Would you buy a link from this PR9??

Hi all,

I seem to remember a similar issue coming up several months ago on forums, but can't find any references to it, so I thought I'd post here.

Have a look at this lovely PR9:
http://www.starr.net/is/type/kbh.html

Strangely it only has 17 backlinks showing in Google! Checking through those backlinks, none are of high PR, certainly not enough to pass on a PR9.

You have to actually do a backlink search in Alltheweb to realise that there is one backlink causing this, from none other than:
http://www.google.com/help/faq.html

It looks to me that this page has a ban of sorts on it. Mind you, the sites linked to from that page also have high PRs (and again, the backlinks are low) as well.

I have an offer from one of those sites for a nice PR8 backlink for a mere $400 per year. Not a bad deal normally, but considering these circumstances, I'm concerned it will do more harm than good..

What do you guys think?

and how did that guy get the google link

 

Well they got the link from google by providing a pretty useful resource. It also appears that the PR does transfer. I wouldnt doubt Google may have originally been linking to http://www.umass.edu/langctr/keyboardhelp.html which then moved. Look at the page titles..

 

I can't see why it's banned. It's a quality vote from the Google page. The wouldn't link to banned sites would they?!

 

I think he means that he thinks it doesnt pass PR down..

 

G or Starr?

http://www.starr.net/robots.txt shows no problem areas.
http://www.google.com/robots.txt neither.

Nothing to be worried about IMO if the link they offer you is a plain <a href...

 

I certianly would remove all references to those pages if you are looking to buy links from them.

I would be really pissed off if someone was drawing attention to the fact I sell links.

 

No-one thinks it suspicious that the Google backlink isn't showing in Google?

The site I am looking at getting the link from doesn't currently have any external links on their front page, but they do have a lot on internal pages. I checked all of the sites there to see if backlinks for this link showed and none did!! I also checked the backlinks of the site I am considering getting a link from and the backlink from this PR9 page doesn't show either. Strange :-?

Actually, I haven't mentioned the site that I am thinking of buying a link from. And where's the harm in buying/selling links anyway? Even Google 'sells' links in the form of advertising.

 

Yes but google don't sell links on a thread called "Would you buy a link from this PR9??".

They also don't sell links for the purpose of Spamming (Because no matter how you paint it, that's how it is) a search engines algo.

RE: the links not showing up in google, I suggest you use Yahoo as it is clear the Google link: command is useless.

 

@http://www.starr.net/is/type/kbh.html brings the page up in google.

 

lol. by that logic what the hell are we even bothering spending time on this forum for? I guess you are of the type that decides to just wait until people link to them because they found your brilliant resource, because that would be a true 'vote'. Taking part in ANY kind of link building for the purposes of improving your ranking is against the Google guidelines, so I'd like to know how 'pure' your tactics are in that regard? Nary a thread goes by on these forums without people recommending building links; why don't you complain about that form of 'spam' then?

A lot of directories charge for listings and most SEOs discuss that as a PR / anchor text opportunity. Why the hell can't I discuss this link like that on a 'link development' forum of all places? Like I said, I never mentioned the site I want to buy the listing (there, does that sound better) off of, so I honestly don't know what your problem is.

Anyway, I'm just trying to verify whether the link is worth the money or whether it would get me some sort of wacky ban.

 

If that would mean it's banned then I can guaranteed that every single person on this forum owns banned websites.

Like SEbasic said... The link: command can not be relied on! It is certainly not a measure of 'bannedness'.

You can find about a hundred threads on this link: shenanigans.

 

Daamsie, I suggest you research who you are speaking to before making assumptions.

I am Far from what may be called a "Pure SEO"...

In my blog, (look up) you will see that I don't have any problems with people buying links. (In fact I advocate it).

What I don't think is in your benefit however, is to mention PR in any of this.

Sites who openly advertise that they "Sell PR" (Some I have even seen) have been severly penalised or banned or simply had PR taken away due to the fact that they "Sell PR".

I do however, recognise, that whatever way you look at it, going out of our way to buy or exchange (whatever you would like to call it) links is SPAMMING.

I am not saying that I don't do it (If I didn't do those things, I wouldn't be very good at muy job ow would I), I am merely stating that advertising a site that "Sells PR" is not the best way to go about doing things.

Again, If it had been my site in question (If only I owned a PR9) then I would be seriously pissed off.

Having said that however, I apologise for misreading your post in the original instance - I mistook what were asking for.

So for that I apologise.

 

Why? who else on this website has a PR9 link from Google ?

I understand not all backlinks show; I find it a little more puzzling that a solid PR9 backlink won't show. That's not to say it is banned and it seems from the responses it's little to worry about.

SEBasic, as I said before, I never mentioned the name of the site selling the link. I understand the risk involved and was careful not to do so. The site owner didn't try to sell it to me on a PR basis (although he does on other forums I have found out).

To be honest, I find that the google guidelines stink. The fact that we can't link to any old site without making sure they aren't part of a 'bad neighbourhood' doesn't help spontaneous 'voting' (something which I regularly do) in the slightest.

Well, back to the topic at hand, can anyone actually incur any sort of penalty for a dodgy incoming link anyway, or will it just be a case of wasted money? Maybe that is an easier question to answer.

 

You just ripped that out of context. My comment wasn't on the link from Google, hence quoting you talking about not showing up with the link command.

Not puzzling at all if you read the other threads on this topic. Where they used to show everything-ish PR4 and higher, it's now more the other way around. Makes sense to me coz now all people like you, hunting for high PR sites have nothing to go by anymore.

Just wasted money. Unless you reciprocate the link.

 

No they can't... And for $400 a year, I would make the investment without a doubt...

Just make sure that the site is passing PR to you and you should be fine...

Out of interest, Is he selling more than one link because it sounds like a good deal.

If he is, would you mind PMing me the URL please...

 

LOL, that's the other reason I didn't mention the site But I'll ask him (I'd like to have some guarantee he isn't going to plaster that page with links anyway) and let you know how many are available. Don't tell too many people though

I can't really verify how well the PR8 page is passing PR, because there aren't any other external links (can't be a bad thing), but it looks like it will considering his inner pages are PR7.

 

Make sure he's selling normal, <a href= links not some crappy CGI or javascript rubbish...

Really keen to hear more on this...

 

Yeah, all the other links on the site are straight links. robots.txt looks fine too. And it's not loaded with links like so many other sites out there. Just to be clear though, the page he's offering links on is a PR8 page, although he has numerous other PR7/6 pages as well.

Actually, you quoted me talking specifcally about the link from google, so I didn't take anything out of context.

Thanks, that's some useful information at least. I guess a 6 month leave of absence from SEO forums leaves a few gaps in the knowledge, but that's what I ask these questions for. I don't like reading hours and hours of old posts that may or may not still be relevant when clearly things change very quickly. BTW, don't you try build high PR links then?

I've always thought, there is ONE think Google can do to stop the PR trade and that is simply get rid of the PR displaying options and keep it secret. They've created their own nightmare really.

 

I buy PR to sell...

I will of course use the desired anchor text on links, but the actual Benefit that the PR provides me I am not too sure about.

 

I was on the verge of closing this deal when I checked the site one last time - it's now got a PR0

Looks like Google is updating some PR displays and it couldn't be at a better time!! Two of the sites linked to from that PR9 page have 0s.. the others seem unaffected.