Watshit

We have received numerous complaints in the past about services and directories forcing users to place banners or links on their sites to be considered for a particular service. Directories claim you have a ‘higher’ chance of being listed if you place a banner on your site pointing to them. some state that’s the only requirement, you get listed for free if you link back to them.

Even though Google heavily relies on links to determine the ranking of web pages, they have cranked up the tempo on link exchange schemes and are penalizing site owners for being part of such activities (the extreme). Which raises a red flag on the penalty directories were slapped with not long ago for the paid link submission issue. Could this be another snowball in motion slowly gaining momentum only to slam directories once again?

Most directories online today require users to link back to them in order to be eligible for inclusion in their listings. Could this be a loophole to link exchange schemes that Google will bust soon?

designer.am is one of the many directories we have received complaints about. They are accused of forcing designers to link back to their site in order to be considered for inclusion. Several users sent us emails sent to them by designer.am which contain the following;

…However, we encourage you to try registering in our directory again, after you upgrade your web site and/or post our link or banner on your web site. The web site suggested will have more chances to be accepted and added to the Directory, especially if our link or banner is posted on your web site\’s Home Page…. - designer.am (Design Directory)

Should this be considered as a technique that’s trying to bypass Google’s rules, is this yet another link exchange scheme technique, or should it be accepted? Is it not reciprocal linking? Can submitting to hundreds of directories potentially ruin your sites reputation and rankings if Google takes actions against these directories? We would list most of these directories, but I’m sure we all know about them anyway. I think it’s time these directories cleaned up their act and get on the honest business band wagon already!