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Would this be risky for our site? Might Google not like it?
Thanks for the advice.
[edited by: namniboose at 10:45 pm (utc) on Nov. 25, 2002]
I am pretty sure this is the sort of stuff which will get you penalised.
after all if the user can not see them,then in my eyes you are playing tricks to boost rankings.
Shak
Visit our other vacation sites:
site 1
site 2
etc
This is probably ok, just don't interlink all the sites like crazy.
I am thinking about putting a couple of hidden links from my vacation rental site to other vacation rentals that I am promoting (I want to give their PR a boost but I don't want to send surfers away from my site).
You must have a very special site, if you believe your visitors never leave?
Is this risky for our site?
Honestly, no. Unethical, yes.
Might Google not like it?
Same as above. The catch isn't 1 or 2 hidden links, but the perceived improvement over each update.
I added a few hidden links and got an increase in PageRank, so I'll add more, and more, and more.
Since nothing negative happens people keep doing what they are comfortable with, and then all of a sudden a penalty occurs and you think you have done nothing to warrant the penalty since you got away with it for months/years.
It would seem to me that if you need to hide your true intentions, a penalty is warranted from the start... of course though, Google doesn't pay much attention to unethical behaviour until you become popular.
Just an opinion. ;)
[edited by: fathom at 10:58 pm (utc) on Nov. 25, 2002]
The Google spam report form has a tick box for 'hidden text or links'.
The only way anyone could interpret this as 'not risky' is if you assume that:
Sure, someone could (and probably will) argue that these two points are true.
Personally I take the view that if Google says 'don't do it' and you 'do it' then you are taking a risk.
Of course, there is nothing wrong with taking a risk, as long as you know it is a risk - but at least go into it with your eyes open.
Best option might be do visible links that are just not that easy to find - ie stuck away 'below the fold' somewhere.
I don't want to increase MY OWN page rank I and wouldn't be linking to my own sites: I wanted to do it as a favor to help a couple of sites on other islands that I am promoting. I want to give them a kick start, while waiting for their ODP links to be picked up.
I have got one link exchange with a site on a neighboring island but I don't want to link to sites that aren't linking back.
Sounds like a bad idea, however - not worth the risk for doing someone a favor! Thanks for the advice.
In addition, to all listings at DMOZ, I have many web pages that revolve around these topical categories which if they currently do not have any outbound links on them, I link to DMOZ in full visibility of my visitors.
The thought process behind this is: if a person finds what they are looking for at my sites, they will most likely stay, read, pageview other pages, bookmark, and return.
Clearly though I (nor you) will be all things to all people and therefore these visitors will leave regardless of whether you want them to or not.
Of the ones that leave - you can't stop them from finding your competition (at least the visible ones) so is it better to make them search in vain or not.
The provided visible "link" may be the only thing that brings them back (e.g. - they remember the path from you) and another opportunity to peak their interest.
In the end, "links" to other quality sites offer credibility for you, but if no-one can see that credibility - how credible are you.
