Been Paying For Links? Uh Oh Google's Gonna Get You!

[whitebark]

From Google: "Google uses a number of methods to detect paid links, including algorithmic techniques. We also welcome information from our users. If you know of a site that buys or sells links, please tell us by filling out the fields below. We'll investigate your submissions, and we'll use your data to improve our algorithmic detection of paid links."

This of course opens a pandora's box of problems least of which is how do they know paid from non and what's to stop abuse of this?

Read more - Google Report PageRank Cheater

[DomainMagnate]

yeah it's a widely discussed issue now throughout the SEO community.
Basicly if google do what they say, companies like text-link-ads.com will go out of business

[whitebark]

But like any 'criminal' act - in the absence of proof - how can they prove it? And what does this mean for paid directories? Not to mention those that purchase text links on high traffic sites for the traffic - not the SEO benefit?

Right now if you want to sink a competitor you can employ this report method to go along with your google bowling exploits. By trying to 'improve' their algorithm they are leaving too many avenues for abuse.

[Acro]

It's obvious: directories that solely exist in order to stack dozens of irrelevant links to other sites will now be penalized, as well as those that apparently paid for placement. Essentially it's the same like buying & diverting traffic. And Google won't have to prove anything; they hold both the pie and the knife.

[whitebark]

And Google won't have to prove anything; they hold both the pie and the knife.

And that's what makes this so open to abuse. You simply buy a bunch of links for your competitors websites then report them for it. Moving from the second page to the first page can mean hundreds or even thousands of new visitors and $'s. Dirty trick, but very cost effective.

[harleyx]

Another poorly thought out idea in a desparate effort to stem the shitstorm that is google's deteriorating search results.

Instead of concentrating on building stronger, smarter, and up to date search algorithms that impartially rank websites, they've managed to cluster**** (oh sorry, horizontally diversify) the company much like umm.. Yahoo? did years ago.

Now instead of doing one thing really really well, they're going to do 500 things really really not very impressively at all.

Look for the next big search innovation on the horizon. It won't come from the big boys, innovation never does.

[chois]

Hmmm... What about Yahoo!??? I believe they are paid directory.

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[Focus]

Google can kiss my a$$

[DomainMagnate]

All directories are paid directories, otherwise why do directories?
As far as I've heard google hasn't start cracking on the dirs yet though

[zangief]

Google will hunt where a masses collected together for example text link middlemans , I don't think they will do it but major directory scripts may be risky too (but like yahoo quality ones take payments for reviewing your site).
But on the overall I don't like this situation google began to dictate us the rules directly.

[whitebark]

Well they are also hypocrites:

"Google Caught Selling High PageRank Links, Again
Google is buying marketshare for Google Checkout by profiling merchants who use it, and giving them free high PageRank links from Google sites. The Google Checkout blog, currently a PageRank 8 site, recently posted about the success of GolfBalls.com on their blog."
http://www.searchnewz.com/topstory/n...gainAgain.html

[marcel]

Google does not mind Directories. They stated that already. * I think they don't mind directories because directories are easy to identify and ignore. *

Google does not like link selling. * Ignore them though, it's your website *

Google won't be #1 forever. Last time I checked, the Internet existed before Google and no other search engine supports Google's campaign against paid links

[FuseFX]

Old news. And there are so many ways to circumvent detection. Hint -- think about contextual links in content area.