Comments on: The Perfect Solution to Paid Link Disclosure http://www.soloseo.com/blog/2007/04/16/perfect-solution-paid-link-disclosure/ SEO for All Fri, 16 May 2008 03:18:36 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5 By: William seo http://www.soloseo.com/blog/2007/04/16/perfect-solution-paid-link-disclosure/#comment-13350 William seo Thu, 13 Mar 2008 06:23:03 +0000 http://www.soloseo.com/blog/2007/04/16/perfect-solution-paid-link-disclosure/#comment-13350 Hi, I do study that conversation, yes that is correct some of the people are using paid linking techniques those are not part of white hat seo: means they try to place there links with in content in order to deceive search engine by paying some amount to different web masters. Its very easy for google to disclose this type of advertisement by adding a check for this type of advertisement. Hi,

I do study that conversation, yes that is correct some of the people are using paid linking techniques those are not part of white hat seo: means they try to place there links with in content in order to deceive search engine by paying some amount to different web masters. Its very easy for google to disclose this type of advertisement by adding a check for this type of advertisement.

]]> By: Google vs. Paid Links | TheVanBlog http://www.soloseo.com/blog/2007/04/16/perfect-solution-paid-link-disclosure/#comment-11510 Google vs. Paid Links | TheVanBlog Wed, 30 Jan 2008 06:06:15 +0000 http://www.soloseo.com/blog/2007/04/16/perfect-solution-paid-link-disclosure/#comment-11510 [...] The Perfect Solution to Paid Link Disclosure [...] […] The Perfect Solution to Paid Link Disclosure […]

]]> By: Google Zigs… Let The Whining Commence. | SoloSEO Blog http://www.soloseo.com/blog/2007/04/16/perfect-solution-paid-link-disclosure/#comment-2798 Google Zigs… Let The Whining Commence. | SoloSEO Blog Wed, 18 Apr 2007 06:39:44 +0000 http://www.soloseo.com/blog/2007/04/16/perfect-solution-paid-link-disclosure/#comment-2798 [...] Now on to far less important matters. In SEO land there continues to be a conundrum concerning Google’s decision to discount the ranking influence of paid links. I wanted to throw out a few thoughts at this comparatively insignificant mess. Firstly, I must say I was impressed with Michael’s reaction to the announcement, as he took the “problem” head on from a programming standpoint. He masterfully came up with an insightful solution. The code Michael offered is an excellent way for those providing SEO services to still get the ranking results they crave from paid links, by not allowing Google to “know” they are paying for links, while it also offered full disclosure to the public (as required by law) that the link was a paid link. I really liked the solution, it was pro-active and effective. I also agree it is not our responsibility to assist a public company improve the manner in which they rank sites. If Google wants to discount the referral power of a paid link, and they feel it is better for their search clients overall, then that is exactly what they should do, but it is up to them to create the system. The public should not necessarily rush to comply with these requests and make Google’s job any easier, even if it was a good idea. Google came up with the algo which put them at the top of the search heap, so let them continue to refine their system to deliver the results they feel are most relevant to their clients, with or without the public’s help. That is Google’s original purpose as a company, to provide an algo which offered better search results than the competitors, so please Google, continue to improve your core competency. It is a simple Business 101 principle. [...] […] Now on to far less important matters. In SEO land there continues to be a conundrum concerning Google’s decision to discount the ranking influence of paid links. I wanted to throw out a few thoughts at this comparatively insignificant mess. Firstly, I must say I was impressed with Michael’s reaction to the announcement, as he took the “problem” head on from a programming standpoint. He masterfully came up with an insightful solution. The code Michael offered is an excellent way for those providing SEO services to still get the ranking results they crave from paid links, by not allowing Google to “know” they are paying for links, while it also offered full disclosure to the public (as required by law) that the link was a paid link. I really liked the solution, it was pro-active and effective. I also agree it is not our responsibility to assist a public company improve the manner in which they rank sites. If Google wants to discount the referral power of a paid link, and they feel it is better for their search clients overall, then that is exactly what they should do, but it is up to them to create the system. The public should not necessarily rush to comply with these requests and make Google’s job any easier, even if it was a good idea. Google came up with the algo which put them at the top of the search heap, so let them continue to refine their system to deliver the results they feel are most relevant to their clients, with or without the public’s help. That is Google’s original purpose as a company, to provide an algo which offered better search results than the competitors, so please Google, continue to improve your core competency. It is a simple Business 101 principle. […]

