Comments on: Google vs. Paid Links http://www.vanseodesign.com/google/google-vs-paid-links/ Helping you build search engine friendly websites Tue, 16 Mar 2010 04:30:06 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9 hourly 1 By: Steven Bradley http://www.vanseodesign.com/google/google-vs-paid-links/comment-page-1/#comment-622 Steven Bradley Wed, 23 May 2007 00:45:20 +0000 http://www.vanseodesign.com/blog/uncategorized/google-vs-paid-links/#comment-622 I wish I had an answer for you. If I had to guess I'd think Google would view affiliate links in the same sense as they would paid links to the degree that neither is really a citation or recommendation for the site. The difference though, would be that affiliate links are probably used less to manipulate search results. People usually don't set up affiliate programs for the links so Google might not take as much of a stand against them. Even if paid links don't pass any juice they still have value. People do click on those links and sites were buying and selling links before we learned how important search engines could be. An in content link from a popular site with a topic related to yours should drive targeted traffic to your site. You're right though, about Google being happy with us all buying AdWords and there's a lot of people who think that's really why they are so against paid links. I think it's generally the manipulation they want to prevent, but some see Google as wanting to be in control of all advertising online. I wish I had an answer for you. If I had to guess I’d think Google would view affiliate links in the same sense as they would paid links to the degree that neither is really a citation or recommendation for the site.

The difference though, would be that affiliate links are probably used less to manipulate search results. People usually don’t set up affiliate programs for the links so Google might not take as much of a stand against them.

Even if paid links don’t pass any juice they still have value. People do click on those links and sites were buying and selling links before we learned how important search engines could be. An in content link from a popular site with a topic related to yours should drive targeted traffic to your site.

You’re right though, about Google being happy with us all buying AdWords and there’s a lot of people who think that’s really why they are so against paid links. I think it’s generally the manipulation they want to prevent, but some see Google as wanting to be in control of all advertising online.

]]> By: Richard V. Burckhardt http://www.vanseodesign.com/google/google-vs-paid-links/comment-page-1/#comment-621 Richard V. Burckhardt Tue, 22 May 2007 16:45:40 +0000 http://www.vanseodesign.com/blog/uncategorized/google-vs-paid-links/#comment-621 I'm curious to know if spider-friendly affiliate links are going to start being considered something like paid links. Most affiliate programs do some sort of redirect, but there are newer companies springing up that make the link a direct link. And, of course, if buying a paid link from one of the current paid link companies isn't going to bring that much traffic OR pass any link juice, what's the point? You might as well buy Adwords, which I'm sure would make Google very happy. ;-) I’m curious to know if spider-friendly affiliate links are going to start being considered something like paid links. Most affiliate programs do some sort of redirect, but there are newer companies springing up that make the link a direct link.

And, of course, if buying a paid link from one of the current paid link companies isn’t going to bring that much traffic OR pass any link juice, what’s the point? You might as well buy Adwords, which I’m sure would make Google very happy.
;-)

]]> By: Steven Bradley http://www.vanseodesign.com/google/google-vs-paid-links/comment-page-1/#comment-620 Steven Bradley Wed, 18 Apr 2007 21:34:24 +0000 http://www.vanseodesign.com/blog/uncategorized/google-vs-paid-links/#comment-620 Halfdeck and Adam - thanks for the links. I've added both to my list in the post above. As far as the amount of anti-Google posts it's just what I found. It wasn't done on purpose and I'd hoped to find more of a balance. I'm of the opinion that most people are over reacting to things. My suspicion is many are heavily engaged in link buying practices and hence their reaction. As long as Google doesn't take things too far I don't really see a big problem. It's their algorithm and they can do what they want. My guess is the reports are just to get some sample sites as seeds or to test how their algorithms are working. Matt I agree. We really don't know what's going to come of this, but still people are making assumptions about what's coming. We could probably come up with quite a few reasons for why Matt Cutts posted as he did and what his motivations are. And I think you're right that the attention has a lot to do with the passion people feel about se and the growth of the industry. Whether that's good or not I don't know. It's good that more people know about seo, but I'd also like to see them get a good message of what seo is all about. Sometimes all the news is people fighting within the community. Halfdeck and Adam – thanks for the links. I’ve added both to my list in the post above. As far as the amount of anti-Google posts it’s just what I found. It wasn’t done on purpose and I’d hoped to find more of a balance. I’m of the opinion that most people are over reacting to things. My suspicion is many are heavily engaged in link buying practices and hence their reaction.

