No one noticed what was really going on while Google was penalizing PageRank

I’ll start this post about paid links with a quote from one of the finest pieces of science fiction ever.

As you will no doubt be aware, the plans for development of the outlying regions of the Galaxy require building of a hyperspatial express route through your star system, and regrettably your planet is one of those scheduled for demolition.

-The Vogons at the start of The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams

This of course would cause a reaction on earth since no one had ever had communication with another planet. This prompts the following statement:

There is no point in acting all surprised about it. All the planning charts and demolition orders have been on display in your local planning department in Alpha Centauri…so you’ve had plenty of time to lodge any formal complaint and it’s far too late to start making a fuss about it now.

Ladies and Gentlemen of the Blogosphere and Webmaster world, the debate on paid links ended years ago.

Way back when the nofollow tag was introduced. Remember? Oh, yeah, we were supposed to start putting nofollow on affiliate links and stuff like that.  Doing so was supposed to keep your site from being penalized from linking to sites that should not be linked to. At least, that is what we were told.

This was supposed to be a standard for the Web.

Just like <h1> headings and other html code that is standardized. Yep, those same people that check their site to make sure their page code is validated may be the same ones complaining about being penalized for paid links.

We were told to start using nofollow long ago to keep our page’s ranking and reputation in order.

It was added to WordPress comments because it was hoped that this would discourage spam commenters from taking advantage of blogs. It did not work and we now have more effective comment moderation plugins so now we remove the nofollow on comments on blogs.

That was not the only reason for nofollow.

There was a bit of a fuss as major affiliate networks changed their links.

Some complained when Commission Junction switched. Java links are now common because they do not transmit PageRank or link authority. So is flash.

What do you mean, you’ve never been to Alpha Centauri?…I’m sorry, but if you can’t be bothered to take an interest in local affairs that’s your lookout.

Energize the demolition beams.

Google has just kind of fired the gun into the air.

As far as I understand, none of the pages hit by the PageRank slap were actually penalized in the search rankings. We could consider it a wake up call. Laying in front of the bulldozer is not going to stop it.

Worse things are coming and may already be here.

I did not realize or remember any of this till I read on a forum that someone found some of his Websites had been removed from MSN/LiveSearch completely. The only thing in common with the delisted sites was use of paid links.

MSN and LiveSearch may already have started to penalize paid links.

I don’t know..

…apathetic, bloody planet, I’ve no sympathy at all.

-Vogon Leader

While all the focus has been on the Google PageRank slap, MSN and LiveSearch may already be moving farther along. Eventually, Yahoo probably will too. This is the way it was decided long ago.

Many think that soon Google will start to penalize in the search rankings for bad links out from your site.

If you do not have a nofollow tag on a link to a commercial site or affiliate link, you may be looking at a penalty. It is not just Text Link Ads. Microsoft has the patent for link strength cancellation in link lists. It will not just be Google.

What bloggers need to do.

Check your links to see where you are linking to. Should you be promoting that site with a link? Or, should it be a nofollow link? Your link reputation depends on it.

Do I like this?

NO! I think it goes a bit too far. I think it is even possible that some of those who were in on the nofollow tag did not see it as being used in this manner. I have made my feelings clear about the situation on my post about the Google PageRank slap.

However, it is really too late to do anything about it.

Other options to paid links will come out. Good content will still be valuable. We will just have to figure out how to replace the nice income from paid links.

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Blogging Zoom and ScratchBack, the wave of the future?

After several weeks with BlogRush, I am going to let it go in a couple days.

BlogRush has actually done better for me than I thought it would. However, that is not good enough. It has been a net positive gain in visitors versus those leaving by the widget. I have not complaints. It has brought a few visitors.

I seem to be getting less traffic even though I am giving more pageviews to the widget.

BlogRush actually seemed to work better for me before the quality improvement a bit ago.

I wonder if it was because visitors on poor quality sites were looking for somewhere else to visit? Either way, visitors from BlogRush since have been even less. Very few visitors that I know of have left here through BlogRush.

Would I recommend BlogRush to others?

Maybe. It does add another method to getting visitors to your site. It does not require any effort on your part. It is free. You can even leverage your traffic when other blogs sign up under you. It is not a bad deal.

The reason I am removing it is I want to use the space for something else.

There are more productive uses of the space. Even a larger MyBlogLog widget seems would be more productive. I do get more traffic from MyBlogLog than BlogRush. I am contemplating another widget and I think it is getting a bit crowded. So, BlogRush goes because it has not proven to be a performer.

3 Readers with over 14,000 syndications?

If you really want traffic, spend a bit of time with Blogging Zoom.

Blogging Zoom takes more work, but sends infinitely more traffic. Don’t forget to Zoom this post if you find it useful. *Update-Blogging Zoom is no longer and the domain is used for something else.*

What About Text Link Ads?

I am going to be telling them I do not want new TLA ads after the currently paid ones have ended.

