| Many SEO professionals get annoyed by these theories being perpetuated on the Internet because potential clients get bad information resulting in sloppy business.
I've been doing SEO pre-Google, since 1997 and have relied entirely on organic rankings which yield multiple Christmas season affiliate sales in the $500-$600k range. When areas like these are believed (the -950 penalty, TLD preference, etc.), part of me is annoyed, and part of me happy that much of my competition is still so far behind.
I have no proof, only logic. But I'm fairly confident this has been officially responded to by Google or Matt Cutts recently, I just don't have the post right now to prove it. Between Google Groups, Matt Cutts blogs, Search Engine conferences, and Google Webmaster Q&A section... there is a LOT of areas to dig for official responses.
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Kyle |