Let's talk about link networks

[vforvinnie]

With the recent deindexing of blog/link networks, I was hoping to get the Q&A's take on what defines a link network.  Are all link building services using link networks?

Would you consider something like:

submitedge.com

thehoth.com

To use link networks?  They generate links for you, but most of the time they will do it with "decent" content, on sites like Wordpress, Blogger, Squidoo and other similar sites.  I don't think that most of their link sources are owned internally, but I could be wrong.  Some of them use profile links to send links to their articles, which is garbage.

Would you suggest staying away from services like this all together?  I'd say that 90% of the services offered on submitedge might be junk, but a few look useful.  I've seen a few people at my company have success with them, but fully understand that it could be short term, and potentially inevitable that those links get deindexed.

I'd like to potentially find a good link building service that could bridge the gaps between when I have time to write content and do link building, as I know the engines like to see a steady stream of both.

Any thoughts?  Any other services you guys have used with some success?  I am not looking for sites like fiverr or anything quick/cheap.  I'd be willing to spend the appropriate money occasionally when I think I could use a few extra links, but don't think I need a regular link builder (as that's something I like to do).  I also don't want to go the route of outright buying links from other websites.

Cheers,

Vinnie

[vforvinnie]

I can't get into specifics with the URLs, but one of my coworkers did 2 of the niche plus packages (ran around $300) and had good results.  He jumped from 13th to 7th and I think 12th to 5th for phrases that averaged around 3500 monthly searches at  $5-6/click.  That was the only change he made during the 6 weeks he ordered the package, and has sustained the rankings for 5+ months with minimal changes ever since.

Another person had a site go from 25 to 15 for a phrase that gets 9000 searches at $5.40 a click.

Granted these are only three cases and I can't show you the on page or strength of the other links they have had, or even the competitors.  But I think it shows that it could help in some cases.

[vforvinnie]

Great insight!  I agree about your free lunch metaphor.  That's why I am looking for a company/builder that I might have to pay a little extra, but will stay out of the bad neighborhoods and avoid using the junk link networks.

Guest blogging is one of my favorite link building methods, but at the end of the day I am looking for some diversity.  I realize that some of these link build services won't necessarily provide that, but they can get me a wider range of linking root domains.

Of course with services like these, I am usually ultra conservative with the anchor text as well.  I will almost always do brand name or full URL for 80% of the anchors from these networks, so it looks pretty organic.  For the other 20% I will scatter in some phrases I want to rank for, and occasionally even get some "click here" anchor texts.

I will shoot you a PM about some link builders.

Cheers,

Vinnie

[Mark_Jay_Apsey_Jr.]

Vinnie-

Great questions and good topic......"There is no such thing as a free lunch."

Not all linkbuilders use "link networks".

I get calls all the time from companies claiming to have a link network that cant be detected by Google. And we try to get creative for our clients and are always willing to test the waters with interesting stuff to see what works and what doesn't work....most of them say the same thing....they tell you they will or have purchased domains with existing pagerank and history and strong link building foundations; that they are hosting their various domains on different class c IP addresses and of course that they continue to invest oin their networks by creating unique content with links.

We have tried a bunch of them, on a small scale and have generated some solid results. We used some companies that didnt advertise and were referred to us. They have been effective but they have been dramatically "hammered" by google over the last month.

We used Buildmyrank which was one of the more transparent solutions.  They have been blown up by Google. read this release from their site.....

http://www.buildmyrank.com/news/its-been-a-great-run

We have been testing hoth.com. Has provided some value for one of our clients. Been an issue for another....

The list goes on and on.......we have had to eliminate all of these links and in some instances have been forced to ask forgiveness from Google. Bottom line is its like driving drunk.....you might get away with it a few times but when you get caught, it isnt going to be FUN. Long term it isn't a SOLID strategy.

As is the case with any organization that has to scale as their business gets bigger (whether you sell lingerie or SEO services), there are times where it makes sense to outsource or work with vendors that can help you. In the process you get to benchmark how well your link building efforts are performing/versus the cost to generate them.  We have found several people off shore that have done a decent job in link building that help us fill in the holes. We have been using a guest blogging service that has been effective www.guestbloggenius.com. We have even found some small "one man shop" SEO firms that need the work.....would be happy to help you make the connections.

Hope this helps. Make sure if it has, that you give me the thumbs up. Feel free to PM me and I will send you some link builders we have used.

[Aran_Smithson]

if you do use one of the services mentioned, be sure to come back and let us know the impact!

[vforvinnie]

I was looking more at their higher end packages.  I've heard good things about their link niche plus package (or whatever they have renamed it).  I agree some of their article stuff looks like rubbish, and a lot of their really basic SEO stuff looks bad.  Anything related to blogs I'd rather try and arrange myself via guest blogging.

I actually did a Hoth package last year when I met the guys at a convention.  It gave us a boost for a month or two, but then we dropped.  I wouldn't wanna order 5 Hoth packages a year, but I think when the peak season hits for my industries I will consider doing some sort of extra push.  It would look organic to get more links during that time as well, since there is more buzz/traffic at that time than any other.

[Aran_Smithson]

I've used submit edge.com in the past, in particular one of their article submission tpe services, I forget which exactly. I used the service to help promote some PA and traffic to a guest blog post I had done.

I wasn't exactly impressed with the result. Most of the links came from completely unrelated niches, blog comments, spammy twitter accounts and really bad directories. I haven't been near a service like it since. Though my blog post did eventually gain some PA and my website got some traffic from the entry. Would it have got traffic and authority without the submit edge service? probably.

I won't be using the service again.