Andy Beard - Internet Business Systems Discussion - Latest Comments in Google Dictating Nofollow For ALL Links From Compensated Content

Re: Google Dictating Nofollow For ALL Links From Compensated Content

Vik — Sat, 26 Jan 2008 00:48:41 -0000

Regulation? OMFG! You think you have problems with Google so you turn to Governments to regulate the Internet?

Here are a few thoughts:

Back when radio (and then TV) were new, the US Federal Government decided that it owned the "Airwaves" in the USA, and if someone wanted to be a "broadcaster" they had LICENSE the Airwaves from the FCC. This involved a lot of money, acceptance of censorship, etc.

Fast Forward to 2008. Can you IMAGINE what the world would be like if the US Government, & other governments REGULATED the Internet?

Much better to keep the Government out of the Internet. Our best chance is that the idiot politicians don't really understand it.

Re: Google Dictating Nofollow For ALL Links From Compensated Content

Vik — Sat, 26 Jan 2008 00:48:41 -0000

Regulation? OMFG! You think you have problems with Google so you turn to Governments to regulate the Internet?

Here are a few thoughts:

Fast Forward to 2008. Can you IMAGINE what the world would be like if the US Government, & other governments REGULATED the Internet?

Much better to keep the Government out of the Internet. Our best chance is that the idiot politicians don't really understand it.

Re: Google Dictating Nofollow For ALL Links From Compensated Content

Tate Linden — Sun, 20 Jan 2008 16:34:37 -0000

We just instituted a Dofollow policy for trusted commenters and links... I'd hate to try to figure out which of the links (past, present, and future) are somehow compensated.

Thanks for an intelligent review of the issues.

Re: Google Dictating Nofollow For ALL Links From Compensated Content

Tate Linden — Sun, 20 Jan 2008 16:34:37 -0000

We just instituted a Dofollow policy for trusted commenters and links... I'd hate to try to figure out which of the links (past, present, and future) are somehow compensated.

Thanks for an intelligent review of the issues.

Re: Google Dictating Nofollow For ALL Links From Compensated Content

Affordable SEO Services - Terr — Fri, 04 Jan 2008 15:10:02 -0000

Ask.com has recently stated that it has the ability to locate and offer or remove relevance to paid links. Google wants us to tattle. It would appear that Google is becoming the company that is too big to manage.

It would also appear that Google is in the business of rocking the boat for their own benefit. Google triangulates as well as Bill Clinton does, maybe even better.

Re: Google Dictating Nofollow For ALL Links From Compensated Content

Affordable SEO Services - Terr — Fri, 04 Jan 2008 15:10:02 -0000

It would also appear that Google is in the business of rocking the boat for their own benefit. Google triangulates as well as Bill Clinton does, maybe even better.

Re: Google Dictating Nofollow For ALL Links From Compensated Content

David W Johnson — Thu, 03 Jan 2008 10:34:32 -0000

In some ways, the issue about nofollow or paid links is a non issue. This dance is just another in a long list of issues past, present, and future.

Google, along with other search engines are attempting to create the perfect relevancy construct. With billions upon billions of webpages, some day trillions, search in some ways is like finding for a needle in a haystack.

So, there's a catch-22 that's been developed. Seach engines develop algorithms for perfect search, webmasters create the strategies to comply with the algorithms.

If I remember correctly, Google's mantra this past year or two was relevancy. And relevancy was in the form of backlinks. So webmasters complied. The science wasn't perfect and here we are with an issue.

The Internet truely is in its infancy. Today, Google makes some of the rules because they took a lead role many years ago.
Either they'll keep leading the way or someone else right now is birthing the next generation of search and relevancy.

Re: Google Dictating Nofollow For ALL Links From Compensated Content

David W Johnson — Thu, 03 Jan 2008 10:34:32 -0000

In some ways, the issue about nofollow or paid links is a non issue. This dance is just another in a long list of issues past, present, and future.

So, there's a catch-22 that's been developed. Seach engines develop algorithms for perfect search, webmasters create the strategies to comply with the algorithms.

