SEO Tycoon

**Ovis Suburbanus** · 12-22-2009, 06:20 PM

Hello all. It's been quite some time since I last posted here but I've got a problem.
I am the manager of a (high-ranking in our most of our keyword sets) retail consumer products e-store and my client has been approached by what looks like a major design/SEO firm. "WSA" wants to pay my client to put a link on his website that directs to another site that sells a marginally related product.

Now, I know it's taboo for us to buy links from other sites in an attempt to improve our search performance but what about being paid to link to other sites? And, if it's taboo for me to do this on behalf of my client, then doesn't that mean that it's also wrong for WSA to do it?

Also, having this company snooping around my territory makes me extremely nervous as this is my only client and has been for over 3 years. I'm sure that if he makes a deal with WSA, they will then attempt to sell him their design and SEO services. This scares the crap out of me and I don't know how to approach it.

Any advice and help will be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

**chrishirst** · 06:46 PM

There is nothing to stop anyone buying advertising (links), neither there any thing to stop any one selling links either.

**CadServices** · 12-23-2009, 04:26 AM

yes you can....but do free submission for google paid or free submission doesn't matters...

**alex_cristo** · 12-23-2009, 07:47 AM

It is upto you but it is recommended to add nofollow if you are placing links for advertising purpose.

**FenceGuy** · 12-23-2009, 09:36 AM

Why would you advertise for a related product from a competitor? Even if it is marginally related, unless it is something you don't carry and something that couldn't be bought in place of one of your products.

If it is something that wouldn't directly affect sales from site, then why not tell the company to create a 125x125 or other size actual add instead of a link and be sure to add <rel=no-follow> to the ad.

**Ovis Suburbanus** · 12-23-2009, 11:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FenceGuy

Why would you advertise for a related product from a competitor? Even if it is marginally related, unless it is something you don't carry and something that couldn't be bought in place of one of your products.

If it is something that wouldn't directly affect sales from site, then why not tell the company to create a 125x125 or other size actual add instead of a link and be sure to add <rel=no-follow> to the ad.

That's just it. WSA, to which I refer in my OP, has sent us its Terms and Conditions with the following clause:

3) Publisher agrees to maintain all direct text link (s) in advertising and not replace them with any type of link that cannot be read and followed by the search engines, including but not limited to: redirect links, refreshes, nofollow links, script links, form links, etc.

Thoughts?

**FenceGuy** · 12-23-2009, 11:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ovis Suburbanus

That's just it. WSA, to which I refer in my OP, has sent us its Terms and Conditions with the following clause:

3) Publisher agrees to maintain all direct text link (s) in advertising and not replace them with any type of link that cannot be read and followed by the search engines, including but not limited to: redirect links, refreshes, nofollow links, script links, form links, etc.

Thoughts?

My thoughts, NO. Google is specific about adding <rel=no-follow> to paid links. Aren't they? Maybe I am wrong, but I thought I read something on their website on that.

Yep, just searched it and here is the word straight from Google http://www.google.com/support/webmas...n&answer=66736

**wayfarer07** · 12-23-2009, 11:21 AM

If your site already makes money regularly, I probably wouldn't bother. Is the financial gain going to be enough to offset the possible loss of traffic?

What if the site has been reported in the past for attempting to buy links? Perhaps not likely, but should you risk linking to a "bad neighborhood"? I can think of plenty of reasons not to link to them, but not many to do it.

If the business model isn't broken, no need to fix it.