Links from sites that link to Online Casinos & Pharmacies

[DXL]

I often read that you shouldn't exchange links with sites that link to casinos and pharmacies, I certainly see that as a disclaimer on certain sites under their reciprocal linking criteria.

So even if the other site is directly related to my business, what are the primary reasons for not doing a recip with them because they happen to link to casinos or pharmacies?

[sugarrae]

I think the reasoning behind that is that casinos and pharmacy sites usually tend to be on the spammy side - for the *most* part, so people just avoid them like the plague to not get caught up in any "bad neighborhoods" that the casino/pharms may be linked to/from.

[BroadProspect]

IMHO it does not matter, now days links count and you better have a link from a "maybe" site then not have this link at all
/BP

[buckworks]

Linking back to a "maybe" site could cause problems, though.

[BroadProspect]

this is exactly what 3 way link exchange are for
/BP

[martinibuster]

>>>what 3 way link exchange are for

Should be was. ;)

[BroadProspect]

no, stop the FUD, it still works , all you need is to replace the 3 with a much higher number and yours done :->
stick to reality, check the competative serps .
/BP

[martinibuster]

all you need is to replace the 3 with a much higher number

I never said anything about numbers above 3. My statement is exclusively about 3.

My statement regarding 3 is correct, and you are in tacit agreement by having to use points higher than three.

No fud bud. Just keeping the facts straight. ;)

[SlyOldDog]

I wouldn't worry about it. If you are not linking to the casinos yourself that's what matters. The relationship is too remote if you are linking to site that links to casinos.

[glengara]

*The relationship is too remote if you are linking to site that links to casinos.*

May well depend on the type of linkage, if the casinos started showing up in my related results, I'd be concerned...

[trillianjedi]

it still works , all you need is to replace the 3 with a much higher number and yours done :->
stick to reality, check the competative serps

Quite often the problem with SEO. The engines say "don't do it, we'll nuke you if you do" and yet the SERPS tell a completely different story.

It's a matter of timing and what you're looking to get out of your site short medium and long term.

Right now, it works. That doesn't mean that it's a good long term strategy. It's clearly in an SE's interest to get a handle on link manipulation. If you're looking specifically at Google, bear in mind it's not done yet. In fact the link part of the algo looks distinctly 2002 at the moment. Something hasn't been fired up there.

They will get there, eventually. If you're in it for the long-term, those old 3 (and more) way link strategies may come back and bite you at some point.

I often read that you shouldn't exchange links with sites that link to casinos and pharmacies

If they're linking on-topic (i.e. the sites linking are themselves gambling/pharm related) then there is no problem.

It's quite easy to determine topicality of a page and nothing screams "I sell links" more than a page about family widgets with a big Pharm link in the footer. That's what the SE's are out looking for. When is a link a "vote" and when is it just a "transaction"?

So even if the other site is directly related to my business, what are the primary reasons for not doing a recip with them because they happen to link to casinos or pharmacies?

Quality may be an issue here. If you're scraping the barrel for links, then you may have issues with your own site (you need to raise your game a bit) or you're simply setting your sights too low with the links you're trying to obtain.

Why are you looking to recip with these sites?

TJ

[CainIV]

Generally spammy overall, and often popup (overnite) sites where your link will be much more advantage to them then vice versa.

I highly doubt recip links from these types of sites help either your visitors or your rankings, unless you were also that genre and more relevant.

[SueBee]

I think there are some non spammy pharmacy links around.

I do have a page for pharmacies on my resource centre. Not the one's for male enhancement products though! And only if they have link pages specifically for say alternative medicine where my link would 'fit'

I had to think long and hard about it a while ago. I'm kind of anti the prescription drug scene on the whole - I promote a 'No drug'approach to health in general. But for the product I sell, which is mostly wholesale, bricks and mortar pharmacies are a large part of my business.

So it's kind of hard to say 'you guys aren't good enough for my links page' to them.
Google gave that pharmacies link page of mine PR4.