Google To Penalize Sites That Pay For Links

[ellan]

Ok, I got it=) I really misunderstood.

[lukeatme7]

dotcomdesigns,

thanks for this post. i was looking for this answer today and timely i came across this forum. i don't own a directory yet but use it a lot in my seo job. i was hesitant to upgrade links thinking about that google will penalize paid directories making my money just go down the drain.

[rallen]

Glancing through this thread I didn't see the following, which comes straight from the horses mouth:

Why should I report paid links to Google?

Google and most other search engines use links to determine reputation. A site's ranking in Google search results is partly based on analysis of those sites that link to it. Link-based analysis is an extremely useful way of measuring a site's value, and has greatly improved the quality of web search. Both the quantity and, more importantly, the quality of links count towards this rating.

However, some SEOs and webmasters engage in the practice of buying and selling links that pass PageRank, disregarding the quality of the links, the sources, and the long-term impact it will have on their sites. Buying or selling links that pass PageRank is in violation of Google's webmaster guidelines and can negatively impact a site's ranking in search results.

Not all paid links violate our guidelines. Buying and selling links is a normal part of the economy of the web when done for advertising purposes, and not for manipulation of search results. Links purchased for advertising should be designated as such. This can be done in several ways, such as:

* Adding a rel="nofollow" attribute to the <a> tag
* Redirecting the links to an intermediate page that is blocked from search engines with a robots.txt file

Google works hard to ensure that it fully discounts links intended to manipulate search engine results, such excessive link exchanges and purchased links that pass PageRank. If you see a site that is buying or selling links that pass PageRank, let us know.We’ll use your information to improve our algorithmic detection of such links.

[rallen]

Originally Posted by SkGold

The most people are using directories for only one purpose - getting valid SEO friendly back links. By using rel="nofollow" you are going to make the directory absolutely useless for majority of sites owners.

My experience has been different. The only thing my paying and potential customers are concerned about is the amount of traffic I am going to send to their site. Not a one has ever expressed any concern over the intermediate page I use.

[SkGold]

Originally Posted by rallen

My experience has been different. The only thing my paying and potential customers are concerned about is the amount of traffic I am going to send to their site. Not a one has ever expressed any concern over the intermediate page I use.

Directory can send you useful traffic only if this directory is very small niche directory and has big traffic by itself.

Show me at least one directory, especially general directory, that could send me at least 10 unique visitors per day. For my almost 10 years experience in SEO field I used thousands and thousands different directories and NO one can send 10 uniques per day (especially this days), even the very popular as Yahoo or Business. 8 years ago Yahoo and Business could do it, but not now. Majority of directories made for SEO and PR, otherwise they useless.

Post your URL here or if you don’t want to post, PM me. If you really can send real traffic I will use it for myself and for my clients. But honestly it is hard to believe.

[seo_marketing]

How can google find out who is paying for link and who is not.

[dotcomdesigns]

Originally Posted by seo_marketing

How can google find out who is paying for link and who is not.

I read somewhere that their algorithm will look for pages selling links. I.E pages that have the words 'pay, featured, sponsored' on it! It will then be obvious that the directory is selling a link.

But as quoted in the post above, Google accept that directories sell links and have to run their business. It the selling of links for PR gain they are trying to stop. If your site is full of quality content which is regularly updated and you sell links I don't think you are going to be black marked by Google.

However if all you have is a directory of link exchanging and no content then you are asking for trouble.

[seo_marketing]

Originally Posted by SkGold

Obviously Google cannot do it algorithmically (and never will)
So Matt Cutts asked people to report it.
It is when Google asking for help and the way they are doing it.

PAGE RANK is not related to SERPS . Page Rank is just like a fart which everybody can smell, but you cannot see. Here it is opposite. Page rank everybody can see, but nobody could smell the real objective of it.

If my site remains at position 1, regardless of whether I have PR1 or PR3, it makes no difference to my business.

[SkGold]

Hi seo_marketing,
Why did you quoted me in your post above? I just don’t get it. What are relations between your thoughts and that quote from me?

[jubach]

maybe google just wants to earn all the link selling business by themselves.. since directories gives a small amount of price and some are free..