Should I 301 my Affiliate Links?

I currently use a php redirect for all my affiliate links. I also block that file using robot.txt.

To optimize my site for search engines should I be 301 redirecting my affiliate links? What about using nonfollow tags when using my masked links?

 

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Also for just masking them, I personally use and prefer 301 redirecting.

 

Yes, but does 301 redirecting improve your search results? What about using the nofollow tag on affiliate links?

 

I think using nofollow is good idea, otherwise search engine will think your page as affiliate spam.

 

How is not using nofollow considered spam?

 

I 302 and nofollow all affiliate links, and use robots.txt to ask the bots not to look in the folders that i'm linking to (which contain my 302 redirects).

 

MrX, do you get penalized at all by google?

 

From what I've experienced, no. My SERPS have stayed the same (or better), so masking your links is always good. Just as important, some visitors don't like clicking on the crazy looking affiliate URLs (esp. CJ's), so mask them into something nice and friendly.

 

Is 302 necessary when its already disallowed in robots.txt ?
302 should be used for temporary redirection.. I also think nofollow is not good. Better to have standard links. redirection and robots.txt is i think sufficing when your redirect script is located on same website directory..

 

Some schools of thought suggest 301 redirect doesn't affect the SEO aspect of the links, and others say it dilutes the strength in the search engines

 

rather than use internal redirects ,i just using short url service like bit.ly to stay away from penalization.