Would You Lie To Get .org and .edu Backlinks?

Hey all,

I have a question for ya.

I used to operate a very popular blog on MySpace. I averaged in the neighborhood of some 10,000 visits per week. On better weeks, it was well over 50,000 visits. The commentors on my silly blogs were highly active, and it wouln't have been a problem getting a lot more.

This was before I ever got interested in building my own silly site. I ended up deleting my account on MySpace (doh!), and swore it off.

Then I decided to try to make a little site maybe a month ago. So I started searching for software, hosting, etc. I made my silly little site as an experiment. My goal was to learn everything about building a site and driving traffic as quickly as possible. Lord was I ever asking for a headache!

Until 3 weeks ago, I had never even heard of SEO. I had no idea that you really have to do a lot to drive traffic. On MySpace, it just came naturally for me. My silly blog there rose from nothing to at least 500 viewers a day within maybe 2 weeks. In fact, I did a lot to keep the traffic down because most of those folks went nuts on many blogs. It was like managing a bunch of maniacs.

Well, then I decide to try this website experiment. Suddenly I find out that you need to build a bunch of backlinks to really get anywhere. But how in the heck does a new site build backlinks? I read up on article submission, directories, news releases, etc, but all of these sounded like a lot of work.

That's when I remembered a technique that some spammers used to use on me every once in a while on MySpace. When a blog got a ton of traffic, I would get these pests that would do a certain thing, and 9 times out of 10 I would let their comment remain. Normally, I just deleted all spam comments immediately, but a few folks knew how to do it right with a little twist.

The little twist requires deception. Not a huge "your house is on fire" kind of lie, but it's certainly not the truth.

I decided to test it for myself to see if other bloggers were suckers like I used to be. I went to some very respectable .org and .edu blogs where the comments are moderated. On half of them, I just left a normal, polite, and theme oriented comment with an anchored text backlink. On these, I found that almost every comment did not make it past the moderator.

I then tried this twist/ lie on the other half. Guess what? Almost every single one of them allowed my comment to be posted.

With the honest approach, it was a HUGE waste of time. With the deceptive approach, the payoff is great for creating very respectable .org and .edu backlinks where the blog is moderated.

So my question to you is this: Would you lie to get these .org and .edu backlinks? The same question could be asked for any .com blog that is very popular, but the comments are moderated.

I guess this is just an ethical seo question. I'm honestly not sure if I will really use it myself. Maybe that's why I am asking it here.

P.S. No, I am not selling anything. I am not giving anything. I just wanted to see what you all thought.

:O)

 

Well I guess it depends on exactly what you have to do, and the possible outcome. Is it worth it?

 

.edu .org links are really better but there are different ways to get them without any kind of a fraud

 

I would not lie to get any link. I believe strongly in karma.

 

You may want to read this DP thread from Google's own Matt Cutts about .edu and .gov sites.

 

Well, since links are just links getting links is getting links.

I would have to know how deceptive you really have to be I guess.

 

What do you mean? Make some fake sob-story up or something?

 

There's nothing special about .ORG domains - there are no restrictions on registration and can be used for any purpose.

.EDU in my experience are definitely very valuable, but there are plenty of legitimate ways of acquiring them.

 

I *already have* lied to get a few, if I remember correctly.

BTW - .orgs are nothing special, norfstar is right.

 

It would depend on just what kind of deception you are talking about. As far as the .org domains, they aren't anything all that special... The .edu and .gov sites would probably be the ones you mean I think.

 

Do you think what is most factor to get approve links from .org and .edu?

 

Yes...

But a little white one.

 

I'd try to justify it as much as possible, and if I couldn't come up with enough reasoning to convince myself that I'm doing the right thing, then no!

For instance, somebody gave me a small list of gov/edu blogs, I browsed through them and then I decided I had something to contribute on a wildlife topic, so.....?

PS. I try to give respect to all. I hate (blatant, free riding) spammers...