Actually, Matt Cutts is a current google employee, and while some have said that some of the things he is saying may be to yank webmaster chains, I doubt it. I believe what Minstrel is saying is true, is probably the case, based on what Matt Cutts is saying. Saw the above posts after. Sorry. After reading the Matt Cutts blogs (like the ones cited by Minstrel and myself), I have no doubt that it's true that google is making moves to eradicate paid links as a means to receiving PR. My question has always been how is google going to decide what is a "PR buying scheme" and what is legitimate advertising, something all businesses do.
Matt Cutts mentioned today a coule of ways for reporting paid links because "we’re looking to collect data for a new approach or two that we’re exploring". "Sign in to Google’s webmaster console and use the authenticated spam report form, then include the word “paidlink†(all one word) in the text area of the spam report. If you use the authenticated form, you’ll need to sign in with a Google Account, but your report will carry more weight. - Use the unauthenticated spam report form and make sure to include the word “paidlink†(all one word) in the text area of the spam report." There are many valid points brought up in the comment section about why this won't work but I wonder if this will eventually include paid directory links.
Who the hell Matt Cutts is? ( I know who he is) --is he Google's programming director? Is he the monitoring authority appointed by Google? I never care for those self-proclaimed SEOs.
Last time I heard that, Google never reads the Spam Reports sent by users from teh link on the web search
What proves if a link is paid or not, unless it's published. It only makes people abuse that form in a mass through competition reasons, and hide their "featured" links on the other hand. That shouldn't be what he meant, maybe he was tired of that question lol. Besides, any paid link does not guarantee listing is unquality, that totally disregards the review process. It may be towards tag clouds and link biddings etc. And in that case what'd happen to business.com, sitepoint and .. DMOZ xD
This is NO Problem with Me. Everybody is buying links. Someone Reports Me I Report All. I don't even F***ING Care NOW as there are a LOT of BACKSTABBERS in DP. Jealousy runs HERE Bigtime. I'll even report Matt Cutts if I need to. Here and have a feast. http://www.mattcutts.com/blog/how-to-report-paid-links/ There is also another thread of this in DP in case you don't know.
As always Jude-- Thats what I said--I DON'T CARE. --we are not seling links---we are providing web resources to the surfers First BAN --dir.yahoo.com and then business.com I don't think G has that gutt.
I believe that this will only work with high PR sites. Maybe PR8 and up, because these are the ones that can affect rankings the most. I don't think google can possibly review every single report out there and bother too much with little guys.
This will offend also people who are buying Wordpress sponsor links, for example? Or just paid directories?
What kind of techniques they would be ??? Sounds a pretty stupid idea .. So now anyone can kick your butt by reporting you ...
Please READ Velocity. If you have PAID LINKS. It does not MATTER what PR you have. ALL and NO EXCEPTION.
Popo, I understand that. I am just saying that it wouldnt be possible for them to review every singe report. There are millions of sites doing this and if we all start reporting it would be one big mess out there. Heck, they take forever to review adsense violations.