Can search engines discount your website if they notice an affiliate link like those from commission junction?
caveman
9:01 pm on Mar 28, 2006 (gmt 0)
Depends upon how the aff links are implemented, and perhaps more importantly on the site itself and how it is structured.
BarHopper
4:40 pm on Mar 29, 2006 (gmt 0)
Think of it like this, if your affiliate program links are taking over a huge percentage of your inbound links and relevant links of course the engines are gonna see your site as either #1 a spam site or #2 an irrelevant content and informational site, yes this will hurt your positioning. Make sure you structure your site in a way that includes your affiliate programs as a sub structure to your quality content, Have your content relate and feed into your affiliate program making it a compliable option for you to keep a strong affiliate presence on your site. With that being said, I am taking this approach from a stand point in which the traffic is "edgy" on your site and your site is not composed and compelled of just returning incoming visitors, im assuming your site is in stages of SEO and trying to make money by gaining search engine recognization. If your site however has much traffic on a return basis and your need for SEO is drowned by your need of productivity and functionality on a site then your affiliate ads should be fine however you put them. Like ive said many times, once you have the users and you are at that point in time in which you control your site and the engines don't. Its up to you to make sure usability and functionality are at its best. Do as you please and your customers will return...you are running a business online if you are running ads or affiliate programs so treat it as a business from every perspective.
