In our previous article which was SEO :: Can we control the title google uses for search? we discussed how we can control the title google uses for search and if it was a good idea to control the title or should we have faith on Google to show the title which is most relevant. Today we will like to explain how does google differentiate between a regular and a paid link on your website?
To explain the above first you need to know the difference between what is a regular link and a paid link.
What is a “Regular Link”?
A regular link is a link which you have placed on your website which gives your visitors more information and provides more insight for your readers. As an example if you are selling a product on your website and provide a link to your user’s where they can get more information about the same product, that is termed as a regular link. If you are writing a blog and provide a link to the reference material and point user to that material so they can read further that is termed as a regular link. In short a link which you have no monetary benefit and is related to the content of your website is considered a regular link.
What is a “Paid Link”?
A paid link is a link which you place on your website in exchange for money. That is the only definition we can provide, it may have relevance to your content/product or it may not but if money is exchanged for the link it is a paid link.
Google has made it a very strict policy to not allow paid links on any website’s for page rank, but webmasters are allowed to take advertising and place it on their website. How does google differentiate between the regular and paid link is simple. The relevance of content to the link provided is the key and that is what determines if the link is regular or a paid link.
If a link is found to have relevant information according to your webpage than that link will considered a regular link and you will not be penalized for it. If the content of page is not relevant to your webpage content that will be considered as a paid link and you can be penalized for placing the link on your website.
In order to avoid getting penalized always add the “nofollow” tag to all your advertisements and all your non relevant links, otherwise there is a high possibility of getting banned from Google.
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