There is NO extra weight for .EDU and .GOV Domains

So says Matt Cutts in the comments in one of his recent blog entries:

 

Yeah, I have tons of .edu links to one of my pages.... nothing special about them or its ranks from it.

 

Well, that does it then. I'm through sucking up to those bastards at Harvard!

 

I just threw away a big check I was sending to Topeka Junior College of Mining.

 

I think it's still worth keeping in touch with the cheerleaders, though, don't you?

 

Yes, and the gymnastics team, swim team, and what the hell, the volleyball team too - I have a long leg fettish

 

That's always been the key. Links from .edu's and .gov's tend to be higher quality - i.e. less links on the same page, the page is well linked to from within the site, attracts quality links organically, longer link lifetime, etc, etc.

 

Good clarification. "Higher quality" doesn't just mean higher PR.

 

Yeah well the basketball team has long legs too but I stay away from them.

 

Great info, thanks.