Re: Google Dictating Nofollow For ALL Links From Compensated Content

igorthetroll — Mon, 31 Dec 2007 15:11:13 -0000

Tony, please, everything is possible, and actually very easy!

You can do it algorithmically and add some editorial authority as you go on!

The thing with editors you need to work by consensus not by electral.

I can clearly imagine Stimblers and Diggers running away from my human rights activist home page as soon as they discover it.

We tend to get scared of Lepers and other deformities!

Re: Google Dictating Nofollow For ALL Links From Compensated Content

igorthetroll — Mon, 31 Dec 2007 15:11:13 -0000

Tony, please, everything is possible, and actually very easy!

You can do it algorithmically and add some editorial authority as you go on!

The thing with editors you need to work by consensus not by electral.

I can clearly imagine Stimblers and Diggers running away from my human rights activist home page as soon as they discover it.

We tend to get scared of Lepers and other deformities!

Re: Google Dictating Nofollow For ALL Links From Compensated Content

igorthetroll — Mon, 31 Dec 2007 15:02:22 -0000

Dude, nice of you to join us and not be a stranger..:)
I am sorry for labeling you an evacuee, but it is not a bad thing in anyway!

You guys while in PCV help many people all over the world and place yourself in grave dangers.

Does PCV do Gaza and Sierra Leon?
I really want to find out more about the organization!

Come around my blog or email me.

Peace,
Igor

Re: Google Dictating Nofollow For ALL Links From Compensated Content

igorthetroll — Mon, 31 Dec 2007 15:02:22 -0000

Dude, nice of you to join us and not be a stranger..:)
I am sorry for labeling you an evacuee, but it is not a bad thing in anyway!

You guys while in PCV help many people all over the world and place yourself in grave dangers.

Does PCV do Gaza and Sierra Leon?
I really want to find out more about the organization!

Come around my blog or email me.

Peace,
Igor

Re: Google Dictating Nofollow For ALL Links From Compensated Content

Tony Lawrence — Mon, 31 Dec 2007 13:41:45 -0000

@Jmorris:

You said:

"I understand why you are doing nofollow on all links, but the end result will have a more detrimental impact on you and those you link to than it will Google."

I'm not trying to hurt Google. I don't WANT to hurt Google.

I just want to protect myself. As I asked in another reply (and darn it, I should have put all of this into ONE replay, sorry), what algorithm can I apply that will tell me when I can safely omit "nofollow"?

Re: Google Dictating Nofollow For ALL Links From Compensated Content

Tony Lawrence — Mon, 31 Dec 2007 13:41:45 -0000

@Jmorris:

You said:

"I understand why you are doing nofollow on all links, but the end result will have a more detrimental impact on you and those you link to than it will Google."

I'm not trying to hurt Google. I don't WANT to hurt Google.

Re: Google Dictating Nofollow For ALL Links From Compensated Content

Tony Lawrence — Mon, 31 Dec 2007 13:05:48 -0000

"Google needs to find a way to tell the two apart."

I don't think that's possible, and if it is possible, it is going to require looking at a site as a whole.

For example, you can go to my site and pull down the "Random Page" link from my menus (well, you can unless you are still running IE 6 or earlier). Judge the value and relevance of whatever comes up.

You might decide the page is junk. I hope not, because I do work hard not to create junk and to weed it out or improve later if I do, but still, you might. But surely if you, as a rational human being, looked at my ENTIRE site, I think you'd have to agree that it is packed with useful content for its target audience.

Can a 'bot do that? I really can't imagine how.. and if I could, I think I'd be heading for a seven figure job at Google, don't you?

Re: Google Dictating Nofollow For ALL Links From Compensated Content

Tony Lawrence — Mon, 31 Dec 2007 13:05:48 -0000

"Google needs to find a way to tell the two apart."

I don't think that's possible, and if it is possible, it is going to require looking at a site as a whole.

For example, you can go to my site and pull down the "Random Page" link from my menus (well, you can unless you are still running IE 6 or earlier). Judge the value and relevance of whatever comes up.

Can a 'bot do that? I really can't imagine how.. and if I could, I think I'd be heading for a seven figure job at Google, don't you?

