The online marketing community is buzzing about the new Google PageRank (PR) update and the number of sites that are dropping PR. If you are a seasoned internet marketer this update creates enough problems, but those new startups with fresh sites, you have a chance to stay clear of the new line Google has drawn.
The new PR update shows evidence that Google is trying to fight link buying. Selling and buying links is a popular way to increase your PR, especially if you are a new startup that needs love from Google. The link buying process will become even more covert now that Google is penalizing sites that are buying and selling links.
Be very careful with buying and selling links as you launch your new startups site.
The last thing a startup needs is to fight a Google penalty out of the gates. As Google is turning link buying into a black hat SEO act, it would be best for young entrepreneurs to stick with white hat SEO techniques till the dust settles.
Very true….a few sites asked if they could link to one of our sites and we agreed without a second thought. Now we know better!
Comment by Yasmine — October 9, 2007 @ 10:34 pm
Yasmine,
In your comment you did not say whether or not the sites PAID for those links. If you just traded links you are not breaking this “rule”. Google is trying to stop from sites BUYING and SELLING links. How does Google know the difference between a link that is natural and link that is bought?
Comment by The Hustle — October 9, 2007 @ 10:50 pm
I have seen Google ads on the internet asking users to report sites that offer payment for links. (Sorry I can’t remember where I saw this, but it was in the past month.) We once (some time ago now) offered payment to users who would recommend and secure a link to another site for us. I presume Google would consider this the same as us paying directly for a link?
Comment by Nathan — October 10, 2007 @ 12:17 am
Nathan,
Google wont know if there is a middle man in the link buying process. The best they can do currently is see the links on a page they “assume” are paid and where they link to (your site). I believe, but not positive, that they are going after those that sell the links.
Comment by The Hustle — October 10, 2007 @ 8:57 am
Startups also need to be wary of becoming overly dependent on Google for customers.
A cautionary tale: http://smartstartup.typepad.com/my_weblog/2007/07/a-fable-doing-b.html
Comment by Peter — October 10, 2007 @ 3:03 pm