On my directory I have both free "standard" links and paid "premium" links. Given Google's dislike for paid links, should I use the nofollow attribute on the premium links?
If I paid to have a link placed anywhere, I would certainly want it to be a DOfollow, unless stated very specific that the link is only for traffic purposes and will be a NOfollow link. or I would ask for a refund.
I realize that, and that's what I was thinking, but I've heard or read more than once that google doesn't like paid links. My fear is that if I leave those links as dofollow it could be problematic for the guy buying the link. At the moment my site is only PR2 as I've neglected it for a while out of necessity. Now I'm able to get back to work and hope to get the thing back up to at least PR4 by the next update, and eventually back to the PR5 it had in the past, and beyond if possible. Meanwhile, the paid/dofollow situation is one I'm not real sure I know what to do with. It's going to depend on which has more weight with google, dofollow for PR or any penalty for the link being paid for.
Google's really made a mess of this. I'd never pay for a link that was nofollow. I mean...it's an ad. An ad by default has a link. Google or anyone would know by looking that it's an ad, and the ads are almost as old as the internet itself. so they're going to penalise sites that advertise if they DONT use their nofllow attribute? Have they considered that some site owners don't even know what that tag is or does? Of course, if you're using that tag at all on your page, it's a given you know what it is
If you are concerned about Google's T&C on paid links, then I guess you shouldn't even accept payments for link placement on your directory. These people are definitely not paying to be nofollow'ed on your site.
maybe you can just sell links in forums. and not stating it in your directory since it won't be worth for buyers to buy nofollow link
Even if you go ahead with selling no-follow links, I presume you would find it really tough to do so... unless you offer it for a very minuscule sum! I guess people would just not be interested in a link that simply gives visibility with no following option! Regards, RightMan
So, the consensus is that it is as I suspected. There really isn't any point in selling links outright if people don't want them because of google. It looks like I'm damned if I do and damned if I don't. I guess the only real option is to just not have the "premium" link deal at all. That kind of sucks. I wanted to do it for all the people that had already paid over the last few years for a link. I guess it's academic then. That's fine though, I guess in a way everyone benefits. I'll put all the "premium" features on all the links and just give them away. What the hell, at least it will be a lot easier to code!
Yup there is no point, why whould someone pay a nofollow link (for SEO)? if you do it google will find out, and we all know where your site is going to end. but as you say.... its easier to code.
I wouldn't pay for nofollow, that means that I would have no benefit from having the link with google. And as google is the no 1 search engine, that's is quite a big negative!
I wonder will you buy a nofollow link? when you are investing some $$ in buying links........ No one like to pay for no follow links..... they might be interested if given for free in a PR2 site and for a little sum if it PR5+.