The very reason i have starting ignoring text link buyers on my blog, because i have found the other pay per click programs and top affiliate programs are converting better on all my websites. These steps were taken because Google is searching, tracking and penalising all the text link sellers, text link buyers, text link brokers who are doing this business especially for gaining page rank and serps.
All of these websites are being punished in many ways :
Example : Linkvault.com which was a famous website among webmasters is almost dead now because all of their indexed pages are dropped now and is a clear example of google penalty.
Example : Alivedirectory.com does not even rank for the keyword “Alive Directory” because google caught up their sitewide links placed to other directories/clients websites just to boost the PR and make money from selling text link advertisements.
Some Examples :
- TNX.net - A Text Links Broker Company which helps you in buying or selling text links does not rank for their own keyword TNX Text Link Revolution
- Text-Link-Ads - Another old Links marketing company which offers the same service is also penalised and does not rank for their own website name - Text Link Ads
- Stanford Daily - A newspaper daily sells footer links on their website and got penalised with their page rank moving from a high page rank 9 to a page rank 5 now.
- StatCounter - A free counter service website which used to be a PR10 because of all the backlinks they used to get from their users got a huge page rank drop to a PR6 because they sold sitewide links on their sidebar at a amount of 200-2500$/month/link.
# Google Links: 2870000
# Yahoo Links: 50484612
# MSN Links: 24786424
# Total Links: 78141055
There are tonnes of many more websites which were filtered by google in different ways and they need to stop their text link selling practices now. The best places to advertise is now adwords, adbrite, direct banner adverting or other pay per click advertising companies and the best advice for everyone of you would be to stop selling text link ads on your website before you guys get your own websites penalised by the gaint google.
November 7th, 2007 at 5:23 am
Nice Updates there, TNX.net is really being promoted a lot these days, really sad to see them penalized.
I think that Google is only allowing us to sell text links with the no-follow attribute, which I think that no on will buy.
November 7th, 2007 at 5:41 am
This move by Google will get more quality sites made. With text links not important anymore, emphasis would be given on content and quality websites.
November 7th, 2007 at 7:39 am
This is really stern but very good step taken by Google. Thanks for the updates. However, I am curious about sites exchanging links or sites just linking to other sites for free. Are they too come under Google’s ill retreat.
November 7th, 2007 at 7:51 am
A good way is to put rel=nofollow to paid text link ads…i.e. link for traffic not for SERP Google also recommends it
I also have quit selling textlink ads for PR purpose..
November 7th, 2007 at 10:56 am
Hmm so this means no mor buying and selling links. Well I dnt think I wil stop selling but will stop buying
November 7th, 2007 at 11:05 am
Anurag if you continue selling / buying text links get ready for the penalty too
November 8th, 2007 at 7:50 pm
Nice step u took… though Txt link ad is going weird…