What is a paid link that passes PageRank?

[genuwine4532]

Originally Posted by Rob_TID

I am yet to see how google can possibly know if I gave Linda a call and then sent her $50 via paypal and she just happened to blog about my site with a link.

Well if you wonder how Google can find out just ask John Chow. Maybe one of the biggest G slaps in history and all related to bad linking strategies.
John Chow In Google’s Penalty Box | Internet Marketing | Strategy & Services

I certainly would not ever want to risk losing what he had!

[Rob_TID]

That's fine for moderately competitive keywords, but if you want to get ranked for big keywords like "mortgages" and "credit cards" then you will have little choice but to break out the check book.

[Rob_TID]

John Chow was very much NOT one of the greatest google slaps in history. He doesn't even compete in a competitive vertical.

John Chow was also very stupid about how he went about manipulating the results. Hell, even *I* knew he was heading for a slapping. Any seo worth of pinch of salt would have know too. He couldn't have been any more obvious about his paid search engine manipulation strategies had he screamed it from the roof tops.

[MrCat]

Google also encourages webmasters (through Matt Cutts blog) to report paid links that passes link juice. Thats one way they find out about paid links.

[genuwine4532]

You are right Mr Cat! And they do the same in the Webmaster Tools Help section under the subject where they provide a link to report sites that do this!

[Rob_TID]

Which is a fairly good indication of how bad they are at knowing themselves, wouldn't you say?

[genuwine4532]

Yes that is also true!! Makes Sense!

[PowerAff]

Try not to go public with your text ad sales.
Paid links still works. I have a bunch of happy advertisers just paying for the links PR value.