Decision not to buy links

[Juan Roman]

Hey guys,

I would love to hear your opinion about something.

Namely, I am well aware that most casino affiliates are buying links to push their sites in the rankings and that Google seems to have become very lenient of late when it comes to issuing penalties.

However, my sites have so far done really well without us buying links and I have made a decision to continue this way in the foreseeable future. I am not saying I won't invest in quality links later on, but atm, I am sticking to my gut instinct.

My main project at the moment is basically a one-keyword site and it ranks in top 3 for this keyword and its many variations in all the top markets (we have native pages for most). It delivers 30-50 FTD's per month and earns good money. The site has a couple of natural backlinks (one from Calvin Ayre) and a number of testimonial links.

Since I am thinking about selling the site to focus on a new project, I believe the fact the traffic is 100% organic can be a unique selling point for potential buyers as they would have the opportunity to really improve the rankings through link-building efforts.

I realise the site could probably easily rank #1 if I were to invest in some links and do it sensibly, over time. But, while money is not an issue, I would rather continue like this having done so well listening to my instincts.

I would love to hear your opinion about this. Also, do you feel testimonial links from affiliate programs make sense or not?

[eenzoo]

Link building is an opportunity and a risk at the same time. You need to do that with knowledge, a plan and with consistency. Otherwise it can turn into a nightmare. And the worst, actually you're not able the "rate" a link. You can spend $500 on a great one and Google will just ignore it (in best case). Or you buy a $80 post and that one will push you six positions up.

Ofc you can plan a campaign, you can make your homework/due diligence, but in the end you can't be sure if a good link (if you follow the common sense) will be good for your rankings. With bad luck you can buy 5 "top links" and it won't move the needle but your bankroll.

One link won't change the world, to the good or bad, but if you start with you have to stick with it.

As I know the project and your plans a bit, personally I wouldn't start with link building campaign atm.

[ddm]

Henry Ford once said, “A man who stops advertising to save money is like a man who stops a clock to save time.”

you need links or u lose it all.

Earn/Buy - you pick. but you need 'em. (I prefer A, but most casino affiliates are too brain-dead to EARN)

[Juan Roman]

As I already mentioned, I am not doing it to save money. Always happy to invest to improve the results and future earnings.

But, I appreciate your feedback, as well as eenzoo's obviously.

Henry Ford once said, “A man who stops advertising to save money is like a man who stops a clock to save time.”

you need links or u lose it all.

Earn/Buy - you pick. but you need 'em. (I prefer A, but most casino affiliates are too brain-dead to EARN)

[Mattbar]

If you are growing the site to sell it then I think not buying or selling links is a good idea as it gives the buyer a clean slate to work with, if they want to then build links they can.

I don't think there is ever a right or wrong answer to this especially as google changes the playing field every five minutes, although I think it is a sensible approach you are taking.

[wonderpunter]

What i have seen lately is massive powerful and even natural links not doing nothing... since may its like a whole new game, i have verified with dozens of sites and it looks to me that juice has been reduced massively and other signals have gone up which is ultimately what the big G has been planning for a long time. and even then sometimes the big links can just get devalued, the approach is very different now.

[Juan Roman]

That is a valuable insight. Yeah, makes sense that Google has reduced the link juice when it seems that less than one in ten links is natural nowadays. G remains mostly focused on favouring their own products in search results, but must have done some real work of late as well. User experience, especially on mobile, seems to be becoming one of they key ranking factors.

[MichaelCorfman]

Good question. I decided to use it as the basis for our weekly poll:

Have you bought any paid links in the past year?

Michael

[Juan Roman]

Cool, thanks.

[Casino Gamerz]

I think if the links are relevent and content based then google generally likes them. Ive seen affiliates spend hundreds on a single link from sites with strong authority but no relevance and be penalised.

[Jesper Ostergaard]

I think that it is the link profile that you are missing to reach the Top-1 position in Google. My opinion is that the best links in this case are PBN.

[Juan Roman]

BTW, the site is now sold. I guess the new owner will have a clean slate to adopt the strategy he prefers.

[cromL]

Well, if you have a big audience, you can earn $1,000 a year with affiliate links...

[universal4]

Well, if you have a big audience, you can earn $1,000 a year with affiliate links...

You really have no concept of this industry

Rick
Universal4

[PROFRBcom]

Well, if you have a big audience, you can earn $1,000 a year with affiliate links...

You do realize that successful affiliates earn many times this amount on a daily basis right?

[tufty]

Well, if you have a big audience, you can earn $1,000 a year with affiliate links...

Spot the GVC affiliate.

[Casino Gamerz]

You really have no concept of this industry

Rick
Universal4

haaahahahahaha

[Jambo]

Well, if you have a big audience, you can earn $1,000 a year with affiliate links...

Or also 100-200k