The recent SearchKing case illustrates how much the issue of links and search engines, in particular the perception of Google's use of links, has gotten out of hand. For many, the original reason of linking has been lost out of the desire to simply do whatever they believe Google might like.
All major crawler-based search engines leverage links from across of the web, but none of them report a static "importance" score in the way Google does via its Google Toolbar. That score, while a great resource for surfers, has also provided one of the few windows into how Google ranks web pages. Some webmasters, desperate to get inside Google, keep flying into that window like confused birds, smacking their heads and losing their orientation.
As illustrated in my Google Sued Over PageRank Decrease article, site owners are using the toolbar to find "good" sites that they should get links from, regardless of the fact that link context is also important, not to mention many, many other factors that are used by Google to rank a web page. Other site owners, getting a gray PR0 toolbar for their site, immediate assume the worst, that they've been blacklisted.
Enough, please, enough. Forget the Google Toolbar meter. Forget about worrying over "good" links and "bad" links according to Google. Just forget Google, when it comes to link building. Instead, here are my "Three Golden Rules Of Link Building" which I hope will restore some clarity to those feeling lost.
Rule 1 - Get links from web pages that are read by the audience you want
Here's an example. One site owner I spoke with recently asked whether he should get a link from an Open Directory category that seemed appropriate for his site. The problem? It was "only" a PR2 page, as rated by Google. My advice. So what! Did he think the audience he wanted might read that page? If so, good link! Try to get it.
Rule 2 - Buy links if visitors that come solely from the link will justify the cost
Sometimes, you may have purchase a link. That's fine -- people want to earn of their web sites. The issue is more about why are you buying the link? For search engine ranking purposes or to get traffic directly off the link?
For example, one person posting to a forum in August spoke of having paid to get listed in Yahoo for the "PR2" value in it. If that's why the purchase was made, it was poorly decided. The listing in Yahoo should have been purchased because the person felt it was going to be worthwhile in terms of the traffic solely that Yahoo would send to them, not because he thought it would help with Google. Maybe it might help with Google, but if so, that would be the icing on the cake.
Rule 3 - Link to sites because you want your visitors to know about them
The first two rules cover "inbound" links, those aimed at your site. The third rule covers "outbound" links, those that lead out from your site. Some people have believed that linking to "good" sites will boost them in rankings, which is an absurd thought, if you think it through. Since anyone can add a link to "good" sites, it's an easy mechanism that could be used to manipulate search engines.
A more growing concern is that outbound links could possibly hurt your web site. Several of the crawlers have made statements that linking to "bad" sites might be harmful to your rankings, and Google's has been especially vocal about this, I would say.
So what if you accidentally link to something a search engine thinks is bad? The Google Sued Over PageRank Decrease article examines this issue more. But in general, you probably don't need to worry about this. That's because if you have a variety of good sites pointing at you, you've got a pretty good reputation and one that's unlikely to be harmed because you link out to a "bad" site accidentally.
In the end, if it makes sense to tell the type of visitors you have about a link, you are really unlikely to be pointing to something that will hurt you in Google and other search engines.
Link Building Tips
Need more advice on actually building links? Our Search Engine Placement Tips page has a summary of the simple way to do this. For Search Engine Watch members, the Link Analysis & Link Building page provides an in-depth look at appropriate link building, along with much more information on how search engines measure links and a round-up of articles and resources on the issue.
Save up to $400! Register now for SES New York 2012, the Leading Search & Social Marketing Event, taking place March 19-23. Google's Digital Marketing Evangelist Avinash Kaushik will keynote. Hurry, pre-agenda rate expires March 2!
