Do backlinks from forums still worthy?

[Micallef]

Forum links may be treated slightly less preferentially by Google because of the ease of creating user generated links. Forums are normally easy for a bot to identify - not least because they usually have "forum" in the url or site title.

However, Google understands that forums also represent an important link relevancy resource.

When using forums for links, I would advise finding the highest PR pages, gaining some trust on the forum by making genuine posts, and leaving a link in the text of the forum post - not as a signature at the bottom.

Google will treat links encapsulated in relevant text as more trustworthy. The more text, the better.

In summary, forum links are fully worthwhile when acquired correctly. There are also benefits from genuine clicks from your target audience if the forum is on topic.

 

[MisterGemini]

Forum links may be treated slightly less preferentially by Google because of the ease of creating user generated links. Forums are normally easy for a bot to identify - not least because they usually have "forum" in the url or site title.

However, Google understands that forums also represent an important link relevancy resource.

When using forums for links, I would advise finding the highest PR pages, gaining some trust on the forum by making genuine posts, and leaving a link in the text of the forum post - not as a signature at the bottom.

Google will treat links encapsulated in relevant text as more trustworthy. The more text, the better.

In summary, forum links are fully worthwhile when acquired correctly. There are also benefits from genuine clicks from your target audience if the forum is on topic.

Even when they are nofollow links?! WHAH?! NOFOLLOW 'forum links are fully worthwhile'????

 

[primhuman]

Ok, to convince me PROVE IT!! Tell me a keyphrase in which your site is ranked. I will track the back links to make sure they are forum links.

Check my site here. I'm not promoting but all my backlinks are from forums. I don't care as this site was only a test site .

http://forexautopilotsoftwares.com

 

[Micallef]

Even when they are nofollow links?! WHAH?! NOFOLLOW 'forum links are fully worthwhile'????

Nofollow links are worthwhile on forums..... due only to their potential for sending human visitors!

For further notes and discussion on the **************** vs. nofollow debate go here (as it is not the topic of this thread):

http://www.blackhatworld.com/blackhat-seo/link-building/203474-doofollow-vs-nofollow-backlink.html

 

[MisterGemini]

Nofollow links are worthwhile on forums..... due only to their potential for sending human visitors!

For further notes and discussion on the **************** vs. nofollow debate go here (as it is not the topic of this thread):

http://www.blackhatworld.com/blackhat-seo/link-building/203474-doofollow-vs-nofollow-backlink.html

Hum... you never said that in the debate.. You said NEVER EVER get nofollow links!

Thank you for finally coming over to my side of the view. Seeeee nofollow DO count!

 

[nikoman]

Check my site here. I'm not promoting but all my backlinks are from forums. I don't care as this site was only a test site .

http://forexautopilotsoftwares.com

Ok proved. They have helped you. One question which forum platform do you recommend to go for?

 

[Mr Ex]

Just make sure that you get different links for your site. You need diversity. If all your website links are forum posts and signature links, then you will not rank on the serps much. G is not stupid and every link type has a different value. Try getting backlinks from directories, profiles, forum posts, blogs, websites. One type of link will not give you the link juice and even if you do it manually, your site might still get sandboxed by G.

Also, you have to decide if this is a short term project or a long term project. For instance, if you're trying to make money off of a hot G trend, then you have no time to waste and you should try to get high pr backlinks from respected websites, instead of forum links. Because forum links might take a long time to be indexed and even if you manage to get the top 5 spot on G in 3-4 months, that might be too late to take advantage of the trend, since it will be outdated by that time.

For long term projects, i always recommend building backlinks steady but slowly. If your website is fresh, there's no need to blast 30k backlinks via xrumer or whatever the hell you're using. G will catch up with you and there's a chance of a manual review by a real person. Depending on your budget, you might use different services. For instance, one week you can get some backlinks from directories, the other week from profiles etc. This way, backlinks will look more natural and it is easier for G to index your backlinks and give your site the proper rank and credit.

For people who are after low competition keyword rankings, i suggest social bookmarking and high pr profile links. This is a really fast way to achieve the desired results. Depending on the keyword competition, you might not need a lot of backlinks and even high quality 50-60 may be enough for you to dominate the #1 spot for your specific keywords.

A lot of people ask if no follow or ** follow links work. In my experience, every link counts. And you need them too. Just think about it. What would make more sense if you had a legitimate, very popular website with unique content? Having only high pr all ** follow links, or having links no follow or ** follow from everywhere on the internet? If a content is fresh and popular, you will get a link. They're not gonna hesitate and say"oh wait a minute, i like that website but my site is no follow so i shouldn't link to that website." That is how your backlinks look more natural in G's eyes.

