If Google think that buying and selling links will corrupt their algorithm and sites that indulge in such activities should be reported, I think Darren should be reported. Here’s an yester-year post of his, where he writes..
I’ve got nothing against Darren. Someone from Google could help me find an answer to this.
————————UPDATE—————————
This post was not meant to hurt anyone but educate the normal reader that Google’s policies can be ineffective, even in the case of a popular site like Problogger.net. I strongly urge the readers to take this as an example/case study from which you should take lessons and not as something to act upon.
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Hi, I'm Mani Karthik, Pro Blogger & SEO Consultant from India. I blog, I Tweet, help websites with SEO. Loves working from home office. Quit my day job as SEO consultant 4 years ago, to pursue full time blogging and consultation. Living the dream now.
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Google want us to give away the “cheaters” (?), I think it’s stupid and so “Big Brother”.
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People who came in early will always have an advantage. You know life is becoming tougher each day
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like you say in your post – this post was written some time back – about a period in my blogging that was 2-3 years before that. The blog bought a couple of links for doesn’t even exist any more.
I think you’ll find that reporting someone to Google is something that requires you to give a few more details than them writing a post about buying a couple of links two or so years ago.
They require you to show them where the bought links are and who it impacts their search results – not something this vague.
Added to that the context of the post you’re talking about – which tells people not to get obsessed with building links and I think Google would have to be stupid to bring a penalty for that.
To be honest I’m a little miffed by this post – what’s the point of it Mani – are you attempting to cause trouble, is this link bait, what are you up to?
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Darren,
I’m constantly trying to align myself with Google (and i sincerely wish everyone does). Yea I agree it’s kind of futile because they do the double talk.
I have nothing against you or John or any blogger personally but it is really a bad situation where some people are left out of the net, while some are caught.
I agree with Google, nobody should indulge in buying/selling links. But how about the sites that buy sponsored links from Google itself ? ( Yea! Talk about monopoly.)
If Google has a policy, I’ll probably accept it and expect others to adhere to it. And trust Google to filter out the spam.
Why the post? – I am not keen on reporting this to Google or harming anyone.
I noticed something “remarkable” and wanted to share it with the readers. That’s about it.
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I guess I just fail to see what’s remarkable about it or why you’d suggest someone should report me.
I work hard to build a quality site that shares the lessons I learn (both the successes and the mistakes) and I guess get nervous when someone writes something that could ‘inspire’ people to report me for something that I actually don’t do these days.
While I’m confident that there would be no reason to penalize me for this – I guess I get worried that this type of post might be misinterpreted.
I guess all I’d encourage you to remember is that when you write this type of thing you’re actually writing about something that could impact the livelihood of another person.
Let me use an example – what if someone were to crawl back through your own archives and find a place where you seemed to be looking for link exchanges – something that breaks Google’s webmaster guidelines too.
Now you wrote that post quite a few months back – asking for links to another blog (one that seems to be a dubious looking site these days) – but does that mean you should be reported?
Not really sure what else to say about it – but I guess I feel uncomfortable with your post here.
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Hello Mani,
Being a fellow Indian blogger, I read your blog quite regularly, also Darren’s as I am in learning phase and he gives great tips!
I read a lot and there are times when a controversial topic/opinion brings in some traffic and bring in attention towards one’s blog, Hope this isn’t that!
However this post seems like you are pointing fingers in the wrong way. As far I have seen Darren is quite candid and was talking about an old approach.
At the stage of blogging success,he doesn’t need to let anyone know about this to anyone. What he did, was to think from an average or newbie bloggers point of view and shared his thoughts upon this, so its like yet another lesson for us, about how to approach link building.
The posts on your blog have mentioned famous bloggers and well the line has never been crossed, but if you take care that any post doesn’t cross the line, you can have a very co-ordial relation with them.
Now I am too new to tell you whats good for you, its just a suggestion, and you have written some really good posts!
If you do not publish this comment I would understand!
Good Luck with your Blogging!
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why didn’t my last comment go up yet Mani – it’s been a couple of days?
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You leave Darren alone. He never did anything to bother you.
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Mani Karthik
Replied:
@Jane, This is not personal at all. Hope you’ll take it in the right spirit.
@Vikram, you are right – “The posts on your blog have mentioned famous bloggers and well the line has never been crossed”. I didn’t want it to happen this time either. This was a mis-interpretation. Please see the update note on the post.
Cheers!
Mani
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Hi Darren, I’d not write anything like it if it negatively affects anyone (forget someone who makes a livelihood out of it, but anyone).
I haven’t reported you to Google nor do I think anyone should. I was trying to make a point here that – Googles policies are often ineffective as it fails and cannot stop “anyone and everyone” who tries to manipulate the system.
I have tried for link exchanges(even a John Chow kinda operation), and just like you, quit it once I came to know about it’s ill effects.
I don’t think that anyone should report anything like this to Google, unless it affects you. Like a site ranking higher on the SERPS than your site, which does(the other site not your’s) blackhat SEO techniques and link buying by mass.
In this case, my sincere wish was to let people know about the failure of Google policies by taking a popular example – that’s you. People would not find it interesting if I gave my example or any non-popular blogger.
Bottom line – This post was not meant to hurt anyone but educate the normal reader that Google’s policies can be ineffective, even in the case of a popular site like Problogger.net. I strongly urge the readers to take this as an example/case study from which you should take lessons and not as something to act upon.
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[...] noted something interesting in Darren’s blog and reported about it here. It was an impulsive post and I had no intentions anything at all of it being controversial or so [...]
Mani, it became personal when you put Darren’s name in the title of your post. I find it hard to believe that you’re saying that’s not what you’re doing. Furthermore, you can kowtow to Google anyway you want, but brazenly saying above that you expect everyone to do exactly the same is unbelievable. Are you dense or just trying to get noticed? If the latter, this is NOT the way to do it.
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Mani,
I think you could have chosen a better example than Darren Rowse and ProBlogger.net. There are many other high profile blogs, websites that do a tremendous amount of aggressive “Link Baiting” or link purchasing.
Unfortunately, your message was lost due to your poor choice of evidence.
Beau
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@ Beau – You are right. Though I think it’s not good to over do it, many readers find it interesting to read about these sites. And it’s interesting to see how Google deals with it.
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Hi there,
I see your point of view Mani. This post has shades of gray but your previous posts have been great, Keep the flow going.
Cheers!
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[...] spotted Darren’s comments here and there on some articles. Most interesting of them being this one, where he was a bit miffed about an article I wrote which according to me was wrongly interpreted. [...]