1. Advertising
    y u no do it?

    Advertising (learn more)

    Advertise virtually anything here, with CPM banner ads, CPM email ads and CPC contextual links. You can target relevant areas of the site and show ads based on geographical location of the user if you wish.

    Starts at just $1 per CPM or $0.10 per CPC.

What's the policy on paid contextual links?

Discussion in 'Google' started by Foxxy, Feb 8, 2014.

  1. #1
    Does anyone know what the policy is on selling contextual links? What I'm wondering is if Google considers them bad or not, and if they do consider them bad, is it still acceptable is there is some type of disclaimer. So far I've only used these for internal seo purposes, but as the amount of content on my site grows, I'm starting to give some thought to selling keywords as links.
     
    Foxxy, Feb 8, 2014 IP
  2. DiggitySEO

    DiggitySEO Active Member

    Messages:
    215
    Likes Received:
    58
    Best Answers:
    10
    Trophy Points:
    80
    #2
    Selling links is definitely frowned upon by Google.

    Just don't make it look like they're being sold. Place the contextual links in such a way that they look like references to supplemental reading that supports your article. Make it look believable. And most of all, don't blatantly advertise that you're selling links on your page or you're putting your customers at risk.
     
    DiggitySEO, Feb 8, 2014 IP
    Foxxy likes this.
  3. Mahe

    Mahe Member

    Messages:
    80
    Likes Received:
    7
    Best Answers:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    33
    #3
    Since paid links are against G tos - sidebar links and footer links are usually less effective than content links.

    All in all, if you don't shout out everywhere that you are selling links and openly advertise it you should be fine.
     
    Mahe, Feb 18, 2014 IP
    Foxxy likes this.
  4. ash1ey82

    ash1ey82 Active Member

    Messages:
    588
    Likes Received:
    14
    Best Answers:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    88
    #4
    I don't think it would matter too much, but previous people have said that it is against google tos. So, I would just assume sell them privately.
     
    ash1ey82, Feb 20, 2014 IP
  5. Mahe

    Mahe Member

    Messages:
    80
    Likes Received:
    7
    Best Answers:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    33
    #5
    Point being that since most paid links are placed in sidebar or footer, they tend to be ignored by Google or their power is diminished as compared to content links.
     
    Mahe, Feb 20, 2014 IP
  6. NadaBolt

    NadaBolt Active Member

    Messages:
    40
    Likes Received:
    4
    Best Answers:
    2
    Trophy Points:
    53
    #6
    There is no disclaimer regarding link selling. You can sell it as long as you are not marking your website link-farms. Also it is better to have quality links on your website as broken links may damage the reputation of your website.
    There is nothing private about link selling. There are lots of forums/website which supports link trading. They would have been banned if any legal disclaimer is there regarding link trading.
    In the end, it is your website. You can do whatever you want there is no interference by external parties (including Google).
     
    NadaBolt, Feb 21, 2014 IP
  7. FranksToys

    FranksToys Member

    Messages:
    67
    Likes Received:
    15
    Best Answers:
    1
    Trophy Points:
    33
    #7
    LOL paid links have been against TOS since they basically started as a search engine.
     
    FranksToys, Feb 21, 2014 IP
  8. Lex350

    Lex350 Notable Member

    Messages:
    1,889
    Likes Received:
    31
    Best Answers:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    215
    #8
    Of course paid links are frowned upon by G. But if its a related website then how are they going to know if it was paid or not unless you advertise it loudly.
     
    Lex350, Feb 21, 2014 IP
  9. Jim4767

    Jim4767 Prominent Member

    Messages:
    4,737
    Likes Received:
    766
    Best Answers:
    10
    Trophy Points:
    305
    #9
    Google's increasingly sophisticated algorithm will, with ever-increasing effectiveness, discover paid links for PR purposes (that is, followed). Sell or buy them at your own peril. I do not. It's against their guidelines, and those highly-paid Ph.D.'s on their staff are a bit smarter in these things than we webmasters are.
     
