So we all know by now that Google doesn't want us linking our from our site if

1. We got paid for that link, and didn't use nofollow, or
2. We got a link in exchange for that link

And those are fair enough and easy to understand.

Now what if I link to Adam or to VanGogh or to any number of people's sites, because I like those people? That's a vote for the messenger and not the message. It's on a help your friends agenda.

What if I link to Brand X because, like me, they compete with Brand Y? China and Pakistan are great friends because they have a common rival in India. What if a bunch of webmasters get together and decide to link to "anyone but Wikipedia"? Since, you know, Google relabeled the "I'm Feeling Lucky" button to "I'm Feeling Wiki". I don't know if a bunch of webmasters could agree to all link to one of them to push WP out of the #1 slot, but say they did. Or just two businesses share a common competitor, but don't actually compete with each other.

Since we've heard so much about paid links and link exchange schemes, I wonder if these are going to blip their way across Google's radar?

Hi there

I would hope not, as exchanging links with friends and partners isnt the same as just exchanging links to manipulate pr, hopefully there will be an element of common sense, i would like to think if you only have a few links google will overlook it, but if you have lots you might get penalized.

After all linking is what connects all the sites together, i can see googles point of view as well mind.

Woc

Add the nofollow tag or else you are doing that for SERP manipulation.

We have about 100 websites that link to each other.
They all our sites and its only natural we link them all together
What's wrong with that?



fastreplies

Add the nofollow tag or else you are doing that for SERP manipulation

Why???

Linking is a quite natural thing to do, and linking because you want to rather than some dumb belief that you HAVE to is perfectly Ok. The addition of the ambiguous "nofollow" attribute to a link promptly makes it appear contrived.