crobb305 - 4:19 pm on Oct 6, 2006 (gmt 0)

I think we're playing with words here.

I agree. Arguing semantics. Comes down to "Building" trust or "lacking" trust, and the [variable] period of time where a new site is being monitored for either has been dubbed "sandbox". It's just a word. Some sites gain trust quickly, some sites take longer.

My feeling about link quality in building trust: Link chasing is not the way to go. I think Google could easily implement a link "duplication" filter just as they would a "content duplication" filter. It certainly seems unnatural to me if two similar, yet completely independent, sites both have 2,000 backlinks to the homepage, all of which are the exact same links. Of course, footer, header, and run-of-site links also raise red flags. But just don't obsess over a top-ranking site's backlinks and chase them. It may not get you where they are. Just a thought.