Google Selling PageRank 7 Links on Google.com Domain

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November 29, 2007

Google Selling PageRank 7 Links on Google.com Domain

With all the debate and discussion around paid links these days, some DigitalPoint Forums members are wondering how Google can get away with selling links that are not nofollowed.

That is right, if you want a PageRank 7 link directly form Google.com, all you need to do is buy a Google Mini Search Appliance for $1,995 per year (or $166 per month) and you can get a link on this page.

Should Google slap on a nofollow tag on those links? Personally, I don't think they have to. But I think Matt would think otherwise.

Not to point anyone specifically out, but it seems like some SEO companies are already savvy to this:

Sacrificial lamb gets the link, thanks Neutralize!

I am not the first to point this out, Andy reported this way back in June of this year.

Forum discussion at DigitalPoint Forums.

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posted rustybrick in Link Building at November 29, 2007 7:13 AM Comments (16)

Comments

Barry. We are actually an official Google Enterprise Partner as well and resell Google Search Appliances which some clients use for site search and in their testing environments.
http://www.neutralize.com/search-engine-optimisation/seo-quality-assurance.htm

Posted by Teddie at November 29, 2007 13:56

Teddie,

I am not meaning to say you paid for the mini to get the link.

Just to be clear.

I know you and you are a nice, stand up guy.

Even if you did buy it for the link, it doesn't matter.

Posted by Barry Schwartz at November 29, 2007 14:10

Barry, while I agree that Google is linking to customer sites, their Webmaster guidelines don't forbid companies from linking to customer sites.

If people want to buy something from companies that link to their customers, there is no reason not to do so.

It's a good way to buy some PageRank and such links should be promoted by the SEO community as safe, Google-approved methods of buying PageRank.

Yahoo! links are safe, Google-approved PageRank purchases, too.

Posted by Michael Martinez at November 29, 2007 14:31

*GrinZ* Now thats one expensive link... but they just might have a bit of authority on that site.

Posted by Daryl at November 29, 2007 14:49

I beg to differ Daryl, $1,995 for a link from Google.com is dirt cheap if you know what it could do for you in the SERPs...

Posted by Joost de Valk at November 29, 2007 16:02

Thanks Barry, if I did however I'd probably also be asking you to annotate that Flickr image and link it to us as well ;-)

Joost - I don't think it made any difference in the grand scheme of things. However given that it's a directory frequented mostly by online businesses, having some decent descriptive text may have helped increase the CTRs from potentially relevant parties, and that's definitely a good thing.

Posted by Teddie at November 29, 2007 16:42

Teddie, yes, done.

Posted by Barry Schwartz at November 29, 2007 17:04

What sucks is that my client's business name starts with an "F" so they are on the second page which only has a PR5. :(

Posted by Richard Burckhardt at November 29, 2007 17:13

Doesn't seem like it has done much for Neutralize as they don't even rank anywhere in the top 100 results for the phrase "search engine marketing."

On another note, these are not really paid links but rather the page is more like a clients list or a testimonials page. I don't see Google taking the same stand with client, partner and testimonial types of pages that are making with paid links in general.

Posted by David Wallace at November 30, 2007 12:21

You can also "buy" a PR8 link from Google by passing the professionals exam! On the page that confirms you are in fact an Adwords Pro you can add your company link. And that is roughly $1850 cheaper than buying the mini.

Posted by Dizzle at November 30, 2007 13:12

Hey, It looks like google has changed links at that page to redierect 302. That's funny:)
You frighten Google into it!!!

Posted by Simeon at December 1, 2007 12:17

Hey, just to avoid even the appearance of problem, we added a redirect to these links through a robot.txt'ed page so that these links don't pass PageRank.

Posted by Matt Cutts at December 2, 2007 02:06

Thanks Barry, if I did however I'd probably also be asking you to annotate that Flickr image and link it to us as well ;-)

Posted by alonestreet at December 5, 2007 11:03

Whether or not the sites are able to pass pagerank is irrelevant. I do not understand why it is ok for google to sell links but it's not ok for anyone else to do it, why the double standard?

Posted by Kevin at February 15, 2008 12:44

do not understand why it is ok for google to sell links but it's not ok for anyone else to do it, why the double standard?

Posted by No Name at August 11, 2008 16:45

for $1,995 per year (or $166 per month) and you can get a link on this page.
:) :)

Posted by keriman at August 25, 2008 09:38