Forum Moderators: Robert Charlton & goodroi
For me to link to a site without nofollow, it would have to be:
* 100% valid markup.
* 100% correct English grammar and spelling.
* 100% genuine quality.
* Very few or no ads. Any sites with graphical or animated banners are automatically blocked in my mind.
So... will Googlebot think there is something suspicious about a site with no outgoing links (that aren't rel nofollowed)?
If they don't meet your impeccable standards of perfection, then why even link to them at all?
I have many outgoing links, but they are rel="nofollow". Is this bad for SEO?
Hey look what showed up on the main page today, perfect! Nofollow on internal linking [webmasterworld.com] (discussion also explores externals.)
Something to consider, if you're no-following them, they are probably going to no-follow you as well.
So then: if others follow the same standard as you do, and read this thread, they won't link to you because there's a grammatical error in your first post.
I don't think you'll have a problem using all nofollow, but as has been noted it may give an odd looking profile to the search engines. I don't think a site that links externally without using nofollow provides an odd looking backlink profile.
In other words, probably not a real problem right now. Just be concerned about getting some sort of hand review, and the excessive use of nofollow causing a flag in the future. IMO dumping nofollow helps guard against both. And giving folks a real link, it's just the right thing to do.
So... will Googlebot think there is something suspicious about a site with no outgoing links (that aren't rel nofollowed)?
One can only hope so.
But neither will they consider your site an authority, and neither will your visitors.
I think you are missing the point of the world wide web, and I suspect Google will think so too.
For a page to be considered as being in the core of the web, it needs to link to other pages that are in the core of the web, and be linked to by other pages that are in the core of the web.
For sure. It's an integral part of having a site do well.
The problem is I have yet to discover a single Web site that I really want to promote other than my own...
Really? There are no other sites related to yours that have any value? You must be in an incredibly obscure niche.
The problem is I have yet to discover a single Web site that I really want to promote other than my own...
I can understand that opinion however I'll give you my experience.
My niche widget directory trade portal site goes back to before David Filo and Jerry Yang days (Yahoo! in case you were wondering).
I started construction of the directory purely and simply as a resource for my worldwide widget trade as an aid. Most companies at that time could not see the potential of the NET and possibly even I was a bit too optimistic!
Anyway, the point I would like to make is this:
I have only ever freely given outbound links to all sites I considered applicable to my widget trade without them even KNOWING I was doing it.
My directory site has thousands of outbound links, I have never, ever asked anyone for a reciprocal link, I have never even considered doing it, every site that has linked to me has done so freely without me even knowing!
And...I am #1, any new section I add goes straight to #1 within weeks, it is the most-trusted and non-biased widget trade directory since it is merely a great compilation of my trade...nothing else.
Very few or no ads.
Google AdSense now pays for the upkeep of this directory. It certainly does not operate at a profit however the earnings do pay for much of the overhead costs.
will Googlebot think there is something suspicious about a site with no outgoing links
My opinion would be yes however Googlebot itself is not the arbiter!
It is unnatural for an informational site NOT to have outgoing links. You cannot possibly know everything about your subject unless it is extremely new/shallow/unknown.
Then again, what do I know? YMMV!
100% valid markup
Then you would not link out to Google or the NY Times or... well, the list would be immense.
well, the list would be immense
It's currently the whole web! :)
what do you mean by 'necessity' ?
So, these are NOT paid or exchanged links, for then, adding nofollow would probably end the deals fast.
Suppose these links are editorial, as your posts indicate.
Meaning your users benefit from them.
Relevant, just not up par with your... standards? This would be the worst case of counter-productive hypocrisy which I'd like to hope is not the case.
Research? Friends? *gets headache*
... what *are* these links?
How come you need them, but hate them so much?
So then: if others follow the same standard as you do, and read this thread, they won't link to you because there's a grammatical error in your first post.
I'd tell you to be nice, but I'm laughing too hard.
Seriously though, ATWeb I think you need to lower your standards. It's the secret to happiness. Stop expecting so much from others and you'll find you have more friends...and your website will do better as well...since you actually give your site visitors more information than what's in your own head.
