7 replies to this topic

[iamSEO]

So, while reviewing the paid linking inventory for my client, I noticed that our linking manager put their own personal (non-agency) sites onto the "buy." These sites are WAY off topic...let's just say my client sells shoes and the sites are pushing email marketing services...and are pretty close to being link farms (blogs that have no more than 5 or 6 posts in the past year, but numerous paid links across a variety of industries). Should I be concerned about this? This person does not report directly to me, so I would have to go through other channels. I'm stuck on whether I'm facing an ethical or even illegal action. My gut tells me it is unethical at the least, but maybe I'm missing something?

[Randy]

Should I be concerned about this?

Yes.

I'm stuck on whether I'm facing an ethical or even illegal action. My gut tells me it is unethical at the least, but maybe I'm missing something?

I'm not completely clear on the question either (Is this person being paid to put links on their personal site? Or are they putting them there for free?) but in either case if an employee is utilizing company and/or client projects for their personal benefit it's at the very least an ethical concern. Possibly illegal. Most likely in direct conflict with their employment contract.

Sometimes you have to take a stand for morals. Find someone who is over this person or who can speak to the supervisor over this person and lay out the facts. Make sure you have your ducks in a row though, because it's bound to cause some friction.

[iamSEO]

Yes.
I'm not completely clear on the question either (Is this person being paid to put links on their personal site? Or are they putting them there for free?)

Yes, they are being paid. Basically, the client is paying us a fee for linking and a portion of that fee is ultimately going to the employee of the agency who is responsible for this. I'd have no problem if this was being done for free to try to help the client.

Thanks for your input!

[dudes]

You should be concerned. Link farms hurt rankings... a lot. Also, it seems there's some contractual breach in this scenario as well.

[Jill]

Link farms hurt rankings... a lot.

How so?

And if this is true, what's to stop our competitors from hurting our rankings by putting us in link farms?

[Andreas]

How so?

And if this is true, what's to stop our competitors from hurting our rankings by putting us in link farms?

Often when participating in shady linking schemes, you are required to add a link farm directory to your website.
In this case this can indeed hurt you in google if you are displaying a link farm directory on your website and the directory includes followed links to bad neighborhoods.

[torka]

Yes, but that requires you to be participating in the link farm. Other people can't hurt you by posting links in spammy directories that point to your site.

From what the OP said, what is in question are links pointing to the client site that were placed on low-value sites as part of an advertising buy, when the person doing the buying at the ad agency actually controlled the low-value sites himself. This is a clear conflict of interest and could get the ad agency in trouble if the client finds out.

But since in a typical ad buy arrangement, the client doesn't have to place reciprocal links (after all, they're paying cash for the inbound links to start with), it shouldn't have any effect on the client's organic search rankings.

--Torka

[Jill]

Often when participating in shady linking schemes, you are required to add a link farm directory to your website.

Then you deserve to be penalized, imo.