After the Google algorithm changes, I'm wondering if it is worth to even exchange links anymore? I used to sign up to industry specific directories and put their link in the footers of my site and it seemed to work fine for a couple of years and now as of August of last year, all my sites have been downgraded.
Do link exchanges still work?
- Thread starter mooseboy
- Start date
Endire
Elite Member
- Mar 27, 2012
- 1,756
- 1,075
Good question mooseboy,
I think the fast answer is, it depends. I would say its still ok if you are doing it in a smart way. For example if you were to collaborate with another web master in a similar niche and exchange links to one another's sites during the process, this would be undetectable and (I think) perfectly acceptable as it still creates a good user experience. Say on a larger scale you do this with dozens of other webmasters every month. I think that would be acceptable too.
Where I think sites get dinged is when they buy from services that are specifically set up to offer a link exchange. The links people buy are often junk from spammy domains and they get penalized right away. While others may not agree, I would stay away from the spammy services and work on exchanging links with sites that you know are good and that may actually provide and inbound link to your site of some high caliber (i.e. reputable site, link in copy instead of footer or sidebar, contextual anchor text, etc.)
Here is a funny example of someone that wasn't being smart,
http://www.seroundtable.com/google-link-exchange-response-14575.html
Hope that helps,
Shawn
I think the fast answer is, it depends. I would say its still ok if you are doing it in a smart way. For example if you were to collaborate with another web master in a similar niche and exchange links to one another's sites during the process, this would be undetectable and (I think) perfectly acceptable as it still creates a good user experience. Say on a larger scale you do this with dozens of other webmasters every month. I think that would be acceptable too.
Where I think sites get dinged is when they buy from services that are specifically set up to offer a link exchange. The links people buy are often junk from spammy domains and they get penalized right away. While others may not agree, I would stay away from the spammy services and work on exchanging links with sites that you know are good and that may actually provide and inbound link to your site of some high caliber (i.e. reputable site, link in copy instead of footer or sidebar, contextual anchor text, etc.)
Here is a funny example of someone that wasn't being smart,
http://www.seroundtable.com/google-link-exchange-response-14575.html
Hope that helps,
Shawn
I looked at the Google guidelines page that were linked in in that link you provided, and it talks about "Buying Or Selling Page Rank"....my issue with that is there are dozens of high quality directory sites which you pretty much need to purchase monthly memberships to. I mean there is Yellow Pages for example....does Google consider that spammy and bad link building practices?
Also, I did purchase about 200 links through a real cheap service. I realized those were definitely against the Google guidelines so I disavowed all of them. About a month later I noticed my page rank went from PR 3 to PR 2. So did that even help?
Also, I did purchase about 200 links through a real cheap service. I realized those were definitely against the Google guidelines so I disavowed all of them. About a month later I noticed my page rank went from PR 3 to PR 2. So did that even help?
martinrush
Newbie
- Jan 29, 2013
- 27
- 0
Still works and works well. This is still the major SEO technique for the websites of games. It's effective for this kind of webs.
freezeice04
Power Member
- Jul 5, 2010
- 694
- 299
Still works but make sure you have a good variety of links and that the links are relevant and not from link farms. Be VERY careful with sitewide links / blog roll links cause google tends to penalize those a lot. Instead, you can exchange links from a variety of places - homepage, blog post link, a small amount of sitewide links, links on certain pages etc.
virul_indi
Registered Member
- Mar 2, 2011
- 54
- 4
I suggest you to go forward with Guest Blogging. It helps.. 
netcontactalok
Newbie
- Jan 31, 2013
- 2
- 0
As my SEO experience linking in wiki sites and web 2.0 sites is the best way for ranking of a website.
Killix
BANNED
- Nov 30, 2012
- 511
- 153
Link exchanging is fine as long as there is meaning to it and it makes sense, if you write an article about the wheels on a Ferrari and someone else who owns a site about ferraris and they link to you about wheels and you link to them thats natural its only when the site starts having a link profile that is full of link exchanges from totally irrelevant websites that google gets suspicious.
Link exchange still works if you keep it relevant to your niche. Don't get into 3 ways link exchanges but 2 way are fine if not overdone.
As far as buying links is concerned, You can get links solely for advertisement purpose but not to manipulate the Page rank or SERP's. You can buy Nofollow links or banner spaces that can send referral traffic to your website. But if Google happens to find you buying links from high PR pages in order to get link juice then you are gonna get in trouble for sure.
As far as buying links is concerned, You can get links solely for advertisement purpose but not to manipulate the Page rank or SERP's. You can buy Nofollow links or banner spaces that can send referral traffic to your website. But if Google happens to find you buying links from high PR pages in order to get link juice then you are gonna get in trouble for sure.
BabyMonster
BANNED
- Feb 4, 2007
- 735
- 235
Yes its still effective. Relevance, quality.. links are links. Just jeep on going. You'll be good.
Yeah. That must explain why Pornhub ranks #1 for "porn" while having millions of'em.
I'm obviously being sarcastic. In most niches, links like that can be an issue, specifically if those blogrolls are from a different industry. However, blog roll links are fairly natural as a small part of your site's link repertoire.
In general, I'd say it often depends on the niche. In adult and pharmacy it seems like you can get away with anything. In non-commercial niches, people link between blog rolls all the time. However, in most commercial industries, a blog roll link is paid, exchanged, or part of the link receiver's network 99% of the time.
playingdota
Newbie
- Feb 26, 2013
- 35
- 4
Link your site with the same niche as yours
Transportantes0
Registered Member
- Feb 23, 2013
- 70
- 10
You have to be very careful because there is a high chance it will leave footprints and with the newest google updates, the big G is as strict as ever on what is quality SEO and what will get you sandboxed or de-indexed.
Blackjack731
Newbie
- Jan 12, 2014
- 16
- 0
I think its still efective, if good quality
