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As far as Pepsi and Coke, Pepsi shouldn't be punished for anything. But they shouldn't be thought of as being better than Coke just because they run more paid commercials. That was my whole point.
You keep stating all PFI listings/advertisements should be ignored by Google as a sign of lesser quality. Do you feel the same about other products/services advertised on other mediums such as print, radio, or TV?
You seem to keep going in other directions no matter who replies and what point they make - lets make it easy and get your thoughts out in the open. We already know that you don't think it's "fair" that people get more exposure paying for listings/advertising.
Do you think reciprocal link pages should count?
Do you think reciprocal link directories should count?
Do you agree/disagree that reciprocal linking has more of an affect on search results than those of paid directories/advertising?
I will say what I said probably a year ago. Those that complain/whine about paid listing/advertising don't want to get off their wallets to promote their business and should pack-it-in as the days of "free" traffic are over. Look at every major product/service company out "there" and ask them if they ever paid for advertising?
If you have a really great resource that you believe shouldn't need to be promoted – than sit around and wait for it, but don't condemn people who are proactive in being successful.
edited: what are your feelings on PPC? Should people using AdWords be condemned because they pay for site traffic, branding, and popularity through Google?
I could turn it around very easily that paid advertising/listings could be a sign of quality. Who's to say Google doesn't value paid advertising/listings more than free listings? Paid advertising/listings are usually by a serious business that won't spam the serps and disappear in a short period of time…
Whether you are paying for a listing or getting one for free - you need to ask yourself if you would want to be listed/associated with that site whether any SE used it in their algo or not...
I see "real" corporate business sites with a list of "reciprocal links" on their "links" page of very questionable quality and it sickens me how some corporate "bigwig" could risk their company image over getting some links....hehe ...it's nuts.
most sites that sell links will link to almost any site that is willing to pay
My directory is an exception to that rule and I'm sure that many others are too. I turned down a potential advertiser just a couple of weeks ago, because he wanted to sell investments that looked questionable.
My point is that directories that take the time to build something worthwhile, and invest some personal effort in their product, will want their visitors to be happy with what they find in the directory. That's how the directory builds and maintains a reputation for quality that will impress people and keep them coming back.
I offer something that that search engines are looking for. I am rewarded by being considered an authority site by google, and I get the #1 spot in google for most of the topics that the directory covers. That impresses potential clients and does more than anything else to sell my advertising services.
It's the same old, same old...
