Google frowns on reciprocal linking

This is a subject that absolutely everyone appears to be arguing link building seo about at the moment. Everyone attempting to second-guess Google's actions - which they will Never do - and questioning whether or not reciprocal linking is dead, dying or if it is one thing worth carrying on.

'Nuff of the speculation. Here's the proof.

Google do not like reciprocal link directories and they can sniff one particular out a mile off. There was (notice the use of the past tense here) a link directory on my website until recently, but I have now removed it, since it had turn out to be as beneficial as a chocolate teapot.

While the main front page of the site has retained it is Google PageRank of PR5, in 1 of their last contextual homepage backlinks updates, Google relegated that directory, which had also previously had a PR5, to a PR .

Meanwhile, I had not altered my linking structure that pointed to it. I had not altered my policies either: I did not link TO any PR0 websites, kept the number of links per page down to a minimum and there were even text descriptions for every single entry listed.

Google could tell what it was and acted as they saw fit.

There is no point questioning or whining about it. They can and they are carrying out so in order to offer far better results to searchers. You can like it or lump it, but if you want them to give you decent listings, ranks or send you any traffic, their guidelines count.

My assistance: forget *artificial* reciprocal linking completely. The time taken to contextual backlinks maintain the directory, approve/disaprove submissions (largely the latter, since the only folks nevertheless asking for links are crappy PR0 internet sites and spammers) can be considerably far better spent.

When you want to exchange links with other internet sites, make certain you do so in a all-natural way, by which I mean write about the other site in some way and location natural links within the physique text.

And contemplate just giving to get. By which I mean, link out to useful issues for the edification or entertainment of your visitors giving no consideration to the instant usefulness of that link to you.

What goes around will come around. Once you are noticed as helpful, others will link to you. You do then get your links "reciprocated", but it could not be from the very same individuals to whom you linked.

That is the all-natural way of linking that Google wants to see.

Do not, below any circumstances, preserve anything (other than internal navigation) that could appear like merely a list of links / link farm, due to the fact Google will find it, won't like it and will penalize it.

Reciprocal linking, in the form of lists or directories merely created for that very purpose can't do anything to aid you with Google (fairly the opposite, in reality) and consequently, est mortuus. [RIP]