Is it bad to link together websites that you own?

Discussion in 'Search Engine Optimization' started by gregdavidson, Nov 26, 2008.

  1. #1
    I just added a link to my ebook on my wholesale directory. Is this bad for your seo? Some say that Google will see this as cheating and will bring down your rankings. I'm a little skeptical but I know Google is very sophisticated and can see who owns a domain name.
     
    gregdavidson, Nov 26, 2008 IP
  2. Dan Schulz

    Dan Schulz Peon

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    #2
    Literally one or two links won't hurt you much, if at all. However, if you go hog wild and start inter-linking like they were going out of style, you'd find yourself looking upward unable to move as Google drops an ACME-brand anvil on your head.
     
    Dan Schulz, Nov 26, 2008 IP
  3. vstar

    vstar Well-Known Member

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    #3
    LOL, Funny stuff, but very true!
     
    vstar, Nov 26, 2008 IP
  4. jitendraag

    jitendraag Notable Member

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    #4
    Just saw another post with similar question. Google links to their other websites from their homepage and so do their blogs. It's perfectly alright to interlink your website but don't make a network of sites with just internal links.
     
    jitendraag, Nov 26, 2008 IP
  5. addlinkurl

    addlinkurl Well-Known Member

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    #5
    if the link is useful for the visiters, google will like the link. place the link in menu, so visiters will click it. then google will think: "this is helpful".
     
    addlinkurl, Nov 26, 2008 IP
  6. altyfc

    altyfc Peon

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    #6
    Yes, you can get penalised for this if you are not careful. It is called domain farming. The only safe way is to put nofollow tags in.
     
    altyfc, Nov 26, 2008 IP
  7. Buckyuk

    Buckyuk Active Member

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    #7
    I have just recently created a few new sites and have all mine linking together and it has done wonders for my search engine rankings
     
    Buckyuk, Nov 26, 2008 IP
  8. Dreads

    Dreads Well-Known Member

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    #8
    interlinking is useless, it wont work, google isnt that stupid. Lets say it does work, then you are running a risk of getting ban which isnt worth it. (or sandboxed).

    overall just dont interlink, make them all link to a main page. :D
     
    Dreads, Nov 26, 2008 IP
  9. Sarahsienna

    Sarahsienna Peon

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    #9
    In my opinion if there are not too much links it won't affect you.
     
    Sarahsienna, Nov 26, 2008 IP
  10. SEOSUCKS

    SEOSUCKS Peon

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    #10
    link max 2-3 sites .. not more than that:)
     
    SEOSUCKS, Nov 27, 2008 IP
  11. macca81625

    macca81625 Peon

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    #11
    i wouldnt link them together at all if there on the same ip address, they can look like exactly the same site to google and the links will be a waste of time!
     
    macca81625, Nov 27, 2008 IP
  12. arizonawebdesign

    arizonawebdesign Active Member

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    #12
    I would go even one step further an ensure they are on separate ip addresses and on separate c classes as well. You can get really paranoid if you want and go as far as having them hosted on different name servers as well. That way it will be harder for the big G to recognize a pattern.
     
    arizonawebdesign, Nov 29, 2008 IP
  13. ashisharora_83

    ashisharora_83 Peon

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    #13
    If the sites are related with each other (like they are of same niche), it will not hurt but will give you backlink.
     
    ashisharora_83, Nov 29, 2008 IP
  14. basal952

    basal952 Active Member

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    #14
    I think it's OK, especially if you link it with same niche. Also good for traffic flow
     
    basal952, Nov 29, 2008 IP
  15. gr8liverpoolfan

    gr8liverpoolfan Notable Member

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    #15
    As Dan said a link or two won't hurt, but interlinking your entire network does not make any sense. If you still want that information to be public, do it with a no follow tag.
     
    gr8liverpoolfan, Nov 29, 2008 IP
  16. hariman

    hariman Banned

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    #16
    I prefer one way link
     
    hariman, Nov 29, 2008 IP
  17. estateguy

    estateguy Peon

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    #17
    I think the (link) risks are lower than most imply here. Look at sites like Drudgereport.com all they do is link to other people stuff. It may make sense to have different IP addresses otherwise I can't imagine that Google really cares. Millions of links are created every day. I think that whole black list and sand box thing is over hyped.

    consider the risk of not linking and dying on the vine....
     
    estateguy, Nov 29, 2008 IP
  18. skaterkee

    skaterkee Well-Known Member

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    #18
    I do it occasionally just to get a new site indexed, then remove it.
     
    skaterkee, Nov 29, 2008 IP
  19. banker0679

    banker0679 Well-Known Member

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    #19
    google can determine if the sites belong to you by

    1. looking at the IP or Class C range of the hosting provider...this means dont use the same hosting provider for your domains

    2. Whois - ...you will need to make your info private

    3. Google Analytics or Webmaster tools - I hope you dont use the same account to check the 2.

    4. Same phone numbers for businesses

    5. You submit the urls to Google with the same IP ...

    A lot of domain owners do this, and Google has caught on to 'reciprocal linking within your own domains'
     
    banker0679, Nov 29, 2008 IP
  20. Dan Schulz

    Dan Schulz Peon

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    #20
    If you're going to go that route you might as well register the domain names under different individual or company names as well since Google does have access to the WHOIS database since it is a domain name registrar.

    But doing so would violate ICANN's policies and if any of those domains were ever to be disputed, you'd likely lose them due to providing fraudulent WHOIS data - unless you went through the legal process of establishing multiple shell companies to register those domains under, in which case the financial cost would far outweigh whatever benefits you'd end up seeing, especially at tax time.

    In other words, it's just not worth it.
     
    Dan Schulz, Nov 29, 2008 IP