    Jim4767, Feb 22, 2014 IP
    ryan_uk likes this.
  10. Mahe

    Mahe Member

    Messages:
    80
    Likes Received:
    7
    Best Answers:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    33
    #10
    And I thought those were just pimply kids with narrow lips and huge glasses ;)
     
    Mahe, Feb 22, 2014 IP
    Foxxy likes this.
  11. Spoiltdiva

    Spoiltdiva Acclaimed Member

    Messages:
    7,732
    Likes Received:
    2,889
    Best Answers:
    53
    Trophy Points:
    520
    #11
    They are, but those geeks have certificates and make the big bucks.;)
     
    Last edited: Feb 22, 2014
    Spoiltdiva, Feb 22, 2014 IP
    Foxxy likes this.
  12. Foxxy

    Foxxy Active Member

    Messages:
    465
    Likes Received:
    46
    Best Answers:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    90
    #12
    Perhaps, but I've also read some articles that state that paid links should carry a disclaimer on the page, which suggested to me that they were ok under some circumstances.
     
    Foxxy, Feb 22, 2014 IP
  13. Mahe

    Mahe Member

    Messages:
    80
    Likes Received:
    7
    Best Answers:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    33
    #13
    Awesome stuff man. Cheers :)
     
    Mahe, Feb 23, 2014 IP
    Foxxy likes this.
  14. NadaBolt

    NadaBolt Active Member

    Messages:
    40
    Likes Received:
    4
    Best Answers:
    2
    Trophy Points:
    53
    #14
    Yeah .. of course they are very smart. But that doesn't mean, they come and check ur personal email about link selling deal.

    Einstein was a genius and knows how to make an atom bomb that doesn't mean he can throw it on anyone.
     
    NadaBolt, Feb 23, 2014 IP
    Foxxy likes this.
  15. makeit easy

    makeit easy Active Member

    Messages:
    2,067
    Likes Received:
    62
    Best Answers:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    90
    #15
    They require adding "nofollow" tag. But if you add "nofollow" there is not much benefit (other than direct click visitors) for the link buyers and they won't be much interested in buying "nofollow" links.
     
    makeit easy, Feb 25, 2014 IP
  16. Confident1

    Confident1 Greenhorn

    Messages:
    13
    Likes Received:
    1
    Best Answers:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    23
    #16
    Come on, really? Google will NEVER stop these links. Im glad you and many others on here don't use them though, makes it much easier for me to rank. LOL!
     
    Confident1, Mar 3, 2014 IP
  17. Jim4767

    Jim4767 Prominent Member

    Messages:
    4,737
    Likes Received:
    766
    Best Answers:
    10
    Trophy Points:
    305
    #17
    Famous last words.
     
    Jim4767, Mar 3, 2014 IP
    ryan_uk likes this.
  18. dcristo

    dcristo Illustrious Member

    Messages:
    19,776
    Likes Received:
    1,199
    Best Answers:
    7
    Trophy Points:
    470
    Articles:
    7
    #18
    Yes, there is. It is against their webmaster guidelines and sites found selling links have been penalized by the big G in the past.
     
    dcristo, Mar 3, 2014 IP
    ryan_uk likes this.
  19. ryan_uk

    ryan_uk Illustrious Member

    Messages:
    3,983
    Likes Received:
    1,022
    Best Answers:
    33
    Trophy Points:
    465
    #19
    Exactly.

    If you're selling contextual links then nofollow them. Anyone in doubt of this guidance should read:
    http://googlewebmastercentral.blogspot.co.uk/2007/12/information-about-buying-and-selling.html

    And if you want something more recent:
    http://searchenginewatch.com/articl...sues-New-Warning-on-Advertorials-Paid-Content

    FTC guidelines:
    http://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/ftc-2013-disclosures/

    As for Google, I don't remember where it was, but something along the lines of you should make it clear if you are reviewing a product and you don't own it (e.g. a review with affiliate links in it).

    They don't need to. Haven't you heard of footprints? Look at these link networks that thought they were so clever, yet some left their footprint so goddamn visible that it was too easy.
     
    ryan_uk, Mar 4, 2014 IP
    Jim4767 likes this.
  20. maddy

    maddy Well-Known Member

    Messages:
    240
    Likes Received:
    3
    Best Answers:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    103
    #20
    Paid Links are not a threat to your website but the one you link to. If Google does not detect the link that existed in the past. Google suspect it to be a negative promotion. Which will result in that website being penalized in rankings.
     
    maddy, Mar 4, 2014 IP