Recently we discovered that a major online classified directory that allows free classifieds automatically adds the ‘rel no follow’ attribute to any hyperlinks?  It does this unbeknownst to posters, despite labeling itself as an open resource.  What is even less known is that there is an easy work around to this that allows you to conver the no follow to a do follow link.  

We won’t divulge the name of the resource here since the operators of the site might “fix” this oversight.  The resource in question allows postings (e.g., for services, selling homes, etc.) to remain online for a period of time, after which the postings are taken down but stored.  Users have the option to “repost” those listings for an additional period of time.  During the reposting process, you will see a screen where raw HTML code of the original posting is included.  In that screen, you can edit the code (unlike when you are creating a posting.  Notice that the hyperlinks have the rel no follow attribute included within them?

Simply delete the rel no follow attribute and proceed with the posting.  The new hyperlinks will be do follow links! 

Since we are not posting the actual identity of the site, be sure that you check the terms of service of any site to see if this is a violation.  Good luck!

In Google’s blog, instructions to webmasters about how to avoid being blacklisted include identifying what links are “paid” versus “free”.  The presumption is that Google considers that paid links should not count toward a site’s link popularity and, if it discovers that a site is attempting to distort its position in search engines through excessive spamming (buying or trading of links, posting of redundant content for SEO purposes only, etc.), that site could be penalized.  One way that webmasters are asked to instruct Google’s spiders whether a link is indeed paid is by inserting the “rel no follow” tag into hyperlink text.  An example of what rel no follow looks like in a link tag, ummm, follows:

<a href=”http://www.visitorcamp.com” rel=”nofollow“>Website Packages</a>

As compared to a standard hyperlink:

<a href=”http://www.visitorcamp.com”>Website Packages</a>

You can’t tell if a rel no follow tag exists unless you actually look at the page source code.  In both of the above examples, the link looks like this: Website Packages .

Why should webmasters or search engine marketers care?  Well, for one thing, a lot of web sites that feature link exchange now surreptitiously add the rel no follow tag into their hyperlinks.  Thus, if you, an honest wbemaster, add a link to a third party site in exchange for one back, you may not actually get any benefit if the site does use rel no follow.  Many major web sites like Wikipedia do this automatically.

There are many implications:

1. Many Link checkers, used to verify that site that you link to are linking back, do not check for this

2. Webmasters that manage web sites using content management solutions or databases can sometimes tweak hyperlink tags across their site very quickly – sites that used to provide link popularity can stop doing so overnight

Having said all that, the actual truth behind rel no follow is not so clear cut.  Many other major search engines like Yahoo appear to ignore the no follow tag.  Even Google is said to potentially include links toward pagerank in some cases according to the nofollow article in Wikipedia.  Finally, even if a link does not count toward your link popularity and Pagerank, you can still benefit from web site visitors that click on it to visit you!  So don’t let SEO objectives completely cloud visitor traffic and other benefits of having links simply because rel nofollow is used.

The best strategy is vigilance.  Check if your link checker software detects rel no follow. Stay aware of developments in how rel no follow is evaluated by visiting the Google blog, and check the source code of sites that you partner with.  You don’t have to avoid seeking links that will have a rel no follow tag, but consider whether link exchange is worth it or if its justified by other factors like traffic or visibility.

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However, there are certain things that you can do during this “waiting period” to ensure that your site will rank highly in Google searches after this period. Contact Us to learn how we can help you prepare your site for search engines.

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However, Google’s blog does not provide information on the fastest way to get good links from quality sites. Contact Polar Design to learn more about obtaining quality links.

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