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Official Google answers to common SEO questions

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Question:

Will Google consider Yahoo! Directory and BOTW as sources of paid links? If no, why is this different from another site that sells links?

Google's Matt Cutts answers:

Summary of the answer:

Google looks at the value-add of a directory if it is useful to users. E.g. do users find entries on their own? Or do they wait for users to come to them? How much do they charge? What is the editorial service that's being charged?

If everyone gets accepted on the site then it's not the same as a Yahoo directory where people do get rejected, which then means it's more like paid links.

There are some directories that carry weight e.g. Yahoo. Always consider the standards of the directory and the value-add.

Paid links will be lower quality, more automatic, will give you whatever anchor text you want etc, so there is a difference.

Answered: 17 June 2009. Views: 1,072.

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