Backlink Updates - and are backlinks still important?

[cybotron]

Hi all,

This is my first post for this forum so please forgive me if my post is a little amateur.

Does anybody have a clue when the next backlink update on google is going to be? Also I wanted an opinion on if backlinks are still regarded as an seo technique for google as I have heard that some major companies have lost rankings due to excessive backlinking in a short space of time.

Thanks

[tedster]

No one outside Google has any clue when reported backlinks will change - and even when they do, all it means is that Google has now published a different sampling of backlinks to put in their reporting function. For more on this, see Google link: operator FAQ - it's not like other search engines [webmasterworld.com]

In terms of whether backlinks still matter for ranking - oh, yes, and in many ways, such as staying in the main index instead of being in the supplemental results. Google spokespersons recently said they have changed the way that various kinds of backlinks are weighted now. Some people say they see devaluation of at least some of these types: paid links, blog links, footer links, run-of-site links, forum links, reciprocal links, free directory links, or whatever. But links are still important. They can even bring in direct traffic.

In my opinion, the best kind of link is a freely given link, from a page that also has good backlinks and good rankings, in the content area of a page, and on a domain with no business connection to the target of the link.

[RichTC]

Hi Cybotron,

Just wanted to add that i believe the link numbers reported to be completely random also.

IE your site may have attracted more natural links since the last update yet the numbers reported could be lower than previously listed and likewise because the number has increased dont assume that your site has more links of value pointing to it.

Yahoo is the better search engine to establish links to a site or googles webmaster tools to see the links to your own site. They may as well like msn just dispand with reporting this data from the search side as its of little use.

[new_seo]

Back Link is definitely a big factor in terms of Search Engine Ranking and still regarded as an seo technique for Google. Google is devaluing reciprocal links, paid links etc. Not the back links. Google prefer one-way links. Infact back link is a major factor for Google listing.

[cybotron]

Thanks guys for your input.