20 replies to this topic

[andruha]

Hello, I'm back with few questions.
So, a couple of pages are linking to me with a tag of "nofollow". I was always told that those have no link value. But those sites show up in google's webmaster tools. Does it mean they do count as backlinks? If google doesn't follow those links then why does it tell me that there are links to my site on that page?
Thanks, I hope you guys understand what I'm trying to say

[SelfMade]

Hello, I'm back with few questions.
So, a couple of pages are linking to me with a tag of "nofollow". I was always told that those have no link value. But those sites show up in google's webmaster tools. Does it mean they do count as backlinks? If google doesn't follow those links then why does it tell me that there are links to my site on that page?
Thanks, I hope you guys understand what I'm trying to say

"nofollow" links have no value with regards to getting site visibility in the SERPS.

Supposing a site with a pr of say 6 is linking to you, in order for you to benefit from link juice from this site, Google Algorythm would need to be able to follow this link, if the link has a nofollow tag....how is google going to know where the link came from?

Simply for that reason this link is likely to be disqualified. Hope you are not paying for the privilege of these links??

[Jill]

But those sites show up in google's webmaster tools. Does it mean they do count as backlinks?

No. It doesn't mean anything.

There's no way to know for sure which links Google counts towards your PageRank and which don't.

[andruha]

"nofollow" links have no value with regards to getting site visibility in the SERPS.

Supposing a site with a pr of say 6 is linking to you, in order for you to benefit from link juice from this site, Google Algorythm would need to be able to follow this link, if the link has a nofollow tag....how is google going to know where the link came from?

Simply for that reason this link is likely to be disqualified. Hope you are not paying for the privilege of these links??

This is how I understand nofollow, but why does google include some of the nofollow links in the webmaster tools?

[Randy]

but why does google include some of the nofollow links in the webmaster tools?

To confuse everyone.

And make them wonder if nofollow links actually carry value or not.

All while knowing full well that nobody can answer the question except for those few people who write the algorithm code regarding links. And that even for those people they could know one answer today, have someone else change the algo tonight so that there's a different answer to the question tomorrow.

Long story short, it's not something you should be worrying about. Because you'll never be able to change how they treat those anyway.

[SelfMade]

To confuse everyone.

And make them wonder if nofollow links actually carry value or not.

Mr cutts and the google gang are great people!

BUT, I don't understand why they don't just come out and say "hey, you know what? nofollow links have value or do not have value"

Coming back to a previous thread, if for example 'company X' is selling links but doesn't want G to know about it so they are applying nofollow to every link they sell, in my eyes this is borderline fraud...SO, why don't G help everyone out and say "hey guys, this 'link' you just bought is useless"

Would this not stamp out perverted companies attempting this tactic?? Since they wouldn't get away with it...after all, the customer or webmaster can check the link...discover it has a nofollow tag, hereby rendering it worthless and say "hey, I want my investment back or I will report your site IP to G"

Problem sorted!

Or in the alternative circumstance it turns out the link actually does have value and G makes this universally known...would this not give all parties peace of mind??

Reminds me of " I could tell you, but then I would have to kill you" Hollywood nonsense!

[Jill]

BUT, I don't understand why they don't just come out and say "hey, you know what? nofollow links have value or do not have value"

Why should they?

Their job isn't to help webmasters game their system.

[SelfMade]

Why should they?

Their job isn't to help webmasters game their system.

Its not about gaming the system. Its about making knowledge available that would be a tiny bit useful for all concerned.

[Jill]

Its not about gaming the system. Its about making knowledge available that would be a tiny bit useful for all concerned.

It wouldn't be useful to them, however.

People don't realize that Google doesn't care about SEOs or webmasters or business owners.

That's not what they're there for.

[Catz]

You shouldn't have to pay for links if your site offers some value to the potential visitor. You are forgetting the human factor.

The link should be considered of value to you if people click it, visit your site and find something of value to them within your pages. No follow does not mean visitors who come across it cannot click the link. Put something of value in your web site that makes visitors want to click the link and it will be of value whether it has a no follow attached to it or not.

What are Google's policies and some specific examples of nofollow usage?

"A site's ranking in Google search results is partly based on analysis of those sites that link to it. In order to prevent paid links from influencing search results and negatively impacting users, we urge webmasters use nofollow on such links. Search engine guidelines require machine-readable disclosure of paid links in the same way that consumers online and offline appreciate disclosure of paid relationships."

"Some SEOs and webmasters engage in the practice of buying and selling links that pass PageRank, disregarding the quality of the links, the sources, and the long-term impact it will have on their sites. Buying or selling links that pass PageRank is in violation of Google's webmaster guidelines and can negatively impact a site's ranking in search results."

They couldn't be much more clear than that.

http://www.google.co...mp;answer=96569

[andruha]

I love how everyone is saying that if you have good content, the links will come... How will people ever find out about your site if you don't go out and buy some links or exchange links with other sites? Don't you have to get some traffic for people to see that you have great content?

[Since 1996]

I love how everyone is saying that if you have good content, the links will come... How will people ever find out about your site if you don't go out and buy some links or exchange links with other sites? Don't you have to get some traffic for people to see that you have great content?

It takes time. My main site is now 14 years online. I've never bought a link anywhere, any time, ever. I have only asked for reciprocal links about 4 or 5 times. I've never advertised or used any type of promotion scheme.

People visit my sites and tell others. People post links to my sites all over (including major sites like Wikipedia) because they (apparently) like the sites and their content. Heck, one site gets most of its visitors from India and that's a US site totally in English.

I haven't had to work for a company for almost 10 years now. I'm not rich, but I'm quite comfortable. I stay at home (after traveling for a living for about 15 years) and work from here on my sites. I love living this way. I do work with my sites every day, including weekends.

If you think this is a get rich quick (or get visitors quick) scheme, I hate to tell you this but you've missed the 'Gold Rush'.

What everyone says is true: If you have good content, the links will come... But, not overnight.

As to rel nofollow tags, I have never used them and I have thousands of outgoing links. But I do ensure links are to reputable sites. In early 2005, Google implemented the rel nofollow tag, but like pagerank, they are of little (if any) value these days. It is 2010...

[SelfMade]

If a site is totally invisible in the SERPS then yes, you would have to market your content to some extent.

But if your site is visible i.e page 1 (bear in mind @80% of searchers rarely look past page 2) then in my experience sites would naturally link to you, however, if a site is that diabollicaly invisible in the SERPS that a 'webmaster' or 'SEO' has to go out and buy links then there is something badly wrong with the on-site SEO far beyond "nofollow" links paranoia.

Links are part of SEO - NOT all of it!

Bottom line is if a site that is doing so badly in respect to SERPS visibility that buying links is an attractive possibility then I say...LEARN, LEARN and LEARN some more or ask jill or any company of their choice worth their salt for a site review!

Google it, Yahoo it, Bing it or simply just Ask Jeeves there are hundreds of firms who could do it...But word of warning.....there are a lot of companies out there with staff that consist of nothing more than ignorant twerps that thinks buying links is the way to go..tell these companies to get lost!

I have never bought a link in my short life and never intend to do so.

[Jill]

I love how everyone is saying that if you have good content, the links will come...

Who says that?

That would obviously be very silly to say.

No business nor website can survive without some form of marketing.

[Since 1996]

Who says that?

I see it said quite a lot on SEO forums. That and Content is King (which I fully believe).