cfpa
Joined: Oct 20, 2006
# Posts: 203
|
Posted: 02/06/2007 12:55 pm
Okay so our SEO recommended that - on our resource page - we put a link to a site w this description: Provides natural sexual health supplements to enhance male libido and restore sexual energy.
Bear in mind that we are a technical training company with a great reputation. How could they recommend we link to this site? What should I do? Is this something that could ban us from Goggle?
|
 |
SportsGuy
Moderator
Joined: Aug 30, 2002
# Posts: 3550
|
Posted: 02/06/2007 12:58 pm
Don't do it.
Chances are they are being paid by "that other company" to link build for them, and they make these recommendations to every client to try to help that other link building campaign.
...or some semblance of that idea anyway.
Bottom line is this:
Unless the resources is useful to your users in a relevant way, don't list it. This is a clear mis-match.
Tell them it's not going to happen.
PS - there's very little, if any, value given to YOU from YOUR outgoing links to other sites.
Best case, folks think it was a typo, worst case it'll damage your credibility and rankings.
Almost forgot - one link like this won't get you banned from Google, but the spider will look at you funny, and really, who wants that? 
|
|
cfpa
Joined: Oct 20, 2006
# Posts: 203
|
Posted: 02/06/2007 01:01 pm
This is just the 10th mistake from our SEO co but I think we are trapped in this contract. This is a revised resource page--the first one was terrible and this one is just as bad. This is a nightmare.
|
|
cfpa
Joined: Oct 20, 2006
# Posts: 203
|
Posted: 02/06/2007 01:32 pm
Also a lot of the sites they are recommending we link to have something on their resource page about if you want to link with us, click here. How do the spiders view that? Would these sites be considered link farms?
|
|
excell
Moderator
Joined: Mar 19, 2001
# Posts: 14495
|
Posted: 02/06/2007 05:55 pm
They could be considered low quality - it depends on the contents and linking patterns...
As a suggestion - research for your own links with the view of providing quality resources for your visitors benefit. Write unique titles and descriptions for each (in other words - spend some time and care).
After launch - simply e-mail the websites you have chosen and let them know you have linked to them as a resource.
Ask them to check the description for accuracy and give them information that would be useful in case they would like to reciprocate. (URL title & unique description)
If they do not reciprocate then do not remove their link - it has been added as a quality resource!
|
|
SportsGuy
Moderator
Joined: Aug 30, 2002
# Posts: 3550
|
Posted: 02/07/2007 05:45 am
Honestly cfpa, you may simply need to bite the bullet and walk away from this seo firm. based on your posts, they sound incompetent.
Worse, based on your info, it appears they are trying to get you to do things that won't benefit you, but might benefit others.
|
|
cfpa
Joined: Oct 20, 2006
# Posts: 203
|
Posted: 02/07/2007 05:54 am
Trust me I absolutely want to walk away from them - but it's not up to me. All I can do is inform the decision makers about the poor quality work from the SEO and recommend that we walk away. I don't think that will happen though. I'm just scared we will get banned from the engines bec this company is doing something they shouldn't be doing.
|
|
SportsGuy
Moderator
Joined: Aug 30, 2002
# Posts: 3550
|
Posted: 02/07/2007 06:12 am
Collect the info on what he's recommending.
Balance that with info on what those recommendations may lead to.
Ask the decision makers if that's the route they want the site to go in.
...as for the contract, read it carefully. Plus, as the company paying the fee, you CAN ask to renegotiate the contract. he can say no, but you can also point out the wrong advice he's given, ask him to reconsider or you can see him in small claims court.
I personally would be investing money into my lawyer to void the contract for me. The services are with errors and in some cases, either non-productive, or borderline detrimental.
There's no contract in the world that will hold up if the work performed willingly hurts the client.
|
|
cfpa
Joined: Oct 20, 2006
# Posts: 203
|
Posted: 02/07/2007 06:27 am
Thanks Sportsguy..I'll try that and see what happens.
I just want to collect some things that their recommendations may lead to...putting those bad links on our resource page could ban us from google or just hurt our rankings? The copy with all the errors would result in us looking bad.
I'm just thinking if there is anything more concrete...
|
|
excell
Moderator
Joined: Mar 19, 2001
# Posts: 14495
|
Posted: 02/07/2007 07:10 am
We offer general opinion on what works for us from experience or from our own knowledge base.
Nothing that is posted in a forum can be used as evidence as it is purely the posters opinion.
Without fully studying the situation and all of the facts casual advice should be treated within the context in which it is given.
You would be needing an expert witness to do a detailed report for presentation to a court of law and for such details you should see your lawyer (who should have a full understanding of the subject matter).
|
|
SportsGuy
Moderator
Joined: Aug 30, 2002
# Posts: 3550
|
Posted: 02/07/2007 07:16 am
Very true excel.
cfpa - to try to answer your original question, would that link get you banned or bumped down in the serps:
In all likelihood, no, that one link wouldn't change much on it's own. But, there are so many other factors that come into play, that it could just as easily have an actual affect on you.
IMO, the perspective is from the "how does it reflect on your company" angle.
