Is Wikipedia-style (paid) linking OK with Google?

Hello People...

We all know that Google frowns up on sites that sell and buy paid text links. But, what if someone sold links within content? That would be relevant, contextual (dofollow) links, right? Is that fine with Google and the other major search engines out there?

Also, a text link may be pointing to a particular page which would be relevant; but the website containing that particular page may not be totally relevant. For example, it may be an article directory. What happens then? Would Google still penalise both the seller and the buyer of the link?

Let's have this issue beated out here

 

Google frowns on the type of links you are talking about - including: reviews, blog posts, articles - anything that involves the selling of links. Adding content doesn't get around that, although it would make it harder to detect. If you aren't selling link juice, then google would ask why don't you make the links nofollow?

 

Well, so the point is Google frowns upon link exchange itself. What a nice way of forcing AdWords. They're getting dominating, giving me a BIG reason to hate them again. LOL. Or did I get it completely wrong?

 

Google wants "natural" links - link exchanges aren't natural "votes" for a site.

If you do it right, there is no way to tell a "natural" link from a paid one - you just have to work harder. With 10,000 manual google people doing manual site reviews, you want to make your site worthy enough to get natural links.

 

Well, that's where I wanted to start off. I'm setting up a new website, which will be full of original content and I want to monetise it. I'll offer paid links within the content, but then again I wouldn't just link any and every website. I'll be charging the buyer a good $5 per year per paid link (within content), and I can give it 15 minutes to test out his/her website and its trustworthiness (don't know how I'll do that, but I'll get to that later, once things have been sorted out).

Then, the question arises (or remains, if you will) - How does Google know whether its paid or real? Google's manual site review team will search for a page where I sell those services? Hell, they won't get it. I'm not being unethical, if you might want to think so about it; everyone's here for a living and the respected BIGGIEs find their ways, so why can't I, the kid, do it?

 

You're confusing advertising with paid links.
Adwords is advertising - it has no effect on backlinks or PageRank.
If you want to sell keyword links as advertising, make them nofollow and Google will have no problem with it.
It's selling paid links in order that the buyers have a backlink and a boost to their PageRank that Google doesn't like.
But ultimately, it's your site, you can do what you like, if Google isn't that important to your strategy.

 

Google wouldn't be quarter as much important if I had control over them... haha... I know the difference between AdWords and Paid Links. But yes, I admit I forgot to consider that AdWords/AdSense ads are not DoFollow links.

So well, I can still sell paid links but just keep them NoFollow, right? Are you sure Google is OK with that?

In any case, it's going to be tough to sell some links.

 

I'm not trying to bump this thread, but I just saw a separate Featured Sites list on the right side of JohnChow.com's homepage, and they're DoFollow. What about that? Would JohnChow.com be penalised by Google?

 

he got completely removed from the index at one point, but got back in. I don't think he needs to care about Google rankings, he gets enough traffic from word of mouth, email lists and virals.

 

I agree with with, magda.

Anyway, coming back to my Question,

What do you think?

 

Google is fine with paid links that have "nofollow" (that's what it is for) - it's just that the only people who would be interested in purchasing those links are people who are looking for direct traffic and not any link juice. Your site would need some very good traffic to make it worthwhile.

 

Google doesn't like paid links that are designed to manipulate PR.

How does Google decide if a paid link is deliberately designed to manipulate PR? Any way the like. They have no legal obligation to treat you 'fairly'.

 

Great, thanks for that prompt response. Anywhere on Google's site/blog I can verify this?

Haha... the domination of the Big G... I'll pray for its consistency...

 

Any more inputs we can share on this? I don't intend to bump the thread, just getting ready to launch the site. Thanks