Will Google's threats make you stop selling text link ads?

I somewhat agree, if you don't create a safety net by diversifying then you will fall if the rug gets pulled out from under you. With Google's lack of predictability, if you can't sustain yourself and generate a profit without them i'd be seriously look at altering your business model.

If i had $1 for every webmaster who vanished from the SERP's overnight i'd be retired.

 

Don't Vote in this just Give Google a reason to get pissed off more
Who cares.. and the internet goes on.

All I can say is if your selling links make em relvevant and don't make Google look stupid..or you will get the Burn. tootles

 

I advise everyone to stop selling links immediately and cancel exising links and refund in full all of your customers.



That way they will have more money to buy my links....

 

That's kind of a weird thing to say from someone who runs a directory.

 

d2002 you must have missed the small print....

 

You've made some excellent points. And I would love it if we can all share our diversification strategies on this thread. That would be great.

However, I would like point out that none of the posts before your first comment mentioned anything about relying on Google as the "only income stream." I'm sorry if I gave that impression.

Even if Google isn't your only source of traffic, it certainly is an important one (unless you did something wrong SEO-wise). So I think most webmasters are very concerned about this topic.

 

That I did. Funny stuff!

 

I voted for 'I'll stop at the slightest sign of trouble'. My anime website is ranking 1st in Google for some keywords so the moment, the website disappear from Google, I think that will be the sign for me to stop.

 

But Orin, that's not just a sign of trouble, that's the whole kitchen-sink.

 

But once its got a penalty you will struggle to get it removed. Stopping selling links after your site gets hit is like closing the stable door after the horse has bolted.

 

Personally I feel that this merely means one shouldn't sell too many links - and it should drive the prices up because publishers are taking more risk selling links in the first place.

 

Stopped. I am not even selling links to relevant sites now.

My Google SERPs are much more important to me than the handful of dollars that I make from link selling.

but,

I am still buying relevant links whenever I can.

 

Same here lol but if someone want to buy my liks I will sell them.

 

For those of you who are still selling links, have you seen a drop or increase in demand?

 

Its roughly the same for me, there's up's & downs but right now it's level.

 

Wonderful! I wish all my competitors decided to wait until it's too late. What a great (early) Christmas present that would be!

 

I don't think anyone will honestly answer that question as it would mean that google will probably instantly zoom in on their sites.

But I can say this. Link buying is just going more under the radar now. Places like TLA and directories are going to be less sought out by advertisers whereas just finding pages that rank well for relevant keywords and buying links directly there is on the rise: that's the kind of link that google is least likely to find out about and most likely to count as a trusted link.

 

Very good point.

Let me rephrase that question. Don't tell us your own stats. Maybe just share what you're seeing around you in terms of industry movement?

That's a great point. Links will get more expensive but people will probably still sell them.

 

Just for right now, I've stopped selling text link ads. I think it would be better to stay on the safe side.

You never know what may happen and if it does, I don't want to be one of them.

 

just had this in today