As long as Google doesn’t take things too far I don’t really see a big problem. It’s their algorithm and they can do what they want. My guess is the reports are just to get some sample sites as seeds or to test how their algorithms are working.

Matt I agree. We really don’t know what’s going to come of this, but still people are making assumptions about what’s coming. We could probably come up with quite a few reasons for why Matt Cutts posted as he did and what his motivations are.

And I think you’re right that the attention has a lot to do with the passion people feel about se and the growth of the industry. Whether that’s good or not I don’t know. It’s good that more people know about seo, but I’d also like to see them get a good message of what seo is all about. Sometimes all the news is people fighting within the community.

]]> By: Matt Stoddart http://www.vanseodesign.com/google/google-vs-paid-links/comment-page-1/#comment-619 Matt Stoddart Wed, 18 Apr 2007 15:27:35 +0000 http://www.vanseodesign.com/blog/uncategorized/google-vs-paid-links/#comment-619 There is definitely a lot of knee-jerking going on and there is without question more to this story than we know. Could Matt Cutts be 'wagging the dog' as he's often been accused of? Yes. Could he legitimately be asking for assistance to test out some new techniques to improve Google's SPAM patrol? Sure. What's great is the amount of attention this is getting and it directly reflects the growth and passion of this still-fledgling industry. To me, it's all good news...no matter what comes of it. There is definitely a lot of knee-jerking going on and there is without question more to this story than we know. Could Matt Cutts be ‘wagging the dog’ as he’s often been accused of? Yes. Could he legitimately be asking for assistance to test out some new techniques to improve Google’s SPAM patrol? Sure.

What’s great is the amount of attention this is getting and it directly reflects the growth and passion of this still-fledgling industry. To me, it’s all good news…no matter what comes of it.

]]> By: SEFL http://www.vanseodesign.com/google/google-vs-paid-links/comment-page-1/#comment-618 SEFL Wed, 18 Apr 2007 14:33:14 +0000 http://www.vanseodesign.com/blog/uncategorized/google-vs-paid-links/#comment-618 Agreed with Halfdeck. A lot of the reaction is strictly kneejerk, emotionally biased, and silly at best. There is another side to this equation, and a side that generally speaking makes much more sense. http://www.seobuzzbox.com/revisiting-paid-links/ Agreed with Halfdeck. A lot of the reaction is strictly kneejerk, emotionally biased, and silly at best. There is another side to this equation, and a side that generally speaking makes much more sense.

http://www.seobuzzbox.com/revisiting-paid-links/

]]> By: Halfdeck http://www.vanseodesign.com/google/google-vs-paid-links/comment-page-1/#comment-617 Halfdeck Wed, 18 Apr 2007 13:55:06 +0000 http://www.vanseodesign.com/blog/uncategorized/google-vs-paid-links/#comment-617 Too many anti Google posts and not enough balance. http://www.seo4fun.com/blog/2007/04/16/21-reasons-why-anti-nofollow-seos-cant-think-straight.html 21 Reasons Why Anti Nofollow SEOs Can't Think Straight. Enjoy. Too many anti Google posts and not enough balance.

http://www.seo4fun.com/blog/2007/04/16/21-reasons-why-anti-nofollow-seos-cant-think-straight.html

21 Reasons Why Anti Nofollow SEOs Can’t Think Straight.

Enjoy.

]]> By: Pratheep http://www.vanseodesign.com/google/google-vs-paid-links/comment-page-1/#comment-616 Pratheep Wed, 18 Apr 2007 06:48:14 +0000 http://www.vanseodesign.com/blog/uncategorized/google-vs-paid-links/#comment-616 Good study on this topic. Thanks for your notes :) Pratheep Good study on this topic. Thanks for your notes :)

Pratheep

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