OK I've been wondering this for the longest time and could never come up with a conclusion that I could stand behind. I see this posted on here 100's and 100's of time. Get BL's from good sites in your niche. The question is why is there so many people saying it should be in your niche. For every example someone shows me why with maybe a PR of 5, when you can easily find PR8's and above that don't. I know google's webmaster blog tells you this but honestly can someone give me a reason why they even think this really matters? The only PR10 site (google) doesn't link to anyone. Actually the highest PR sites out there don't like to much of anyone but themeselves much less in their niche. Google, Yahoo, Bing ... etc are linking to each other. Vbulletin isn't linking to IPB Xbox 360 doesn't have links to PS3 or wii. Another reason I can't get behind this idea is because linking to someone in your niche to me says 1 of 2 things: 1. here's a site about the same thing you might like better. 2. here's a site that may have more info then I do making my site obsolete. Seriously think about. If you went to a encyclopedia site say for about a week. Then one time you used it it had a link to wikipedia and you see how their site has tons more info. Now how many of you serouslly are going use the old site anymore. So someone please explain me why they actually believe this linking to a site in your niche is any different then just getting other BL's?
Your ranking is better if it's on a related website related to your niche. Of course, why wouldnt it be better? Seems like common sense to me. Comparing it to a backlink from a regular high PR compared to a related high PR page. I would hope the one on a related page will be worth more in weight then the other.
Actually you not saying why its better, you just saying its better. That's my point. Tons of people says that it is but have have yet to see one person say why its better. In your response you said you would hope the one related tot he subject would way more but you still don't know that it is or even why it would be.
Just repeating this for ItzPaul in case he/she misses this. Its a very good question you raise and I am not sure if I can answer it with a fact but just my opinion. I think if you get a link back from a site that is in your niche it is proving that your site is more relavnt to that niche therefore will prove of more value to you as Google will associate your site with this niche which is what you want. I got a little confused as to why you said "linking to someone in your niche" are we not just talking about the links that you crate via your SEO campaign? So sites linking to competition is not the same thing...do you see?
Good question...I have wondered this myself. How would Google (and the others) even know your exact niche? Sure, "they" identify your keywords, but that is for ranking, isn't it? I have seen many, many sites with a ton of backlinks in different niches. And they rank quite well.
I don't think Google deals in terms of "Niches", but with keywords. So you want to rank higher for a certain keyword, then get links from sites that are relevant to your site, not necessarily from your competition.
I understand the linking to competition but was just using it as an example as far as BL's. Now that was the first thought I came up with. And I think that would make the most sense but I can only see how this would effect SERPS and even that only to some degree. And what makes something more relevant? Google in all honesty just go by words on a site. So as long as the 2 sites linking to each other contains (for example atleast 10 of the) same words not counting 'stop' words. I'm not saying its actually like this but ots a then line to say how something is relevant if not actually reading the text. This is why it has been bugging me for so long. I really think it just something people say so that others wont just pay for links on high PR sites. Say you own 2 sites (which alot of people on here do if not atleast more then 2), ones about art the other is about gaming. Naturally you going to link your sites to each other, atleast most people proably would.
I guess this is a weakness of all search engines, they can only rely on matching keywords from different sites to determine that they are in the same niche - and a lot of people do use certain black hat methods to play this system (and later fail!). To be honest, my guess is as good as anyones, no one on the outside has seen the algorithm...I think Google should open source this . Just found this The relevant link myth written in 2007. It seems to enforce your skepticism Zaiaku.
Wow that page you ink to is exactly what I've been thinking this whole time. Relevant link is nothing. Having a link is just what it is, its a link. The whole its better to have relevant links going to your site is just 'hogwash'. Google just doesnt want you selling links to get PR becuase it messes with their whole precious PR algorithim that is pretty much crap to begin with. I wonder how long its going to take before either the whole PR is gone away with or people finally agree how much crap it really is. Sseek said it himself, people with non-relevant links do just well. Look on how many people sell links on here and other places. If people really believe non-relevant links weight less then relevant ones then there would be ALOt less links on alot of websites.
Somebody in the comments mentioned that getting relevant links from sites (in your niche) will look more natural to Google than putting a link on a games site when your site is a gardening one - so it helps avoiding getting penalised by Google. So its useful in that respect, if not helping in page rank.
I don't think you penalized for it. Think about it if you was, you could do that to your competitors sites and have them penalized. I remember watching a video posted by one of the developers of google a few weeks ago about getting penalized by things. Google may not put any weight to it but you wouldn't be penalized, since that google stance on alot of those grey area things. I do agree with you it would look more natural. I feel that this should be the case its just unfornately that its not.