Can sponsoring a wordpress theme get you penalized in Google?

Hyper and matrix: I see your logic and you are making a good point. But I don't really agree with it. Anyone doing a good offline campaign for a 'fresh' site is bound to get LOADs of backlinks very quickly.

I have no idea how google (or gaygle as many like to refer to it) would differentiate between natural and bought links. (unless someone looks at them manually) !!

 

Before replying to you post i would like to see others reply on your point

 

Really? Maybe I should sponsor a few themes for my competitors.

 

Sponsoring 1-2-3-4-5-10 won't make a difference. But sponsoring dozens will probably have an effect(dunno if bad or good) but this applies only for new websites.

Do this for microsoft, and they will thank you.

 

Why don't we all pool our resources and buy Wikipedia a few hundred sponsorships?

 

because I have better things to do. But you guys go ahead and try that

 

Your directory is a search engine now?

 

yeah
Can you just answer to those PMs I sent you ? or you are just ignoring me...

 

Do you have any idea what your talking about? If CNN set up a site today called CNNVERSIN2.com for example and get backlinks straight away as they are likely to, do you really think Google would penalize them. NO, they wouldn't, as it has nothing to do with being established.

You got it correct with the 'artificial link building' and that is exactly what many directory owners do using these stupid submission softwares.

Don't you think Google have someone doing exactly what many directory owners are doing? That is looking at what directories are on these lists, and then perhaps targeting them? Just thinking on the logic of that one.

 

It still looks like a directory though, i didn't receive any pm's ive got you on ignore

 

i also meant 'established' as old sites with high quality backlinks.

 

why is that ?...

 

Old = Established as long as they haven't changed content. Define Quality, Google can't. If they can then this is the very reason directories are getting grouped as being in 'bad neighborhoods', you don't see that in many other industries, shop A won't promote shop B for the sake of getting PR, they want the customers all to themselves.

People still aren't getting this though and keep submitting to each others directories.

 

if what you say is right? that the big question is that "how do google determines quality of backlink?" i mean how does it cames to know that x backlink is artifical or not.

 

In truth nobody knows but from my experience over the years its natural linking from random sites that do the trick., in other words related but not to the ridiculous lengths that directories have gone to. You only have to check one of the sites that offers a list of directories you'll see most of them promote each other. That's called a bad community.

 

It is off page factors, I think google won't penalize theme sponsoring.

 

In my opinion it WONT, other wise i would sponsor a dozen for my competitions and let the big G penalize them

 

Wordpress theme promotion doesn't penalize sites.