What is a paid link that passes PageRank?

[genuwine4532]

Below is a quote straight out of Google Webmaster Tools:

However, 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.

What is a LINK that PASSES PAGERANK?

[Linda Buquet]

A straight link passes page rank. Google wants you to use
"no follow" on paid links.

[genuwine4532]

So if I paid for a link in a directory it has to show "no follow" on their end for my site link?

Not sure how their rule will impact me, I have about 5 links that I paid for several deep links in a high rank directory, should I be worried and check what is going on?

[Linda Buquet]

Not sure how strict they are on directory links. A few months ago though I do remember a ton of directory sites losing rank which was thought to be a penalty.

The focus was more on specific Text Link Selling companies who used to sell links based on PR with the underlying promise that buying links through them would increase PR and specific high PR sites that sold direct links.

[genuwine4532]

Ok, well I'm glad I only bought a few (being cheap pays off )

I haven't noticed any backlash on my site for this but I think I'm going to stop the paid just to be safe and stick with the free directories only, the attraction of the paid directories is that they approve links right away, while the free ones you have to wait a long time.

Thanks Linda

[Linda Buquet]

Probably safer that way. Just did a quick search and this is one instance.

SEOmoz | What Makes a Good Web Directory, and Why Google Penalized Dozens of Bad Ones

Now this is talking about G penalizing directories themselves, not people that buy links at directories, but there is talk of G also not passing link juice from some of these anymore.

[genuwine4532]

Thanks Linda,

Great link, I bookmarked it!

Google actually got caught posting those passing page rank paid links on one of their own sites and that is how I even found out about this. Here is a link with details, I found it very interesting: Google Whois Domaintools Paid Links Passing PageRank | beu blog

That link also has some great new domain tools from Google and Whois, that gives helfpul info about your sites! Like scanning your sites and giving you an SEO grade!

[MrCat]

The safest way to buy paid links is to make sure they are nofollow. Although you won't get penalized for a paid (dofollow) link that pases PR unless Google finds out.

[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.

If someone can develop a program that can detect that then we're all doomed anyway.

Stay away from paid link farms like text-link-ads, use your common sense when you buy links so that nobody can trace it and you will have no problems.

[genuwine4532]

Yeah but Google always finds out...Eventually anyway. I have heard some horror stories recently so I'll play it safe.

The whole point of paying for the link is for the backlink power, if it's a no-follow then doesn't that defeat the purpose?

Although actually I have been getting quite a bit of traffic from 2 directories where I paid for a link, so I guess that in itself is valuable with the no-follow.