Since I’ve had so many requests here’s the presentation from the SES Paid Links Panel
mgray-paidlinks-ses2007 (powerpoint)
Related posts:
- New Link Advertising Program InLinks.com from Text Link Ads Yesterday,
- Hey Google Going to Drop the Paid Links Hammer on Coke Hey Google
- Hey Matt Cutts Be Fair if You Are Going After Paid Links Really I w
{ 3 trackbacks }
{ 48 comments }
← Previous Comments
I am sorry I missed the session (even though I created my own version of it), thanks for sharing the slide show.
Awesome presentation, very much in line with everything I’ve experienced in terms of paid links. The only problem I have is with the 10th slide stating that Google has overstepped its boundaries. While they may be blowing by their mission statement, it’s easy to forget that Google is in the business of making money, just like all the rest of us, and so while it is certainly contradictory of them to tell us to not buy/sell links I have a hard time faulting them for trying to increase revenue.
Thanks for posting the presentation. Google suggesting that paying for links is unethical is hilarious. Certainly it is against there webmaster guidelines, but since when has that that been a religious tome?
Thanks for putting the presentation online! That is very much appreciated since I wasn’t able to make it to the conference.
Michael –
Thanks so much for sharing. Very to the point and informative. It puts things in perspective and takes out any doubts for strategy.
Much appreciated.
Simply Brilliant…while I agree that Google as a business has as much right to earn a profit as Joe’s diner, I don’t think it becomes them to create a false environment of fear to further their agenda and veil it by claiming they are the serving the needs of the public. Oh, how altruistic you all are at Google.
Let’s leave fear based politics to the politicians (I wish they would stop as well) and base our public relations efforts on facts rather than manufactured drivel, especially since we can vote you out of office.
*love* that presentation. in reading, it provides a very calm, reasoned rebuttal to all google’s paid link FUD. if presented to a large crowd of SEOs, i can see how it would blow the roof off the conference room
well done.
I was stuck in the booth and only heard the highlights of this so thanks for posting your ppt. That was awesome.
That was great! I wish I could have been there to see it in person. Google needs to rethink their algorithm instead of trying to change the web. Google wants you to build websites for people not robots, but then they go and tell you to program for the robots. Silly.
F-ing brilliant
Amazing stuff.
Let me get this right, okay? It’s okay if Google provides webmaster’s with lots and lots of tools like Google SiteMaps, etc, and these tools clearly are because Google exists and they want to help webmasters, right? But it’s not okay if one of those tools is the “nofollow” tag that is there for a webmaster to use if he so chooses, right?
Now how does that work exactly? You all want it both ways, right? You want to be able to buy and sell links, and also want Google to sit quietly by while webmasters take part in the destruction of the Google serps?
Now how does that work exactly?
Thanks for the presentation! Really like your approach.
The paid links will go underground and everybody still can build links for their websites (only the big G doesnt know:)).
@Doug Heil: Google gathers as much information about websites, keyword information, clicks, and more as possible. They use YOUR information for their benefit.
Sander wrote; They use YOUR information for their benefit….
Google certainly does do that. Google does a whole bunch of things including showing banned or penalized firms/sites in Adwords, which I totally disagree with and needs to stop.
At the same time, “you” and all other sites want Google to send you “free” traffic, right? I think that kind of trade-off is just fine. Google can state anything they wish about nofollow, robots, or anything else they wish. It’s up to each of us to decide on whether or not we do as Google says. If you do not want to do what Google says, do “not” do it. It’s real simple. While you are buying and selling links, Google can penalize those links or de-value those links as they wish. You can use nofollow on those links, or not, as “you” wish as well.
This isn’t all that hard ya know. I just don’t like the crying in our industry when a site giving all of you ‘free’ traffic in exchange for your content and a site stating certain guidelines it wishes you to follow IF YOU WANT, but still those same sites want ALL the tools that Google provides and more and more and more, with ONE of those tools something you do not want.
If you just don’t want Google to know anything about what you do online, don’t load up their toolbar and don’t make your website available to Google or any other search engine you have problems with.
This stuff isn’t too hard…. really.
Thanks for posting it, it was well said.