]]> By: Google vs. Paid Links - TheVanBlog http://www.soloseo.com/blog/2007/04/16/perfect-solution-paid-link-disclosure/#comment-2797 Google vs. Paid Links - TheVanBlog Wed, 18 Apr 2007 05:20:08 +0000 http://www.soloseo.com/blog/2007/04/16/perfect-solution-paid-link-disclosure/#comment-2797 [...] The Perfect Solution to Paid Link Disclosure [...] […] The Perfect Solution to Paid Link Disclosure […]

]]> By: Andy Beard http://www.soloseo.com/blog/2007/04/16/perfect-solution-paid-link-disclosure/#comment-2792 Andy Beard Tue, 17 Apr 2007 15:40:08 +0000 http://www.soloseo.com/blog/2007/04/16/perfect-solution-paid-link-disclosure/#comment-2792 It really depends on a definition of paid link and whose blog. I would estimate 50% of Matt Cutt's blog is paid links, and slightly less for Robert Scoble. PPP use a javascript badge being called through tinyURL, but I have criticised that as not working in feeds either. I typically block affiliate links using a robots.txt file these days, mainly because the cloaked pages were ranking higher than my content... oops. On my blog there are currently 3 paid posts, and a few hundred pages of unique content, but I disclose that every post I make has some kind of commercial connection. It will actually be interesting how many links you get through to this, as solutions for disclosure rarely get the same coverage as people moaning about paid links. I have had less than 20 links through to my disclosure policy plugin from within actual content, not my comments, and far less to my Disclosure Policy Feedflare which can be used almost anywhere other than Wordpress.com It really depends on a definition of paid link and whose blog.

I would estimate 50% of Matt Cutt’s blog is paid links, and slightly less for Robert Scoble.

PPP use a javascript badge being called through tinyURL, but I have criticised that as not working in feeds either.

I typically block affiliate links using a robots.txt file these days, mainly because the cloaked pages were ranking higher than my content… oops.

On my blog there are currently 3 paid posts, and a few hundred pages of unique content, but I disclose that every post I make has some kind of commercial connection.

It will actually be interesting how many links you get through to this, as solutions for disclosure rarely get the same coverage as people moaning about paid links.

I have had less than 20 links through to my disclosure policy plugin from within actual content, not my comments, and far less to my Disclosure Policy Feedflare which can be used almost anywhere other than Wordpress.com

]]> By: Jonathan street http://www.soloseo.com/blog/2007/04/16/perfect-solution-paid-link-disclosure/#comment-2790 Jonathan street Tue, 17 Apr 2007 13:24:30 +0000 http://www.soloseo.com/blog/2007/04/16/perfect-solution-paid-link-disclosure/#comment-2790 "“linky” can be changed to something else also, but essentially all that is doing is giving your other links a class so that all links have a class assigned to it and cannot be “filtered” based on having a class attribute." You might want to repeat the css attributes for linkx but with a blank image or the lack any attributes in the class could be the red flag that google detects. Other solutions would be to prevent access to the css file in robots.txt ““linky” can be changed to something else also, but essentially all that is doing is giving your other links a class so that all links have a class assigned to it and cannot be “filtered” based on having a class attribute.”

You might want to repeat the css attributes for linkx but with a blank image or the lack any attributes in the class could be the red flag that google detects.

