Do you consider link buying unethical?

[jdsonline]

I recently wrote an article on Ezinearticles about things to consider when buying links or text ads. I am a platinum status author and hadn't had trouble before, but the article was not approved and I had to email support to find out why. The reason was that they do not allow articles that promote "black hat" tactics, but I really don't think the link buying that I discussed in the article is "black hat".

Clearly there are very unethical ways to use purchased links, but I don't think that it is always a "black hat" tactic. I see honest link buying as a form of advertising, just like putting a banner on a webpage. Anyone else have thoughts on this?

 

[Linda Buquet]

Hi Justin,

I'm with you all the way, because I'd buy links for advertising and actual traffic. But maybe they see it like a hammer. It could be used to build a house or to hurt someone. In my mind, like a hammer it's just a tool, so the concern should be about how some uses it or advocates using it.

Seems odd Ezinearticles would turn down an article about link buying. Unless they are worried about Google not liking it or something.

 

[fitnfree]

I get confused on this one, too. I mean just where does one determine when buying space on someone's web site is just the free market at work, or this "black hat" technique?

For example, last year I had a gal e-mail me who had a site that sells candy. She wanted to purchase ads just for the candy sections on my site - made perfect sense to me and we struck a deal we were both happy with.

So what on earth could have been wrong with that? Yet I wondered if that fell into the "link buying black hat" category - I just couldn't see it and still feel what we did was just good old fashioned advertising.

 

[FDC]

That's odd that they said that. I wouldn't think buying links is unethical. It is how advertising works!

Hmmm

 

[James Spinosa]

I draw a huge line between unethical and impractical. In this context it would be to imply that actions Google does not condone are unethical, if Exxon told you it was unethical to use ethanol, would you follow?

On the other hand, I do not buy or sell text links myself, simply because I don't want to bear the wrath of Google while at the same time I don't feel like micro-managing my link partners. I feel that it is impractical, and that you should be able to organically generate one way links if your content is viable.

I can also understand why EzineArticles would do that since lately Google has been stealing some of their Google love, and promoting things Google doesn't like is a great way to make a bad situation worse.

 

[kflo01]

I have bought links in the past and still would buy them now. I dont think it is black ha at all. Maybe if you bought like 1000 links at a time but like a poster said it is a form of advertising. Usually more efficient than buying a banner.

I also would and do sell link space on my site if other site owner slink my web site enough to think i would benefit them to have a link there. I don't see anything wrong with it.

 

[Rob_TID]

I don't practice any black hat tactics, but applying the label of "ethical" to a mathematical algorythm has always seemed pretty silly to me.

It's simply a matter of how much risk your model can sustain.

When we start ceding the power to dictate what is "ethical" to companies like google, I think our society has really lost the plot.

 

[Linda Buquet]

"I think our society has really lost the plot."

Good way to put it, Rob.

 

[greenplanet1710]

I too would agree with you but not completely. I will consider buying links a Grey Hat Marketing tactic.

See, I think that if you are buying a link then it is not showing the true worth of your page, it is not showing the quality of your keywords and not showing the exact page rank according to the standards Google or any other search engine has formulated.

But at the same time it can be considered white hat too because it is said the more links you have on your site, the more importance Google will give to your page. So that?s what the site owner will automatically think to do.
Hence, it is kind of little weird and not 100% right or 100% wrong.

 

[Anomaly]

i've always wondered just how the google algorithim distinguished between paid for ads and normal links ... i mean can it ... would buying 1000 ads spread across 1000 sites have the same impact as having 1000 natural links spread across 1000 sites? can the algorithim tell?

 

[jcorkern]

I am not an advocate of telling people to buy links, But... Like it has been stated, it is hard to compete sometimes if your foe's are buying up loads of high pr links and you choose not to. So it causes you to have no choice sometimes.

Buying links is not unethical if you get right down to it.
Until google finds a way (which they never will ) to stop the practice absolutely, I see no reason that you should not buy them.

The problem is that people are becoming so brainwashed by "political correctness" that they are losing grips with reality. I think the same applies to what is refered to as "trolls" It is taken out of content and used to the advantage of the group, business or agenda to gain what they want or sway public opinion.

Link buying is no different, If I am competing against Amazon and need to buy links to beat them, I will. That is just common sense , especially since Amazon can afford to run mass media advertising which creates buzz online and helps them "buy" so called "Natural" links online because of social status. So, in essence, it is buying links.

I am just happy that I am not in a field that I have to purchase links anymore since I do not do SEO commercially anymore.

I can not advise newbies to buy links, because they must have some experience to know what a "safe" link purchase is, because if google does find them, they will get in trouble, and they have some of the brightest minds working for google looking for these. You have to use common sense when buying links, but In my opinion, there is nothing wrong with it.


And no, their algo can not tell unless the site has text links for sale on the site.

 

[v9designbuild]

How can it possibly be suggested that Google is in any way in a position to judge what is "ethical". I don't see the term being applied when they manipulate their own share price; nor do I see any particular ethics when considering AdWords and AdSense.

I have been in to the market of late for link builders. All, I repeat all, I contacted use link buying tactics. They argue that this is the only way to get a PR5/6 linkback and it works for all of their clients. They went on to say that as long as there's not too many outbounds and there is no text above it saying "buy your text links here" that everything's perfectly normal.

But we're not really talking about ethics here; we're talking about practices that Google would frown on if the link sellers get caught. And all SEO practices are "unethical" if we follow that train of thought.

Is submitting your site to multiple directories or article sites "unethical" just because you want to boost your placement? After all, Google writes the rules and if they say you need relevant, quality links, surely you go out and find them and submit your site. And is making comments on blogs "unethical" because if it didn't help your website in the rankings you would never have left the comment in the first place.

Black hat? Yes, I suppose, by Google's standards, but it's what the industry does.

 

[geoge01]

Hi,

I difficult to say that buying link is unethical or not but as per my knowledge, google hate buying links

 

[MrCat]

Buying links, ad spaces, etc. should be primarily for traffic reasons only. Don't hope that it would get you on top of the SERPs or gain a higher PR as it would all come crashing down once Google finds out about it.

 

[jingwen]

Sometimes if the site have a good pr,which you want to buy his link,i think it's ok.

 

[svtdbird]

I'm really surprised that you guys aren't aware of this. But, Google will penalize any site that is paying for links. Heavily. They frown on this big time.

You may be able to get away with it, if they never find out that you are paying for a link. But, that's just not something I'm prepared to risk. Why not just exchange a favor? There are tons of sites willing to give you a link for so many other things in return. Write a good review of their site as a pr. Give them a link to their site. Be creative, but don't pay for it.

 

[jcorkern]

We are aware of this, hense the whole topic of buying links, and the whole situation is discussed earlier in this thread, refering to blackhat, greyhat and whitehat seo practices.

 

[ellehc90]

I think link buying can be considered black, white or grey. It all depends on the context you engage in it.