----------------------------------------------------------------- SearchReturn Discussion List "Understanding Internet Search Technology" ----------------------------------------------------------------- Moderator: Published by: Disa Johnson SearchReturn http://www.searchreturn.com ----------------------------------------------------------------- October 11, 2007 SearchReturn Issue #132 ----------------------------------------------------------------- SEND POSTS: ----------------------------------------------------------------- Refer a friend: http://www.searchreturn.com/subscribe.shtml ----------------------------------------------------------------- .....IN THIS DIGEST..... // -- SEARCHRETURN INTERVIEW -- // "Eric Ward Answers Your Questions" ~ SearchReturn ----------------------------------------------------------------- // -- SEARCHRETURN ERIC WARD Q&A -- // ----------------------------------------------------------------- ==> Questions SearchReturn: Eric Ward has always had so much great insight with his vast experience link building since forever. In a distant last issue, we had asked readers for questions for Eric which he has now supplied. Enjoy Eric's answers to some interesting questions from our readers that include Bruce Clay. Since Eric has written substantial content in response to each question, we'll start with questions in order of appearance with this issue and you can expect to read the remaining responses in future issues until we move to the next topic (our second part of the interview with Heather Lloyd-Martin). You can keep the thread alive with adding questions to appear in the series. These questions will be posed to the group, and we will ensure any published question will get a response either by Eric following the thread himself, or a member posts a response. If all else fails, we plan to respond ourselves until the end of the thread. Link Building is so important, don't neglect to get your thoughts to the list, whether they take the form of a question or a valid response to someone else's question. Stay tuned. Questions? mailto:digest@searchreturn.com?subject=Links ----------------------------------------------------------------- // -- SEARCHRETURN / ERIC WARD LINK BUILDING Q&A -- // ----------------------------------------------------------------- From: Joel LesserHere are some questions for Eric... A webmaster guideline specifically mentioning link exchange has been published over at Google: http://www.searchreturn.com/digest/refs132.shtml It states (in part): "... Examples of link schemes can include: Link exchange and reciprocal links schemes ("Link to me and I'll link to you.") ... " How do you think this will affect those webmasters who obtain links sometimes through relevant link exchange in low to natural volume while maintaining editorial control? Will this guideline affect how webmasters link with other sites? Do you think this guideline is fair? Is Google dictating how webmasters will obtain relevant traffic apart from search returns? Best Regards, Joel Lesser Creative NetVentures, Inc. - http://cnvi.com ----------------------------------------------------------------- ERIC'S ANSWERS Joel: How do you think this will affect those webmasters who obtain links sometimes through relevant link exchange in low to natural volume while maintaining editorial control? For me the key word in Google's explanation is "Excessive", the above page states: *Excessive reciprocal links or excessive link exchanging ("Link to me and I'll link to you.") The word 'excessive' is one of those words that can mean different things to different people, and I think Google's use of such a word was by design and warranted, in order to give them the latitude to decide what is in fact excessive on a site by site and topic by topic basis. What would be excessive linking between sites about grasshopper mating habits? My guess is their are only a few sites about that topic, therefore excessive linking would be a far different number or percentage than for sites about NFL fantasy football. If someone has a site about grasshopper mating habits and that site has a links page with 3,678 reciprocal links, then something is really askew :) ----------------------------------------------------------------- Joel: Is this Google webmaster guideline over-reaching? In my opinion no, it is not far reaching enough. ----------------------------------------------------------------- Joel: Will this guideline affect how webmasters link with other sites? I certainly hope so. The overwhelming number of web sites I look at with links pages are operating those links pages so as to try and improve rank, rather than to try to improve user experience on the site. That's a mistake. ----------------------------------------------------------------- Joel: Do you think this guideline is fair? Yes. ----------------------------------------------------------------- Joel: Is Google dictating how webmasters will obtain relevant traffic apart from search returns? The word relevant is just as crucial as the word excessive, and both have shades of gray. I agree it sounds a bit overbearing, but if you parse the guidelines, there is plenty of wiggle room for both you as a webmaster and Google as a provider of accurate search results. ----------------------------------------------------------------- Stay Tuned. Got feedback?: http://www.searchreturn.com/feedback.shtml Archives: http://www.searchreturn.com/digest-archive.shtml Alternate formats: http://www.searchreturn.com/info-formats.shtml Manage Subscriptions: http://www.searchreturn.com/help/manage-subs.shtml Problems unsubscribing? 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