So first we have everyone scurrying to comply with the FTC rulings that take effect tomorrow, now we get this. If it wasn’t hard enough to make money on the Internet as an affiliate marketer, now we’re being told by Google that blog commenting can actually HURT you in the SERPS. What’s next? Penalties for having videos on your site?
I can just see it right now. Guru after guru who is selling some BS lame product how you can be rich and how to get high in the search engine rankings by leaving comments now wondering how they are going to move any more of that “system” when Google is telling people that they don’t like it!
Personally I think it’s hogwash as imagine the fallout from those who are unscrupulous. So if I get this right, I can log onto a bunch of sites, posing as a competitor, and make a bunch of spammy comments and my competitor will be taken down by Google? Sounds like Dr. Evil stuff to me.
Yet this is exactly what is being said. The Search Engine Journal, which is a blog I believe has great credibility, recentlyreported that Google is indeed beginning to penalize those who leave spammy comments on blogs. But you say… “Hey, I don’t leave spammy comments. I leave valuable commentary”.Ok, but do you leave a link to your site when you leave the comment?
You see the problem here is the definition..err…Google’s interpretation of a “spammy comment”. Here’s what is written on Google’s Webmaster Blog:
“Comment spammers are often trying to improve their site’s organic search ranking by creating dubious inbound links to their site. Google has an understanding of the link graph of the web, and has algorithmic ways of discovering those alterations and tackling them.”
C’mon..be honest, how many blogs do you comment on because you really have something to say versus how many blogs do you comment on because you were told it’s an easy way to get a backlink? We’ve all done it but now that door seems to be shutting. I can’t say that I mind though. Coupled with the FTC ruling, this kind of slapdown by Google will help with the thinning of the herd and slow the stampede of wealth mongers who want to treat the Internet like their own personal ATM machine (but wait, I’m sure I read that on someone’s sales page recently..hmmm).
I just don’t know how it will be enforced. I can’t imagine what kind of algorithm you could put into place to decide which comments are relevant or not. But then again, I’m not Google. So take a look for yourself and see if you can figure out how Google is going to police comments to alter search engine rankings.
But be forewarned when you get to the article…I’m not sure if I would leave a comment.
Okay. I just had to leave a comment for this one, even if it does hurt me a little. As the webmaster for about 10 different blogs, I am constantly bombarded with spammy comments which waste my time and just plain irritate the crap out of me. Good for google. it’s irritating trying to play by the rules and use good SEO tactics, and then get blown out of the water by websites that don’t offer any quality content at all.
Hi Kerry..I know what you mean and I don’t see how the comment you just left is bad in any way and you should not be penalized for leaving a good opinion …makes you wonder how they will enforce this or if they even should…Maybe it’s not the name link but people stuffing links IN the comment…we need more information about this for sure!