I wish to draw your attention to a seriously deceptive item in Google Webmaster Guidelines:
- Submit your site to relevant directories such as the Open Directory Project and Yahoo!, as well as to other industry-specific expert sites.
As you know, most popular directories as well as Industry-specific expert sites charge for listing URLs. I.e we are talking about PAID LINKS!
We know also for sure by now that Google has been hitting very hard on links sellers and buyers; drop in TBPR, drop in ranking and accordingly drop in Google’s referrals.
And we know for sure, Google has strongly warned of listing URL’s in UNTRUSTED directories and UNTRUSTED Industry-specific expert sites.
However because Google hasn’t specified, until this moment, which kind of directories and Industry-specific expert sites they consider TRUSTED, you as publisher will undertake a very big risk in submitting your URLs to any directory (else than Yahoo) or any Industry-specific expert sites.
In fact you can’t be sure at all whether those directories and those industry-specific expert sites you are submitting your URLs to are considered TRUSTED by Google. And accordingly you might subject your site(s) to Google’s Paid Links penalties and to being considered as a paid links spammer in Google’s book.
If we are supposed to follow Google Webmaster Guidelines, it is of crucial importance for us as publisher to demand from Google to post within the same Webmaster Guideline clear specifications of the directories and Industry-specific expert sites that Google considers TRUSTED!
7 Comments
- Submit your site to relevant directories such as the Open Directory Project and Yahoo!, as well as to other industry-specific expert sites.
As you know, most popular directories as well as Industry-specific expert sites charge for listing URLs. I.e we are talking about PAID LINKS!
We know also for sure by now that Google has been hitting very hard on links sellers and buyers; drop in TBPR, drop in ranking and accordingly drop in Google’s referrals.
And we know for sure, Google has strongly warned of listing URL’s in UNTRUSTED directories and UNTRUSTED Industry-specific expert sites.
However because Google hasn’t specified, until this moment, which kind of directories and Industry-specific expert sites they consider TRUSTED, you as publisher will undertake a very big risk in submitting your URLs to any directory (else than Yahoo) or any Industry-specific expert sites.
In fact you can’t be sure at all whether those directories and those industry-specific expert sites you are submitting your URLs to are considered TRUSTED by Google. And accordingly you might subject your site(s) to Google’s Paid Links penalties and to being considered as a paid links spammer in Google’s book.
If we are supposed to follow Google Webmaster Guidelines, it is of crucial importance for us as publisher to demand from Google to post within the same Webmaster Guideline clear specifications of the directories and Industry-specific expert sites that Google considers TRUSTED!
7 Comments
Comments
HarithSometimes, I feel sorry for those people who are not aware of these things. Some of them who have read about links, submiting to Directories years before, still try to get links (Paid or non Paid) thinking that they are increasing the visibility of their site. I try my best to inform those who still follow those rules. Yes as you mentioned, If these guidelines are posted somewhere officially, that will be a good place to refer them to, Since they will Trust the guidelines than anyone just informing.I am Sure Matt Cutts will try to do his BestCheersSuresh
Until Google starts actually taking action on the site that is buying links I don’t think buying/getting directory links is necessarily dangerous. It may be a waste of time but it will not have a negative impact on your site. Most likely there will be no impact whatsoever. Right now the link sellers/directories are bearing the brunt of Google’s campaign and the fact is if they start whacking those who are buying the links they will open themselves to some serious issues. After all if they start penalizing those buying directory links there will be plenty of unscrupulous people who will start buying these links for their competitors.
Suresh"I am Sure Matt Cutts will try to do his Best"Amen!====================mpilatow"Right now the link sellers/directories are bearing the brunt of Google’s campaign and the fact is if they start whacking those who are buying the links they will open themselves to some serious issues."Of course buyers of paid listings of URLs from those directories would be penalized too. Here is what Google Webmaster Guidelines say about both the sellers and buyers of paid links:"However, some SEOs and webmasters engage in the practice of buying and selling links that pass PageRank, disregarding the quality of the links, the sources, and the long-term impact it will have on their sites. Buying or selling links that pass PageRank is in violation of Google’s webmaster guidelines and can negatively impact a site’s ranking in search results."Its therefore of most importance to ask Google to specify which kind of directories and Industry-specific expert sites it considers TRUSTED. That would allow publishers to submit their URLs only to trusted directories and trusted Industry-specific expert sites.
Hi HarithWas looking at the Stats and found out that Google also Indexes and ranks Sphinn Submits within few Hours, I saw this post within a short period of time Since you added this post:http://www.google.com/search?q=google+webmaster+guidelines&hl=en&rlz=1T4ADBF_enUS221US221&start=10&sa=N
SureshThanks for the find. Lets hope the high ranking of this thread on Google will make the problem more visible for the folks at GooglePlex ;-)
Good points Harith. It seems to me that Google is being deliberately unclear on this. If ever there’s a seriously viable alternative to Google, I think we’ll all be there like a shot don’t you?
skinner"It seems to me that Google is being deliberately unclear on this."Agreed! And therefore, publishers would be subjected to big risks if they follow those unclear unspecified Google Webmaster Guidelines.