Paying for links?
Ok, so google will put you on the top of their SL if you pay for links back to your site. It is the ultimate SEO forbidden fruit. But what about directory listings? Aren’t they a form of paid links? I have a brand new site and I think one of the best ways to get traget traffic is to get listed on as many directories as possible. Most of these directories charge you for listing. I just paid yahoo 0, and botw.org to list my site in the category that was most relavant for my site. Both Yahoo and botw.org list sites on their directories without a "rel=nofollow" tag, and I can’t make them include this tag on their link to my site. Did I just coming search engine suicide?
One Response
pleeker
26 Feb 2010
Search engine suicide?
Not at all. Google’s stance on directories is clear: If there’s an element of human review involved and no guaranty you’ll be approved, you’re paying not for the link, but to have your site considered/reviewed.
If you pay to be in a directory where the payment is the only requirement to being listed, you’ve just bought a link and you risk having the link be useless.
Keep your directory submissions to those where the payment is to have your site reviewed and there’s no promise of a listing, and you have nothing to worry about in Google’s eyes. (At least today….)
Hope this helps.