Whenever you get a chance, drop your link. Don't worry about follow - no follow. When G looks at the total picture, it will see that the content is popular and linked from many different websites. You will get the credits, as long as you don't exaggerate and make it look so obvious. Just my two cents...

 

[MisterGemini]

Just make sure that you get different links for your site. You need diversity. If all your website links are forum posts and signature links, then you will not rank on the serps much. G is not stupid and every link type has a different value. Try getting backlinks from directories, profiles, forum posts, blogs, websites. One type of link will not give you the link juice and even if you do it manually, your site might still get sandboxed by G.

Also, you have to decide if this is a short term project or a long term project. For instance, if you're trying to make money off of a hot G trend, then you have no time to waste and you should try to get high pr backlinks from respected websites, instead of forum links. Because forum links might take a long time to be indexed and even if you manage to get the top 5 spot on G in 3-4 months, that might be too late to take advantage of the trend, since it will be outdated by that time.

For long term projects, i always recommend building backlinks steady but slowly. If your website is fresh, there's no need to blast 30k backlinks via xrumer or whatever the hell you're using. G will catch up with you and there's a chance of a manual review by a real person. Depending on your budget, you might use different services. For instance, one week you can get some backlinks from directories, the other week from profiles etc. This way, backlinks will look more natural and it is easier for G to index your backlinks and give your site the proper rank and credit.

For people who are after low competition keyword rankings, i suggest social bookmarking and high pr profile links. This is a really fast way to achieve the desired results. Depending on the keyword competition, you might not need a lot of backlinks and even high quality 50-60 may be enough for you to dominate the #1 spot for your specific keywords.

A lot of people ask if no follow or ** follow links work. In my experience, every link counts. And you need them too. Just think about it. What would make more sense if you had a legitimate, very popular website with unique content? Having only high pr all ** follow links, or having links no follow or ** follow from everywhere on the internet? If a content is fresh and popular, you will get a link. They're not gonna hesitate and say"oh wait a minute, i like that website but my site is no follow so i shouldn't link to that website." That is how your backlinks look more natural in G's eyes.

Whenever you get a chance, drop your link. Don't worry about follow - no follow. When G looks at the total picture, it will see that the content is popular and linked from many different websites. You will get the credits, as long as you don't exaggerate and make it look so obvious. Just my two cents...

RIGHT ON! Semper Fi ALL LINKS MATTER! :boxing:

I swear, we are going to need to march the streets with this to get the point across.

 

[Micallef]

Mr Ex made a great post, but I think Mr Gemini will know where my one small gripe comes from.

I adamantly maintain that Google drops nofollow links from their "overall graph of the web" and therefore they have an effect on ranking which is not statistically significant, or more likely, no effect. For further notes, please see the appropriate thread linked to in my earlier response. This thread is about forum links.

 

[RankWithShelly]

I adamantly maintain that Google drops nofollow links from their "overall graph of the web" and therefore they have an effect on ranking which is not statistically significant, or more likely, no effect.

You're aware the Google is not the only search engine in the world and that they are not the only traffic source either right? So perhaps tailoring your backlinking strategy to ONLY fit a SINGLE source is perhaps a bit short sighted?

I hate to think of what my income would be without the thousands of visitors I get each day that DON'T COME FROM GOOGLE...

 

[MisterGemini]

You're aware the Google is not the only search engine in the world and that they are not the only traffic source either right? So perhaps tailoring your backlinking strategy to ONLY fit a SINGLE source is perhaps a bit short sighted?

I hate to think of what my income would be without the thousands of visitors I get each day that DON'T COME FROM GOOGLE...

Yahoo is the big dog in Africa Want to sell yams, that's the place to be!

What happens if Facebook introduces it's own search.. think we are going to see a 'nolike' tag come out?

 

[MisterGemini]

Mr Ex made a great post, but I think Mr Gemini will know where my one small gripe comes from.

I adamantly maintain that Google drops nofollow links from their "overall graph of the web" and therefore they have an effect on ranking which is not statistically significant, or more likely, no effect. For further notes, please see the appropriate thread linked to in my earlier response. This thread is about forum links.

Yes I know exactly where you stand, because it's exactly where Matt Cutts stands, and his propaganda is all over the place.

ALL LIKES MATTER.. LINK RIGHTS FOR ALL LINKS! :hippie: Link Love Not War :usa2:

 

[nikoman]

No system is that reliable, even Google as errors. We cannot trust our business models to a single traffic source, so forum links are good bringing traffic as well as they may improve rankings but this on volume links not just a single source. After 5 years Matt Cutts blog is still showing up on viagra search terms just because he mentioned once. How reliable can be that?