Buying Links with Maximum Juice and Minimum Risk
In a couple of weeks I’ll be at the Webmaster World Pubcon in Vegas where I’ll be speaking on links a few times. I’ve been attending Pubcon each year since 2003…and this year one of the panels that I’m speaking on is called “Linkfluence: Buying Links With Maximum Juice and Minimum Risk“….I’ve been on this panel a few times before in the past….the last time being 3 years ago ….I recall that panel 3 years ago… I stood up there in front of a few hundred people and basically said “I have no presentation for you…but I have 2 pieces of advice for you if you’re going to buy links….1. Stay under the radar, and 2. Don’t piss off Google”….and then I sat down
As I recall, three years ago Google was starting to get pretty clear on what their stance was on paid links (they don’t like them…or the people who buy them)…and with Matt and a few other Google engineers in the audience, what was I supposed to say about buying links in front of everyone?
I caught some flack from some people for being so brief in my “presentation” ….but many people did understand the position that I was in…. Also on that day I decided that I’d take a break from speaking about link building at public conferences….and I then took 2 years off from the speaking circuit… (except a few private conferences)….but after a 2 year break from speaking at public conferences, I then started speaking again a year ago (it’s been easier to speak about link building since We Build Pages doesn’t buy links anymore, and now that we have other effective link building methods that I can talk about).
So this year I forgot to file my paperwork on time, but Brett was kind enough to ask me to speak on link building….but he was looking for someone for the “Linkfluence: Buying Links With Maximum Juice and Minimum Risk” panel …and I kinda laughed to myself…OMG, they’re still doing THAT panel??…. well my buddies Todd and Rand are on it too, and I’ve met Calum a few times and he seems pretty cool…at the time, it sounded like another chance to talk about links….Sure Brett…since all the “cool” panels about link building are filled up already.. I’ll take the “buying links” panel…..hehe….ok….so now what???
Well…2 years ago I said that buying links has passed the tipping point and was not a good thing for We Build Pages to do….so my experience on buying links is based on how we did things a few years ago….but then again I can’t image that much has changed…. but would it be wise for me to even talk about methods that we used to use???….I’m sure that’s not wise!!… it really doesn’t matter if Matt and/or other Google company is there in attendance…I’m still never going to condone or recommend people buy links while on some public conference panel….
Does link buying still work….Hell yea, Link Buyers beat us on short tail phrases all the time….I’ve just learned to survive on trust and the amazing long tail which is safer and still increases Google’s traffic….so We Build Pages targets everything Except the short-tail. I can concede ups and downs in short tail rankings to the efforts of the competitors whom are buying links….I’ll give them the short tail, but I’ll take everything else better than anyone else..
….but anyways….so in a few weeks I’m speaking at Pubcon on Buying Links…. If you’re coming and you’re expecting me to dish out juicy tips about how to buy juicy links with little risk…well, you’re going to be disappointed….because that ain’t going to happen….
Maybe I could just give the side/view of the search engines…and pretend I’m them, and tell the audience why as a search engine, why I wouldn’t like paid links…but Rand usually takes that angle….. Calum and Todd will be there too….wonder what they’ll say…..maybe I’ll say “Buying links with Maximum Juice and Minimum Risk is really a contradiction when you’re talking about that topic in public”….maybe I’ll also say, “If you’re going to buy links, you should stay under the radar, and don’t piss off Google…..not everyone will understand….just like 3 years ago….but the advice is still the same 3 years ago as it is today…..dunno… not sure what I’ll talk about….I have 2 weeks to see if there’s something more clever to say….
What do you think I should say?
What questions/ideas do you have that you think I should talk about?
(our comments section is broke currently…..but you can email me your thoughts at jim-at- we build pages dot com … new site and blog coming soon where you can leave comments…until then, sorry comments section is broken).
