Do spammy noFollow links reduce authority?

[TheGateKeeper]

If I allow related comments on my site, but with a link in the name to a totally unrelated site, will it reduce my authority if I make it noFollow?

I read online that a lot of outbound links to unrelated sites will make you loose authority, but then again noFollow tag means you don't "endorse" the website on the other end of the link.

What are your thoughts on this?

 

[Mountaineer]

Yet another controversial debate. But IMHO, Nofollow links do have SEO effect so yes they will make you loose authority.

 

[TheGateKeeper]

Yet another controversial debate. But IMHO, Nofollow links do have SEO effect so yes they will make you loose authority.

Would you think the benefits of accepting such comments outweigh the negatives?

Benefits:

-More relevant text for google
-Page gets updated

Downsides:
-Authority loss due to linking to un-relevant sites
-Invite more spammers

 

[kokoloko75]

I would say no, in my experience.

Beny

 

[steverogerseo]

I would say on any given i will tell no for spammy links. So obviously it will affect all aspect of site like authority etc..

 

[TNphoneman]

If it is a good comment, just remove the freaking link. Trash the rest of them

 

[LakeForest]

In Google's infinite wisdom, they think it's more natural to have a mix of do and no follow... So... I guess that means that if all you're linking to are do's, you'll be punished, but if you mix things up and spam bullshit to no's to hide the do's...then you're being natural. It makes my ears bleed thinking about this logic.

 

[download]

In Google's infinite wisdom, they think it's more natural to have a mix of do and no follow... So... I guess that means that if all you're linking to are do's, you'll be punished, but if you mix things up and spam bullshit to no's to hide the do's...then you're being natural. It makes my ears bleed thinking about this logic.

Exactly. Google looks more for link diversity rather than the quality of links individually these days. If you're only building do follow links that would definitely be cause for lower rankings in search engines' eyes.

 

[TheGateKeeper]

Exactly. Google looks more for link diversity rather than the quality of links individually these days. If you're only building do follow links that would definitely be cause for lower rankings in search engines' eyes.

Lol, what kind of reasoning is that? So it no longer matters what I link to, it the dofo/nofo ratio?

 

[yoyo33]

Treat comments as your own content. For search engines you are responsible for comments. So do whatever you feel will help: delete links, make "do-follow" or nofollow.

 

[orzyman]

or you can do what i do take the crappy part out and also the links out and you will have more content if you think it can reduce your authority

 

[yubrew]

seo 101: add yourself to good authoritative sites when you can. the corollary is remove yourself from bad spammy sites when you can.