pageoneresults - 4:56 pm on Jan 29, 2007 (gmt 0)

One more comment on this topic and then I'm done in this thread.. when you make a statement such as the one I quoted above, its an indicator that you believe link development is a search engine optimization function.

When I see topics such as this, it is usually a function of SEO. And, when we get software/programs in the mix for managing links, it is surely a function of SEO.

Thats part of the problem with those who believe "this methodology .. has long fallen prey to google's algo". Linking should never be conducted as an SEO function. Linking (when done correctly) is a traffic and branding function.

Tell me how one brands themselves in this type of environment? How does my brand stand a chance mixed in with hundreds, if not thousands of other links in a link directory. Where is the value of that for me from a brand perspective? I don't see any...

Forget about page rank and SEO when making linking decisions. If a quality site very much related to your own wants to exchange links with yours, and their site has low PR because their site is new, why ignore a quality link opportunity from that site?

You wouldn't. But, if you have to set up a links directory at /links/ and they have one at /links/ then this is most likely an SEO function and not one for building brand.

And, Google has done an excellent job of purging and devaluing links from these types of resources.