From what I have read so far I still haven’t worked out how Matt could imply that the FTC will come knocking on my door because I haven’t used nofollow on otherwise fully disclosed compensated content.
Someone decided to submit my linkfest on this to Digg if anyone feels like helping to get the word out
Fantastic presentation!
I think you nailed this one with your statement that, Google’s algo is flawed! Personally, I’ve been saying since 2003/04 that Google’s decision to base SERPs and PR primarily on the attribute associated with “links” is going to cause significant problems for them and the webmasters.
Its plain sad to see sites governing bodies for specific industries no where to be found on SERPs and sitting on a PR2/3 and then MFA sites sitting high and pretty on SERPS with PR5/6.
Lets face it, Google has created a SEVERAL “link based commodities”: adwords/adsense and links selling based for PR gain.
Note how I didn’t say selling advertising links? Selling advertising links on websites has been around well before Google came into the picture and they should really back off in that aspect of things.
Your presentation was dead on and would like to just make a suggestion to your readers. If you are engaged in link selling/buying … google is doing a great job of scaring a lot of people into dropping / no-following their links. A friend and I have come up with a service called “Link Snitch” which monitors your links – there is a free trial at http://www.linksnitch.com
Excellent and amusing. Without paid links it would be impossible to rank, and when you feel you have one of the most relevant sites languishing at page 20 what would you do?
hmm. I can show you countless sites that are mine and those of other’s in the same industry “you” are in who have NEVER went out to buy a silly link.
You say “impossible”. I say bullocks.
And yes, of course; sites on page 20 are always the most relevant and deserve first page to the people who work on them. LOL
Please give me one dime for the many times we hear that “the site is most relevant”.
I love paid links!!! More More More!
Thanks Micheal, again… In our society, many times it takes people to stand up against the largest, most dominant forces in order to force change. Thanks for being one of those people, and risking retribution , because whatever anyone wants to say Matt Cutts and the rest of them are human, and if you bruise their ego just a bit much, then being human and all, its so easy to push a button when no ones looking and wipe info right of their index, or all other sorts of malicious crap. Not that thats what their doing, but what would stop them, and well again, thanks for speaking out and keeping it real! and for sharing the .ppt.
RE: …”because whatever anyone wants to say Matt Cutts and the rest of them are human, and if you bruise their ego just a bit much, then being human and all, its so easy to push a button when no ones looking and wipe info right of their index, or all other sorts of malicious crap….”
You are confusing a highly reputable company and its employees (who love their jobs and employee) with what link mongers do. That is, go out of their way to try cheat, lie and sham. Google and its employees have better things to do and are too smart to stoop as low as blackhats do.
Sooner or later all blackhats will have to wake to the fact that their only 10 spots on page 1, 2, 3 etc.
The forced change you speak of will ONLY benefit;
1) Google
2) Google Users
3) Those who own Websites and have spent Years making our site worthy of the votes blackhat believe they can buy.
While all blackhats are out their buying votes, or using other tricks, the smart ones are working on the site itself to it make THE site
That is an really short but pointed präsentation. THX
Thanks for posting! I agree with your arguments, and I am glad you are voicing your opinions for SEOs like us.
I said this over at SEOMoz, but thought I’d let you know: You were the only presenter I agreed with 100% completely.
Keep up the good fight!
Dude… That was sweet, cheers for that. (still scared of google tho :/)
I loved the presentation.
BUT… in the last few slides you said Google can’t tell us what to do, or how to run our businesses, etc and that they make us feel like we are breaking the law or being unethical. That’s true… BUT… it’s their index and if they want to delist a website because they want to – because we are being unethical in their eyes – the bottom line is they can. And i hate that fact just as much as you do, but it’s just the way it is.
Thanks for not sending an email, but posting it
I think I put it to good use hehe.
See my 2 part post at SEJ
Reign of Bread and Whip. The New Google Aristrocrathy
You get what you “pay for”, right? I added an easter egg to part 1 of the post. I am curious who spots it. It’s a little joke as thank you for the actionable guidelines provided by our friends at Google.
I love the presentation, wish I had the audio to go along with it. Is that available for download as well?
