LinkFarm or Link Directory

How to Tell?

[cutiger]

In the neverending quest to add incoming links to my site, I have ran across several competitors using directories like "tiptopwhatever" The site has a good PR of 6 but could it be defined as a farm? I don't see any request for listing their links so how can you tell? I don't want Google to strike me dead.

[Brett_Tabke]

The majority of "Top 100" sites are link farms today. Stay far away from them.

[mosley700]

Most legitimate directories have decent PR. Legit directories do not request a reciprocal link.

[JeremyL]

The majority of "Top 100" sites are link farms today. Stay far away from them.

What exactly is the definition of a link farm then. I thought it was based on [stickysauce.com...]

Most Top100 sites I see basically have no pr since all thier inbound links go to [domain.com...] They also don't dish out any pr really since all thier outbound links are through [domain.com...]

They have a definate benefit as far as traffic. Now I must admit that most ToppSites are nothing but spam filled junk but there are a few gems. I recieve over 100 unique visitors a day to the one and only top list one of my sites is a part of.

[Brett_Tabke]

linkfarm=The single purpose is to raise pr by distributing links. Most often in reciprocation.

[troi21]

everywhere i look, sites are requesting reciprocal links. I can't seem to get a link from a site that has related content to mine without reciprocating. the fine line between link farm and link directory is getting very blurred.

[Canary]

This question has been bothering me too.

I would have thought that the majority of directories ask for a link back, and some will insist - after all directories need to omptimize too.

However I think a good structred directory does not qualify as a link farm.

I normally judge a page as a link farm if it just tend to be a one page document just listing links, the links tend to be unrelated and they normally request a link back for being listed on this page.

As Links are unrelated they provide little use to web users and are cleary designed just to boost link popularity.

A web page that list top 100 sites has a problem because it provides links which do not relate to each other and therefore may be classified as a farm.

[vitaplease]

There are dozens of directories not requesting reciprocal links.

Many are industry-specific and some came forth out of early days print-publications. Search in DMOZ for directory and your industry sector.

You might have to pay for some listings as you do with Yahoo.

[GrinninGordon]

Hi Guys

Can anyone suggest directories worth (generally) submitting to (that would help your PR with Google?

Also, is reciprocal linking a good or bad thing?

[Interent Yogi]

I was checking some of my back links and Hello some sites have got search engine results pages as actual pages on their site. Linked to me NO recps weird they seem to have done it to add content .

A recprocial link is a good thing as long as the site is not a banned site on google. Even better if it is in the same theme as your own site.

[fathom]

Brett wrote: The majority of "Top 100" sites are link farms today. Stay far away from them.

And in a different context - but similar

splitting website into 4 domains [webmasterworld.com]

[AhmedF]

Hrmm..

I run a top site with no problem with either relevancy or spam.

Strong PR7, google sends it about 5k a day, and it gets about 8k a day from search engines.

You just need to filter out and ignore the bad ones :)

[tyrojds]

if you check backlinks for a site via page info, they're supposed to be listed in the order of importance google ranks those linking sites. so, if i check backlinks from the biggest gorilla in a category, say microsoft or gm, and one of the first sites looks like a link farm, can i assume it's safe to have it link to me?

also, when assessing the pr of a link do you count the site's homepage or the actual page your link would appear?

and what's the threshold for 'good pr?' is 4 and up safe?