Avoiding Google's Reciprocal Link Exchange Penalty

Discussion in 'Google' started by chris911, Nov 27, 2008.

  1. #1
    Apparently Google will sometimes penalize websites that engage in "excessive reciprocal link exchanges".

    My question is - might you be able to avoid this penalty by excluding Googlebot from your link pages using the robots.txt file, or the "nofollow,noindex" command to exclude bots from accessing your link exchange pages ?
     
    chris911, Nov 27, 2008 IP
  2. angilina

    angilina Notable Member

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    #2
    If you can make those links as no follow then there is no need to worry about google penalty. But you will have to do it every one, and not only bots :)
     
    angilina, Nov 27, 2008 IP
  3. SEO_WatchDog

    SEO_WatchDog Well-Known Member

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    #3
    You will certainly avoid the filter - but few webmasters will exchange links with you
     
    SEO_WatchDog, Nov 27, 2008 IP
  4. Divisive Cottonwood

    Divisive Cottonwood Peon

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    #4
    Well if you stop Google bot from going to the page where the reciprocal links are then it defeats the purpose of having them anyway - you may as well delete them

    I wouldn't worry about it. Just do reciprocal link exchanges in moderation and you'll be fine
     
    Divisive Cottonwood, Nov 27, 2008 IP
  5. Shellerz

    Shellerz Active Member

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    #5
    I think moderation is the key. Although I personally would also make sure that if you do exchange links make sure they are on theme and not bad neighbourhoods.
     
    Shellerz, Nov 27, 2008 IP
  6. Gnoc

    Gnoc Active Member

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    #6
    Do three way link exchange - Google can't catch you in this case !
    Don't go for reciprocal link exchange !
     
    Gnoc, Nov 27, 2008 IP
  7. Shellerz

    Shellerz Active Member

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    #7
    Or even better, stick with the one way links! Reciprocal links pass less PR anyway I think.
     
    Shellerz, Nov 27, 2008 IP
  8. lycos

    lycos Well-Known Member

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    #8
    So what's the point of exchanging links in the first place? If you do the following, the other party will do the same to you and so in the end, nobody gains anything.
     
    lycos, Nov 28, 2008 IP
  9. IEmailer.com

    IEmailer.com Well-Known Member

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    #9
    There is no point of exchanging reciprocal links with other websites unless you will let those links pass some juice ;)
     
    IEmailer.com, Nov 28, 2008 IP
  10. freight guy

    freight guy Member

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    #10
    I dont understand the link exchange process, so if i get a webmaster to exchange links with me google will penalize me for do so??
     
    freight guy, Nov 28, 2008 IP
  11. Mrs. Sinner

    Mrs. Sinner Peon

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    #11
    I'm not familiar with a 3 way exchange? What exactly is this and how does one carry it out?
     
    Mrs. Sinner, Nov 29, 2008 IP
  12. onlyhuman

    onlyhuman Peon

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    #12
    3 web sites are involved. Let's say that the site owner of the site you want to exchange links with has 2 sites.

    You have 3 web sites as follows:
    Your web site - site A
    The person who you want to exchange links with (site owner's first site) - site B
    The person who you want to exchange links with (site owner's second site) - site C

    site A links to site B and site C links to site A (site B could like to site C, but does not have to)

    So you link to one of his sites and a different site of his links to your site.

    Hope that helps.
     
    onlyhuman, Dec 8, 2008 IP