Re: Google Dictating Nofollow For ALL Links From Compensated Content

Tony Lawrence — Mon, 31 Dec 2007 12:59:52 -0000

Believe me, I fully understand that using "nofollow" everywhere is not the answer, but tell me this: what algorithm can I apply that tells me when it's "safe" not to use "nofollow"?

Should I use it on my free Consultant List? I would guess yes, though certainly that's as white-hat and above board as you can get and every one of those folks is organically related to my site - so it's "unfair" that I have to do that, isn't it (unfair to them, not me).

Should I use it on any link in a Review section? That would seem to make sense.. but then how do I know how Google looks at my pages? If I have something tagged "Hardware" I may not consider it a Review, but they might..

Can I guess that Google won't penalize me if 99% of my site is apparently organic and 1% is "suspect" (by their rules, not in actuality). How about 80%?

See my point? How do I know what makes me "safe"?

Re: Google Dictating Nofollow For ALL Links From Compensated Content

Tony Lawrence — Mon, 31 Dec 2007 12:59:52 -0000

Believe me, I fully understand that using "nofollow" everywhere is not the answer, but tell me this: what algorithm can I apply that tells me when it's "safe" not to use "nofollow"?

Can I guess that Google won't penalize me if 99% of my site is apparently organic and 1% is "suspect" (by their rules, not in actuality). How about 80%?

See my point? How do I know what makes me "safe"?

Re: Google Dictating Nofollow For ALL Links From Compensated Content

JMorris — Mon, 31 Dec 2007 10:28:35 -0000

Tony,

I understand why you are doing nofollow on all links, but the end result will have a more detrimental impact on you and those you link to than it will Google.

PR is a broken metric, but slapping nofollow on all links is not the way to get it fixed, IMHO. The real issue is that Google needs to find a way to differentiate between quality content and junk content.

A high quality article/post with a relevant link in it (paid or not) adds value to the Internet. A spammy or poorly written article/post with a relevant link in it (paid or not) does not add value to the Internet. Google needs to find a way to tell the two apart.

Re: Google Dictating Nofollow For ALL Links From Compensated Content

JMorris — Mon, 31 Dec 2007 10:28:35 -0000

Tony,

I understand why you are doing nofollow on all links, but the end result will have a more detrimental impact on you and those you link to than it will Google.

Re: Google Dictating Nofollow For ALL Links From Compensated Content

Tony Lawrence — Mon, 31 Dec 2007 08:48:52 -0000

I applaud the concept of "no nofollow", but I think it's the wrong way to do it. As I've said in another post here, I've added "nofollow" tags to ALL my links - organic and otherwise.

Think for a moment what it would mean if everyone did that..

I don't feel like I have any choice. Google isn't going to tell us how they determine if a link is linkbait. I run a legit site, and I don't want to be punished by Google misinterpreting my links.. if I make them all "nofollow", I can't be misinterpreted, right?

But if we all did that, Google's PR algorithm would be worthless, forcing them to find a better way to do PR.

Re: Google Dictating Nofollow For ALL Links From Compensated Content

Tony Lawrence — Mon, 31 Dec 2007 08:48:52 -0000

I applaud the concept of "no nofollow", but I think it's the wrong way to do it. As I've said in another post here, I've added "nofollow" tags to ALL my links - organic and otherwise.

Think for a moment what it would mean if everyone did that..

But if we all did that, Google's PR algorithm would be worthless, forcing them to find a better way to do PR.

Re: Google Dictating Nofollow For ALL Links From Compensated Content

Scott — Sun, 30 Dec 2007 20:59:46 -0000

For the record, I wasn't evacuated from Nepal. My group completed its term before the Peace Corps program was suspended there. I did, however, have quite a lot of good pals who were evacuated to Thailand.

Re: Google Dictating Nofollow For ALL Links From Compensated Content

Scott — Sun, 30 Dec 2007 20:59:46 -0000

Re: Google Dictating Nofollow For ALL Links From Compensated Content

Ted Murphy — Sun, 30 Dec 2007 12:13:14 -0000

My response to Matts response.

http://community.izea.com/b...