As you might have known by now, John Chow of JohnChow.com does not rank number 1 or anywhere near the top in Google search for his name, this was because of his aggresive Review my Blog campaign, although it looks like he has stopped now with the last batch being on June 27th, but that’s just an example.
It now looks like the popular Text Link Ads is going through the same thing, a search in Google for the term Text Link Ads reveals that they are not in the top 30, in fact i don’t really know where they are or if TLA is even listed at all in the search.
What could this mean? The end of making money online with text links?, as with the multiple posts on webmasterworld might suggest that this is the beginning of Google cleaning up and banning sites that manipulate their search by selling links and maybe even scrapping the whole “PageRank” thing.
What are your thoughts on this? Will this move (if implemented) affect your earnings online?
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August 13th, 2007 at 9:06 am
Nice find. It’s frightening how Google wields its power like this. Let’s hope it’s either temporary or TLA can ride this one out.
August 13th, 2007 at 10:03 am
I am not the least bit bothered actually. PR or no PR, it’s the love for “yakking” aka blogging first and money, second. PR is only important for those seeking to monetise their blog.
August 13th, 2007 at 3:18 pm
Yeah, but they’d be a heck of a lot less “yakking” if people stopped getting paid for it.
August 13th, 2007 at 3:27 pm
..and most probably it will kill off many “making money online” blogs.
August 13th, 2007 at 4:37 pm
I think Google is doing what it needs to protect the integrity of its search results.
If TLA would allow the nofollow attribute to be placed in their links, then I think Google would relent.
As it is, TLA is seen by Google as a program to artificially boost PR.
Bloggers ought to monetize their blogs if they can. But they should do it ethically.
August 13th, 2007 at 4:47 pm
But bloggers won’t be able to do it ethically when there are no advertisers at the table.
Will ReviewMe and PayPerPost be next?
August 13th, 2007 at 5:28 pm
I started off blogging for the love of yakking. Then I got lured by the USD and yakked out of tangent and thus lost a big number of readers. Now, I want my readers back! It’s no fun yakking to no one. So, at least I would still be yakking even if Google does away with PRs.