Linking to sites that use questionable methods.

How much risk? Worth it?

[ken_b]

I'm assembling some pages of links to sites in my field. The goal is simply to provide connections for visitors to find what they want.

A few of the really well known names in my niche have sites that use things like hidden text, way overblown keyword stuffing, multiple sites, etc.

How great is my risk if I include these sites in my links section?

As a percentage of my total links, they probably wouldn't amount to more than 5%.

The thing is, NOT including them would be obvious to anyone in the niche, their names are just so well known.

That could reflect poorly on my site.

How would you handle this kind of situation.

[submitx]

You want to be careful not to link to any sites that use link farming techniques so that your site is not thought to be part of their network. However, there is very little danger of being penalized for such things or linking to sites using other spammy techniques. The search engines look at the big picture. One or two links to such places may be OK, but if you have many links on your site to such places, then that might not be OK.

[chrisnrae]

You don't have to use direct links to the sites. This way you can still link and without giving them any "search engine credit" so to speak.

[ddent]

You are who you link to.

[ken_b]

You are who you link to

Yeah, that's part of my concern.

If I thought these folks were pro webmasters abusing the system I'd blow them off without a second thought.

But I don't think that's the case.

Most often they are smaller mom and pop sites that look like mom or pop built them. Along the way they probably heard that using hidden text or keyword stuffing would help. So they did it.

Some of the sites were built with skills that might require a more experienced designer, but even then we are not talking state of the art by any stretch of the imagination.

This is an industry where mom and pop can operate out of the garage behind the house, or out of their motorhome, and be well known and respected in the field.

Maybe I need to look into some kind of indirect linking for those few sites. I rather not do that, but I have to balance the risk.

[coconutz]

Why not drop them a line and mention that the use of hidden text, keyword stuffing etc., may not be providing them with any advantage as these techniques are outdated.

Supply a link to the SE's webmaster pages outlining the methods that are frowned upon. Mention you'd love to include them in your resources but are concerned about the possible negetative effects it may have on your own site by linking to them.

It's also a possiblity that they are unaware of the hidden text, etc. if the site was optimized or coded for them by someone who thought they were doing them a favor ;).