What is a Link Farm?

I'm not sure I understand...

[too much information]

I'm having trouble understanding what a link farm is. I did a search through this site and found many discussions about it, but I am having trouble understanding exactly what is considered a link farm.

Here's my problem: I have found many sites that offer free links, like a directory, except they are not an extensive directory, basically a single industry. (As an example take the wedding industry. You have tux links, cake links, photographer links, dj links, etc.)

Is it considered a link farm if it is basically a directory of similar links like this? Is there a fairly strict definition of a link farm or is it more of a case by case basis?

Also does it matter if they are charging for the link? Or requiring a recip. link?

[rogerd]

Hi, Too Much. Link farms are used to describe various things, but the most dangerous ones have been those that require each member to put the same group of links on their site. This is a great way to get lots of links quickly, but is also a quick way to get penalized. Google doesn't like these because the scheme arbitrarily creates massive linkage. If you join such a scheme with, say, 500 members, you could have 500 inbound links from people you don't know in a matter of weeks. This is a threat to Google's algo, and they will bring the hammer down when they find these.

An legitmate industry directory should be no problem at all. A link back to a site that has your link shouldn't be a problem in most cases. (Having to put a bunch of links on your site to get listed is a danger sign.) Check the PR of the link site. If they have been around for a while but appear to have PR problems, you might want to hold off on linking to them. Use common sense and you should be fine...

[edit_g]

Just to add quickly to what rogerd said - even if the "link farm", "web ring" or "link program" has decent PR; chances are that two months down the line it will have a PR0. Google doesn't like linkfarms - try to get on topic links from individual sites instead.

Where is the link farm? It reminded me of something: [webmasterworld.com...] :)

[rogerd]

Too Much, edit_g makes a good point that might not have been completely clear in my post - anything that looks like a way of artificially propagating groups of links around the web is something to avoid. Even if the PR looks OK now, it's dangerous. And, of course, the toolbar has not been all that reliable lately. If it looks too easy, it probably is...

[too much information]

I get it now, thanks.

I don't think I have ever run into anything like that. I usually am very hesitant to add any links to my site due to the whole "please don't leave my site, PLEEEEASE" type feeling. :D

Also because I am trying to provide as much useful content as possible and usually tons of links means a severe lack of content.

I guess I am suspecious of directories that require a recip. link, then start to appear above me in the listings because of their inbounds. Are they really more relevant to a keyword because they are a directory of sites rather than a site dealing directly with the keyword? ~:\

Anyway, thanks for clearing that up for me.

[rogerd]

Too Much, sites that don't link out much are probably not that useful to their visitors. Well-selected links bring visitors back to the site. Search engines sometimes seem to favor sites with some outbound linkage.

Of course, there's a time and a place for everything. Don't put an attractive off-site link right above your "buy" button! Don't include so many links that they get in the way of your content. You can set links to open in a new window, too, (like WebmasterWorld does) to help keep people on your site.

[Brad]

>>web ring

Let's be careful of our terminiology here. People are going to get the impression that all "web rings" are link farms. Nothing could be further from the truth.