While searching for something this evening, I was hit with an odd sight on Google. The results looked like the old days with no advertisements. Of course, I wondered if Google might be having technical issues, so I did a few more queries and what I found was quite surprising.
It appears Google has decided to fold to peer pressure and pull all ads that show for popular keywords related to the link buying industry. I’ve heard the question asked at several conferences, asking why Google complains about link buying, but then turns around and lets the link buying industry advertise their service through AdWords. I can only assume this is the reason the ads are not showing now.
I ran several searches and it seems like a half ass attempt because a search for ‘buy link, sell links, buy link popularity’ show ads, but a search for ‘buy links, text link ads, buy text links’ show no ads. I think it’s pretty hilarious that they’re going to such lengths to hide the obvious fact; their algorithm is flawed and they can’t fix it.
Here are the results I searched:
 Text Link Ads |
 Buy Link |
 Buy Links |
 Buy Text Links |
 Buy Link Popularity |
 Sell Links |
Maybe they’ll pop back up, but I would bet they’re trying to portray a dominant image. I compare it to when a guy breaks up with a girl that he really likes, but he’s trying to play the ‘cool guy’ in front of all his friends. In the back of his mind he wants to whisper in her ear to come to his place later on, but in front of the public, he acts like he doesn’t need her.
Eventually, they’ll be left with an index full of AdWords and Wikipedia results.
**UPDATE**
This is a confirmed story. Straight from the horses mouth.
14 comments ↓
I had two top-ranking blog entries that returned in the top three until November, when they began dropping. Neither are in the top 100 for the appropriate searches now; they have been replaced by obvious spam. Somewhere in the neighborhood of 70 of the top 100 results were blatant spam, another 20 were repeats of the same article, leaving a whole 10 relevant results. I agree with you: they’ve done something seriously wrong and ended up slapping themselves - and I couldn’t be happier! Great detective work, Batman!
Google has also made it impossible for commenters on Blogger blogs to link to any site other than their blogger profile.
I am boycotting G@@GLE. Internet users have given them this power and we can take it away.
Have a happy holiday.
When paid links are outlawed, only outlaws will have paid links.
That Google would take on an entire industry that it was largely responsible for creating is amazing and shows cracks in the “Do no evil” creed.
The algorithm is not flawed. What is flawed is the persistence of a ranking method that can be manipulated just like hidden text used to be.
The question is what will the link industry do when the market for paid links as we know it now collapses? Is LinkWorth prepared to become something more like a normal advertising network? I hope so!
Interesting backtrack from the big `G`eh?
Welp…. that’s that.
At least they are not being hypocrites about it, for the exception of the example you gave regarding GoogleMini (http://blog.linkworth.com/more-hipocrisy-by-google-nofollow). Quite an exception if you ask me, though.
I wonder how much money G actually made from Ads served for text link buying and such.
I suspect PayPerPost is going to have some serious probs paying back the venture capitalists, because Matt’s blog pretty much ripped their entire service a new a$$.
Nonetheless, text link advertising, in one form or another, is going to remain an important technique for web marketers. Within a few months there will be variations that probably work even better than traditional TLA.
Honestly, that’s what i love about LinkWorth — The model you have here is not based strictly on Text Link Advertising. A balanced approach is always the best strategy.
I am a HUGE fan of article submission and content based backlinks using the LinkArt and LinkPress platform. LinkBB is a very innovative tool as well, and i highly recommend people use it.
MegaD
Chris.. the ranking method exists inside their algorithm, which is easily manipulated. So I would say the algo is flawed. Sure, there are many great parts about it, but if you are flying the space shuttle to the moon and one of the most important parts of the engine is flawed, would you continue on to the moon or fix the part?
Everything as we know it can change at any given time. You just have to learn to adapt and evolve with your surroundings. LinkWorth is not a one trick pony and we’ll never be that way. So unfortunately you cannot get rid of us that easily Chris.
Sorry to hear of the drops. And thanks Robin! hehe
I think most webmasters are already seeing that Matt Cutt s is a two-face and in reality, he’s getting “paid to post” on his blog. His pay comes from Google. His recent post ripping PPP was totally bunk. I’m sorry but the problem isn’t bloggers writing paid reviews and selling textlinks, the problem is the PPC pirates who spend big bucks on Adsense campaigns to promote any affiliate program and flood Google’s results with garbage entries.
The long and short of it is Google doen’t want internet advertisers to use anybody but Adwords.
Eventually all of the bad karma Google is passing will come back to bit them in the rear.
[...] The comment left on the LinkWorth blog actually, by CyberCelt. [...]
@Ringer
Of course they want people using AdWords over other services. They’re a business and that’s their cash cow.
I did a great post on our company blog yesterday about how ridiculous this is, and how in reality this is just Google taking a shot at a competing ad platform that they felt was getting too big.
http://www.doneseo.com/blog/google-bans-their-competitors-from-advertising-through-adwords/
I’m sure whatever they lose in ad revenue from text link companies they’ll make up in people forced to use AdWords.
Is this just a rant?
It is good that I sold Google Stock now. It is going to go down. Good analysis man.
It seem Google stil don’t like link selling.
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