Other solutions would be to prevent access to the css file in robots.txt

]]> By: Michael D Jensen http://www.soloseo.com/blog/2007/04/16/perfect-solution-paid-link-disclosure/#comment-2788 Michael D Jensen Tue, 17 Apr 2007 12:39:14 +0000 http://www.soloseo.com/blog/2007/04/16/perfect-solution-paid-link-disclosure/#comment-2788 Great point there, Andy. My question: What percentage of paid links are in a blog versus a "typical" web page? I know a great way to overcome this, and in a jiffy. Make a wordpress plugin that converts it to just show the image next to the link. In the option settings of the plugin you would just put in the class name (like "linkx") and what image to use. Or instead of images you could just put in some text like (p). I definitely overlooked that, thanks for your comment. Great point there, Andy.

My question: What percentage of paid links are in a blog versus a “typical” web page?

I know a great way to overcome this, and in a jiffy. Make a wordpress plugin that converts it to just show the image next to the link. In the option settings of the plugin you would just put in the class name (like “linkx”) and what image to use. Or instead of images you could just put in some text like (p).

I definitely overlooked that, thanks for your comment.

]]> By: Andy Beard http://www.soloseo.com/blog/2007/04/16/perfect-solution-paid-link-disclosure/#comment-2787 Andy Beard Tue, 17 Apr 2007 10:53:37 +0000 http://www.soloseo.com/blog/2007/04/16/perfect-solution-paid-link-disclosure/#comment-2787 I am sorry but this is a next to useless solution, because if the intent is to inform users, and 90% of users read your content in a feed, then this isn't going to show up. Even if you use inline CSS, some feed readers strip the CSS code (e.g. bloglines) I am sorry but this is a next to useless solution, because if the intent is to inform users, and 90% of users read your content in a feed, then this isn’t going to show up.

Even if you use inline CSS, some feed readers strip the CSS code (e.g. bloglines)

]]> By: If I Were Google, Here’s What I’d Do About Paid Links » Small Business SEM http://www.soloseo.com/blog/2007/04/16/perfect-solution-paid-link-disclosure/#comment-2783 If I Were Google, Here’s What I’d Do About Paid Links » Small Business SEM Tue, 17 Apr 2007 05:23:01 +0000 http://www.soloseo.com/blog/2007/04/16/perfect-solution-paid-link-disclosure/#comment-2783 [...] Michael Jensen and I were apparently thinking alike today, at least at the idea level: Is there a better way to handle this “problem”? Michael’s idea, spelled out in his post The Perfect Solution to Paid Link Disclosure, involves the creative use of CSS to make a small image appear when a user mouses over a paid link. This method will tell human users what’s paid and what’s not, without telling search engines anything. I’m not a fan because it interferes with the user experience. It’s interesting, but it obviously doesn’t solve the so-called problem from Google’s point of view. Michael is attacking this from the disclosure angle; I think disclosure is just a symptom. The real problem is at the algorithm level, and that’s where any solution has to be targeted. [...] […] Michael Jensen and I were apparently thinking alike today, at least at the idea level: Is there a better way to handle this “problem”? Michael’s idea, spelled out in his post The Perfect Solution to Paid Link Disclosure, involves the creative use of CSS to make a small image appear when a user mouses over a paid link. This method will tell human users what’s paid and what’s not, without telling search engines anything. I’m not a fan because it interferes with the user experience. It’s interesting, but it obviously doesn’t solve the so-called problem from Google’s point of view. Michael is attacking this from the disclosure angle; I think disclosure is just a symptom. The real problem is at the algorithm level, and that’s where any solution has to be targeted. […]

]]> By: Tom http://www.soloseo.com/blog/2007/04/16/perfect-solution-paid-link-disclosure/#comment-2776 Tom Mon, 16 Apr 2007 22:36:33 +0000 http://www.soloseo.com/blog/2007/04/16/perfect-solution-paid-link-disclosure/#comment-2776 You just earned a -30 ranking on this post now. If logical and rational thinking starts becoming part of the conversation between SEO's and Google experience hell will freeze over. We must remember that Google is the only large company in the world that puts everything else in front of profits. If you start showing this as a canard, they may actually have to do no evil... You just earned a -30 ranking on this post now. If logical and rational thinking starts becoming part of the conversation between SEO’s and Google experience hell will freeze over.

We must remember that Google is the only large company in the world that puts everything else in front of profits. If you start showing this as a canard, they may actually have to do no evil…

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