Dude:
WOW. You just earned my respect.
Do you think Google will ban your site now. I hope not.
Thanks for sharing your insights.
Michael -
Thanks for posting your presentation! Nice work!
I do not like the idea of a “paid” internet.
I wait for the day when algorithms rank content on it’s individual quality and accuracy. Until then there is the pagerank algorithm which relies on links as votes. Links as votes work for SEOs who are in need of quick results for their “clients”.
Looks like Google still is the best friend of SEO eh? Robust paid linkage still works, right? Isn’t that what everyone says?
Look to payperpost and other sleazy (noisy) areas to understand how quick some can junkify the internet. I think that is what Mr. Cutts was talking about and I agree with him. Do you want John Chow in your living room every night? Eww!
LOL, I understand both sides of the equation, am still not convinced it is about Google’s corporate greed Micheal. If paid links are allowed to rule, even Michael Gray will be pushed down in organic search by those with much LARGER budgets. This I believe it about a future, vote based internet society, it is much bigger than all of us.
Nice spin but I am not buying all of it, sorry. Google is a little broken but their goals are extremely interesting, they are building a better voting booth.
My complaints:
1.) Google needs to back off with “Google Books” appearing above normal bloggers book reviews.
2.) I also agree that it is wrong for Wikipedia to outrank websites that make and sell products. We do not need a wikipedia page to tell us what a garden rake is! Lame!
3.) Universal search allows more Google widgets to appear in organic search like Google books, you want an possible example of greed, there you go guys!
Peace & Love,
Aaron
“I do not like the idea of a “paid†internet”
Aaron, sorry to say mate but your not going to like what the future has installed. I understand your plight, but I think in face of current events it’s slightly misleaded.
Google are commerce, the sooner you jump on board and start creating your own relevant content the better, the days of waiting for Google to get it right were over in late 2003.
Serp on dude, or get serped on.
Great going Graywolf, Google sell links, business is business.
That was very well done. Think I’ll link to it. Thanks.
Michael, you know I love your blog. Everything you said is true and a bit scary. Google has become so big that they can destroy companies with a one click. We are all running around jumping through hoops and they keep changine all the hoops. It is like Ninja Warrior but with a computer. I hope you don’t mind that I sent this to everyone…If you disappear in the SERPs I will still read you daily through Feedburner
Awesome presentation. I would love to meet you in person one day! Call me when you come to Florida…wait until hurricane season is over! 
Very interesting presentation. Nice to read. Thx.
Very interesting point of view. Really liked and posted a link from my blog.
Eeww.. ever heard of PDF?!
Can you marry a powerpoint presentation? If so, then I think I just got down on bended knee. Amazing, simple and hilarious! Slide 3 is far and away my favorite.
Let me see if I got this right… Isn’t Google the biggest seller of paid links? Or did I miss something.
Just read it after viewing those threads in DP abt the new Google Evil
Good post and very well said.
Obviously, it comes down to choice. I am no fan of Google, but it is their index and they can choose who to list in their index. Having said that – the presentation is 110% spot on.
@Kris,
C-listers too
@Cal,
http://www.macewan.org/ses-paid-link-presentation/mgraySES2007-paidlinks.pdf
Thanks for explaining this in an easy to grasp format.
I love It
Wonderful Article i enjoyed reading it, thanks for sharing with us!
Excellent presentation.
I read today at searchenginejournal blog that they got back their earlier toolbar PR, because added some nofollow to the outgoing links. No matter that the text link ads link is still dofollow. Simply ridiculous.
Camino is by far the best of the bunch (Firefox has bugs and looks awful, Opera looks awful, Omniweb is too big), and Camino is a million times more responsive than Safari when working with tabbed browsing. (Shiira is also very fast, but has a few annoying bugs, so Camino gets my vote).
Style sheets are a very powerful tool for the Web site developer. They give you the chance to be completely consistent with the look and feel of your pages, while giving you much more control over the layout and design than straight HTML ever did. We’ve come up with a list of FREE CSS Editors that you can work with to improve your website design with with CSS by wasting the least amount of time
A great site for SEO freelancing. Very good expert resource.
Comments on this entry are closed.