In the end, if you are not the decision maker, and that person wants to implement the suggestions however off-base they may seem, well, it's beyond your contract and responsibility.
As excel alluded to, a well-versed lawyer is your best asset in this case.
|
|
bhartzer
Administrator
Joined: Jun 08, 2000
# Posts: 7033
|
Posted: 02/07/2007 09:59 am
Okay so our SEO recommended that - on our resource page - we put a link to a site
cfpa, when I read that far in the sentence I didn't need to read further. I would stay far away from anyone who calls themself an "SEO" and still is recommending having a "resource page" or "links page" on your site.
Having a "resource page" or "links page" on a site is not only unprofessional, it's getting very close to being something that violates the search engines' acceptable guidelines: don't do anything to 'game' the search engine rankings.
|
|
cfpa
Joined: Oct 20, 2006
# Posts: 203
|
Posted: 02/07/2007 01:38 pm
Having a "resource page" or "links page" on a site is not only unprofessional, it's getting very close to being something that violates the search engines' acceptable guidelines: don't do anything to 'game' the search engine rankings.
I know this SEO stinks, but I am very surpried that a resource page is considered unprofessional and something that violates the search engines. If we are providing resources to quality sites, I thought that was good. SEOs that I know are reputable do links. Is this something new?
From a rebutable SEO:
Link building is a critical component of any premium search engine optimization service, increasing the site’s relevance and ranking.
|
|
excell
Moderator
Joined: Mar 19, 2001
# Posts: 14495
|
Posted: 02/07/2007 03:49 pm
Link building (networking) for the right reasons is a good thing and always will be. As with all good things - as a practice and a concept it can become twisted and abused. It is the abuse or useless misuse by many that has given even the most innocent the need to be cautious in this area these days.
The days of linking to and from other sites is not over - it is the intent, the method and the conditions that one needs to examine.
|
|
JQ
Insider
Joined: Mar 11, 2001
# Posts: 2678
|
Posted: 02/07/2007 08:51 pm
Bear in mind that we are a technical training company with a great reputation.
As an end user and potential customer, if I went to your site and found links to such things, I would high-tail it out of there, figuring that if you're desperate enough to advertise such things, your business must not be very good that you'd have to link to garbage like that for a few pennies.
As stated, don't link to anything that doesn't add value for your customers/clients.
|
|
bhartzer
Administrator
Joined: Jun 08, 2000
# Posts: 7033
|
Posted: 02/08/2007 05:23 am
Link building is a critical component
Link building is critical. Trading links and exchanging links is not recommended because it's doing something to manipulate search engine rankings.
Focus on getting one-way links to your site and not "trading links" by adding resource pages or links pages or whatever you want to call it.
|
|
cfpa
Joined: Oct 20, 2006
# Posts: 203
|
Posted: 02/08/2007 05:32 am
I've been reading about linking building best practices and I keep seeing something about anchor text. How does this relate to tricking the search engines? And also how exactly do you implement anchor text? Thanks.
|
|
SportsGuy
Moderator
Joined: Aug 30, 2002
# Posts: 3550
|
Posted: 02/08/2007 05:34 am
I'm going to come to the defense of the poor "Resource Page" here...
Provided such a page is truly and legitimately an actual resource page, it's a useful addition for users.
No one website will be everything users need, so having a dedicated page with outgoing link to other quality websites the users might find useful is just good juju.
Now, as mentioned above, the problem arises when you're exchanging links with folks on this page - that can queer the deal.
On on of my websites I have a resource page. It links out to suppliers, manufacturers, retailers and such for all manner of related accessories and parts. I have sections broken out at a state level, and it other cases the list is short enough to fill only a few lines on the page. The entire page is alphabetized, so if you want to find someone selling "bumpers" for example, look under the "B"'s...
Fast forward a year+ and I still chase no links - I build content and move forward - the links follow.
So, a resource page is fine, IMO, if it is, in fact, truly a resource page and not a catchall page of recip'd links.
|
|
cfpa
Joined: Oct 20, 2006
# Posts: 203
|
Posted: 02/08/2007 05:47 am
Hey Sportsguy--I just looked on your website--I didn't even notice that there was a link. Anyway I am reading about link building and noticed this statement
12 - Vary the anchor text in the text link and vary where users land - don’t just use your site’s name and drop everyone to the index page, in other words. Use keywords to direct people to relevant content within your site.
My question is : Does this relate to the people who have a link to your site from their site? Or does it relate to my site linking to other sites. I'm assuming the former bec it might be difficult to use my keywords in descriptions about other sites but I'm not sure. If it's the latter how would you get the other sites to not only have a link to you but to have your keywords in it the way you want.
EDITED BECAUSE I DIDN'T READ FAR ENOUGH
|
|
cfpa
Joined: Oct 20, 2006
# Posts: 203
|
Posted: 02/08/2007 05:57 am
Can I post a resource page I have a question about? Just something I found online that is confusing me about anchor text. This relates to my previous post.
I am looking at the resource page of an Internet Marketing co and they are using their keywords as anchor text to other sites. But based on your advice, Sportsguy, this is on outbound links, not inbound links.
|
|
