To Link or Not To Link?

Figure A - Link Wheel

While decidedly different than Shakespeare's famous question, it is a point to ponder. Should you link to and from sites or not? Well, the answer seems to go in one ear and out of the other for most people trying to optimize websites. Google, for one, goes the extra mile and explains its webmaster guidelines in great detail and specifically what NOT TO DO. They have stated from the very beginning that webmasters should place users before search engines. Period. And, they should avoid using any kind of linking scheme like using link wheels(see figure A). Imagine eight different sites linking into each other and then into a main site...that's a rudimentary link wheel scheme. Basically, is the link useful or is it just an attempt to exploit a loophole and/or gain rank? If it's useful then, by all means, include it.

Should a webmaster link, or not? The answer is, "Yes, they should link." There's a catch, but not much of one. Links should be for the site visitor and not be there for "link juice" only. Believe it or not there were an almost countless number of SEO firms that promoted link wheels and link farming as legitimate SEO. But alas, those days are long gone and as of this week Google began handing down penalties for useless links that were being used purely to enhance a site's position in the search index. The answer is still "Yes." Links should enhance the overall value of a site for the user. It's good to know that Google is making good on their promises.

If you are in the SEO business then it would be advisable to heed the warnings and guidelines set forth by the search providers. After all, even if the algorithms do not flag and penalize a site then there's always the possibility that a competitor can file a manual complaint.