Is this a structure that is unethical?

[ArizonaJay]

I'm a newbie - and just starting to understand ths stuff. And I certainly don't want to start by doing something that is unethical or rigging the system. I've been reading about linking and that's specifically what has generated this question. I thik the structure that I'm talking about would be called "a cluster." (that name alone gives me pause!)
I understand enough that I need to start with a niche. Could I set up a parent site (which would draw very little traffic because it's too broad to successfully cover the keywords) then set up baby sites for very specific items (maybe only one item) with good keywords THEN link the baby sites to the parent site? I'm concerned that this structure would create self-made backlinks and would be banned by the Google Gods, and more importantly, be unethical.

I this isn't clear, let me know and clarify using an example. And thank you!

 

[Linda Buquet]

Now if I understand you right, I don't see anything at all unethical. It's a common strategy and I don't see anything wrong from an ethics viewpoint.

Now how G views interlinking I'm not sure. I think I've read things (although it's been a long time ago) that suggested G does not like you linking to your own sites. But I don't know for sure.

Can anyone else weigh in on this?

 

[djbaxter]

If you overdo interlinking, it may result in some sort of penalty but I think it has to be pretty excessive for that to happen (it did happen to Shoemoney in his early days but he has a LOT of sites).

Navigational links are, after all, links to your own site too.

 

[Clintoc]

Some popular IM products will have you marketing this very way, so have at it.

In short, as an article marketer myself, I create webs... with the articles being the strands that combine everything and help direct things.

Honestly, which would you think would be more unethical...

Using sites to link to each other for backlinks and directing flow

OR

Taking one article, submitting to hundreds of article directories for backlinks and traffic?

I do the latter (as well as some of the former). Its not unethical, and it works.

What you should not do is link all around the place. A one way link is more powerful than a two way. While both are (end the end) valuable in their own right, try to play your cards to keep your important stuff alone (in you case probably the product sites).

 

[keywordresearch]

Personally I prefer to keep my sites separate. Interlinking your own sites does seem like you are gaming the system a bit. If you get carried away I'm sure you would get penalized. If you're going to create mini-sites, I would keep them separate, unless you are hosting them on web 2.0 type networks. Search engine penalties can be too big a pain to deal with that you are better off keeping your seo white hat.