me then it would be silly to take $20 for a link and risk losing customers buying actual products.

But sold links can still add value to the end users. If you sell links to other, related sites, then these are most likely sites that your visitors can enjoy. And completely undetectable from google.

Again, you assume you can out smart Google, which you cannot. This is cheating the page rank system it has already been stated by matt cutter if you want to sell text link advertisements you MUST use the nofollow tag.

Cheaters always lose.

[Mia]

Did Charlie Sheen start this conspiracy theory too? I still think the Google Link Buying Conspiracy is a bunch of bunk... I've seen know evidence to support this claim...

[usasportstraining]

I have to agree with Vic Mackey and Jason Greene on their points about buying links. To me, if it's related content, then it's warranted.

SSandecky, are applying for a job at Google?

[Vic_mackey]

Originally Posted by ssandecki

Google can detect it with many different methods, what if that user has bought links on other sites that get caught, what if they get reported for other negative actions or competitors report them. You assume that Google, which is a multi-billion dollar company, with more advanced technology then you can comprehend can be fooled by you.. ya right.

You still never answered the question. Big deal if they've bought links elsewhere, even if they get caught. If you link to relevant sites, nobody can ever tell if that was a paid link, or you put it in there because it adds editorial value.

[ssandecki]

Originally Posted by Vic_mackey

And he also says make pages for humans, not search engines. Does a nofollow tag look like its made for humans? I have never used a nofollow tag, and I never will.

You totally have no clue do you, the nofollow tag is FOR search engines. This tag tells them not to count that outbound link as a vote of popularity or pass on pagerank. Get a clue, most of your outbound links should contain this tag.

Originally Posted by Vic_mackey

Inbound links are way, way over 50% of what is taken into account for the SERPS.

I'm not even going to comment on this, after they inserted the Google Bomb fix awhile ago inbound links lost there major hold of SERP ranking.

[ssandecki]

Originally Posted by Vic_mackey

You still never answered the question. Big deal if they've bought links elsewhere, even if they get caught. If you link to relevant sites, nobody can ever tell if that was a paid link, or you put it in there because it adds editorial value.

Go on and contiune to sell your links, I make more than enough revenue from my organic traffic to not need to sell text links, its cheating and thats it. Take it as a grain of salt, it is what it is.

[mrgee]

I have never selled or bought links, and I am not thinking to even doing this. I don't want to get penalized.

[zangief]

Google can not format the way people gives out links , the only weapon they have is fear and I am not afraid of them

[ssandecki]

Originally Posted by usasportstraining

I have to agree with Vic Mackey and Jason Greene on their points about buying links. To me, if it's related content, then it's warranted.

SSandecky, are applying for a job at Google?

It's not warranted when the search engine rules state is not, its said to use the nofollow tag if you want to sell links, this again is the rule Google has for Google's search engine, if you don't like it, oh well, don't cry later on like 100,000's have when they get penalized.