Just curious what you all think about this practice? I keep reading a lot about it and more and more folks seem to support the idea of buying text links (on other site) to increase your Search Engine rankings.

Not a link exchange or trade, but using a service to actually buy links on individual pages of other quality sites with a PR from 0-7 usually. Obviously the higher the PR the higher the cost.

I haven't done a lot of research on this and was just curious what your thought were on it.

How can you even tell if it's that effective?

Hrm

http://blog.searchenginewatch.com/blog/070416-020746

Looks to me like a legitimate way to advertise, and I can't really see what it is that google doesn't like about it other than it may prejudice some of the google ads that are not "bought ads".

It's troubling when a company (google) is so dominant in it's sphere of activity that it dictates what can and cannot be done.

Grav!ty wrote:

It's troubling when a company (google) is so dominant in it's sphere of activity that it dictates what can and cannot be done.

On the other hand the Google Search engine is their product so they can set limits on how it can be used. It may be troubling they are dictating how links need to work, but it be more troubling if a third party told them they couldn't make their product operate that way.

I don't think you've thought through what you've said there Wil, land are just arguing for the sake of arguing.

So anyone with a company that's as as near as damit a monopoly as can be, can just do what it likes? Get real! The US Antitrust and Unfair Competition laws are there for a good reason and google will increasingly be made aware of what it can and cannot do! Watch whatever space is appropriate for that!