We all know about the Google algorithm updates that have brought about a change in SEO practices. However for marketers or companies out there who think they can still cut corners – think again! Link building that is natural and therefore seen as “ethical” is the only way your site can increase its rankings up the serps and stay there!
One of the primary ways of creating natural ranking positions is through guest blogging. By providing beneficial information you are rewarded with a link back to your site – not through payment. Yet there are a number of companies, particularly newspapers that are allowing people to pay for a post in order to gain a link.
Interflora one of the UK’s largest florists have been hit with a Google penalty just in time for Mother’s day – one of their most profitable days of the year. Interflora were found to have a large number of paid links from advertorials on regional newspaper websites around the UK. These links passed pagerank and helped boost their position on Google, however they shouldn’t have been allowed. Google then took action and penalised the florist. Interflora then became invisible on Google, however this was only a temporary punishment. The newspaper sites in question were also penalised by being dropped off the rankings. 
Google’s head of webspam Matt Cutt’s didn’t comment directly on this but has issued a statement reiterating the rules:
“Google has said for years that selling links that pass PageRank violates our quality guidelines. We continue to reiterate that guidance periodically to help remind site owners and webmasters [website owners] of that policy. Please be wary if someone approaches you and wants to pay you for links or “advertorial” pages on your site that pass PageRank. Selling links (or entire advertorial pages with embedded links) that pass PageRank violates our quality guidelines, and Google does take action on such violations.”
Recovering from penalties like this can cost a company millions in lost sales and can take a couple of months if not longer to recover the site. Any links that are paid for in any shape or form are not seen as natural. Google want’s to return results that are of the highest value to a user offering sought after information.
This is not all doom and gloom. What it means is that the web is an even plateau for small and large businesses. If you’re a big company like Interflora and try and cheat the system, then you will be penalised. Similarly if you’re a small startup company you can own the rankings and establish your name online.
Miromedia’s Seo Birmingham team can create sustainable link building for your site through guest blogging and content creation. We only provide natural seo techniques, so once you reach position one you’re more likely to stay there.
