Hello, Many people here said that paid links can damage a site SERPS and rating. I am wondering if links in paid directories will also be considered as bad by Google. As I understood by now only links bought from sites like text-links-ads can have a negative impact. What do you think?
There is no way a "paid" link will damage your SERP & rating. Otherwise you could beat your competitors in a few days
A paid directory charges for the review of your site, not for the link. If your site is accepted into a properly run human reviewed directory, its a mark of quality for your site, which is recognised by all the search engines
Google have a paid link report, maybe you mean this.But directories not a negative point, i am sure. "There is no way a "paid" link will damage your SERP & rating." i agree him and "paid links from directories are fine as stated by Matt Cutts in his blog" him
Really? So I could purchase a few hundred dodgy links and point them to your sites and you think it would have a negative effect? Or do you think it would do what Cutts said which is just ignore any potential value that the link was passing, thus not effecting your sites at all?
This is an interesting subject. So most of you are saying that it is ok to purchase links in directories but nowhere else? Selling links is selling links no matter what type of site it's on imo but if Matt Cutts says it's ok than I guess it is.
Yes, I think it would have a negative effect, although probably temporary. You better read more of what Matt Cutt's said, you don't have the entire story there.
Thats the point, most serious directories are not selling links, they are selling a service of reviewing a web site for inclusion.
Most large directories allow you to pay a fixed price and get listed. I would understand the argument that they are selling a service if they actually take payments, then write a review and list the site while rejecting others and keeping the payment.
In an ideal world, I totally agree. However, the vast majority of directory owners rely on PayPal for payment processing which is where the problem begins if directories were to operate in this manner... Lets say you submit a site to my directory, I go check out that site and decide its junk and don't want to list it. The terms on my site clearly state that it's a non refundable fee. But hey, your not happy because you just paid XX for your review and DirectoryXYZ listed you, DirectoryABC listed you, so why does this directory think it can refuse you. You go launch a PayPal dispute, get your money back and the directory owner gets nothing anyway. Why should we as directory owners go through all that hassle, it is just easier to refund and save ourselves the time aspect which we can put into reviewing other sites. Atleast IMO. I have read the blog entry many times, and I totally disagree with you. If that were the case, whether temporary or not it would open up all sorts of wars in so many niches that Google would end up creating yet another mess which they then have to try and clean up. This makes it perfectly clear for me (you are of course entitled to your own opinion):
for non directory sites The link buyer does not receive a penalty*, the link seller may. * although when your bought links no longer count, and google takes a hard look at your other links, it may seem like a penalty to you... IMO