Actually i thik there is no such thing as web 2.0 sites.
While I almost wish that was true, there is a definition (or at least a list), and Google themselves know exactly what that list/definition is:
Code:
[URL]http://www.oreillynet.com/oreilly/tim/news/2005/09/30/what-is-web-20.html[/URL]
The WEB2 conference pretty much defines what WEB2 is - and Google send representatives. It was held originally in 2001, then every year since 2004 (so this Autumn with be the 10th - normally held in late October) While it is O'Reilly's baby - it's reports and definitions are taken by most in the industry to be the de-facto last word on everything WEB2
It goes as far as naming the exact platforms that our favourite search engine considers to be WEB2
So while I agree that the definition of WEB2 is fuzzy - the
actual specification and labelling of sites and platforms that the search engines categorically DO CONSIDER TO BE WEB2 is very well defined.
In short;
If you use WEB2 platform - Google
knows it is a WEB2 platform and that undoubtedly plays a part in its algorithm.
If all your 1st tier links are from the same sub group (WEB2) then you have made a clearly visible self promotion footprint.
Whether they act on it - or whether they will in the future who knows.
It's probably not the worst sort of spam. But the SE's have already taken action, albeit in a rather roundabout way.
Google's initial act was to devalue the hosted platforms themselves for not keeping their house in order and allowing the propogation of spam (Spring 2011)
In the intervening 18 months we have got smarter at getting around that - but in response, Googles ranking algo is getting more granular
Note the patent Google registered from about 10 days ago where URL based reductions might lead to a moderation in root domain authority in a staged and timed manner. This seems a pretty clear move towards a more granular ranking system, while keeping the connection between a site and it's subordinate URL's it allows Google to decide whether to treat them as one entity or to separate them - and to penalize or promote in a graduated manner.
So checking something as simple as "
are all or most of this sites direct authority links from WEB2 sites" is a very simple x check against a recognised and regularly updated list of platforms.
Will they tear you down if they see this as un-natural linking in your particular niche?
My gut feeling is - they probably will in the future.
My other [/facepalm] thought is - it's all so easy to be so much better than this in SEO. But most are too damn lazy to innovate and follow through on their ideas.
Scritty
[Noticed that while Yahoo, Bing and others sponser the WEB2 event Google just go - cheap feckers]
BTW the list of sponsors is V impressive. IBM, Intel, Dell, Pepsi and the list of those that attend varies from movie producers like Lucas, game producers like Blizzard, media from Fox, BBC and others. It's a big deal..but G can't be assed to stump up a few grand to get their name on the billboard. tut tut