As opposed to BlogRush, Text Link Ads has been a performer.

I have made many times more money with Text Link Ads on this site than I have with AdSense. I really hate to say goodbye to them. I have nothing but good things to say about TLA as a source of income. It is every bit as good as it claims to be for the blogger.

Everyone knows the situation with Google and paid links.

I really feel the situation is unfair. Not only to TLA but to bloggers. I do not like the idea of being told what to do with my site. I sincerely hope TLA continues to create new services that bloggers can work with.

I am replacing Text Link Ads with ScratchBack.

The widget in the sidebar that says Top Links is the ScratchBack ad. This system uses nofollow so Google can’t complain. I also realize that a nofollow link is not as valuable as one that does not have nofollow tagged to it. In other words, I won’t make as much money because the links are not worth as much.

Right now, the cost of a ScratchBack ad on this blog is $1.00.

When the 10 link spots are filled, they begin to bump off the older links. Once the 10 spots are close to being filled, I will raising the price. Once filled, I will raise the price again. I will be doing this to give value to those who have already paid for a link. When (not if) the cost of a link gets close to the price that TLA charged for a link, I will switch from bump off to a monthly or bi-weekly pay for the links.

Why would you want to pay for a nofollow link?

Because I will be working hard to have good content that brings traffic to the site. That traffic should bring traffic to your link.

Why use Scratchback instead of doing it myself?

It would be easy to set up something like this just by doing the links myself. ScratchBack does take care of the maintenance end of it. They will also make you a custom widget if you want them to right now. I am using them mostly because it looks nice. They are working on a marketplace that should help get more buyers.

Note that ScratchBack considers it a tip and I retain editorial control.

If I reject your link, you still pay. If there is any question about if your link might be rejected, contact me before you pay. I will let you know if I would reject the link before you pay. But hey, it’s only a $1.00 anyways right now. You can get your own widget at the ScratchBack site.

I can honestly say PageRank is not the reason I am not going to be using Text Link Ads.

If it were just the PageRank from Google, I would probably stay with TLA. It is profitable.

The real reason I will stop having paid links on the site will be the subject of my next post.

If you are not subscribed to my feed, subscribe now. My next post may surprise you. It may scare you. You do not want to miss it.

I will try to keep this PG but this post does have some references that make me feel uncomfortable.

Is Google Your Pimp?

Are you just a prostitute doing what Google tells you to do?

One of the things that attracted me to making money online was freedom.

Freedom to find something I enjoyed and make money doing it. Seems simple enough. I just had to do something and find someone willing to pay someway for doing it. Freedom. I think this dream is dead. If not dead, it needs some serious help fast.

The recent Google-slap reeks of racketeering.

Google is specifically threatening sites that are using ads that compete against them. Not much better than a gang threatening a local shop. “You will deal with us, or we will drive your customers away.” I no lawyer, but that sure seems like what is going on. It seems like racketeering to me.

Reader benefit, my foot.

An AdSense linkbar looks just like a column of Text Link Ads. The linkbar provides no more benefit to the reader. The difference is Google makes the money. You make less.

There have been many bloggers who have stated rumors that the recent pagerank slap was targeted at sites selling links.

In fact, many sites whored themselves and got rid of the links and were given back their PR (at a loss of income to the site). I think it shows how Google owns them.

Just like the relationship between a pimp and a prostitute.

The pimp tells the whore what to do. She has no choice. She disobeys – SLAP! When she does what he tells her, she gives him the money.

Mike at 20 Steps used a term “nofollow condom” in a comment on Courtney Tuttle’s blog.

Mike also mentioned in the comment:

“that if you’re running a link campaign in the New Year without wearing your Big G prophylactic (ribbed for their pleasure, incidentally)”

I think this is a very good description of the situation and the analogy fits the theme of this post so I am including it.

Notice how all the big blogs did what Google told them and now they are happy?

SLAP!

“Please don’t hit me again, I do whatever you want.”

Owned.

Yeah, after all those posts on how PageRank doesn’t really matter. They put the condom on for whoever Google says to put it on.

The trouble is, the rest of us are going to have to bend over and take it from Google also.

We have found ourselves suddenly without anyone to help us get off the street. No one to turn to. Stuck living the life of a prostitute. If the blogs and sites that have a large readership built already cannot stand up to Google, we the smaller siblings that are with them will just be prostituted along with them. Just realize the smaller ones get abused worse. We have no choice.

I really would like to work with Google.

It would be nice to be treated like a partner. To be respected. To have my freedom to find sponsors that will pay me and decide if I want to work with them. It looks like I will be forced to follow the herd into slavery instead.

But.

Google, I resent the fact that you are telling me who to work with and who to link to and how to link. Google, your treatment of both advertisers and publishers has often gotten the term “slap” and for good reason. While it is great to say you are concerned about reader experience, you need to consider the experience of those who deal directly with you also.

Google, I am not your whore.

Don’t treat me like one.