BBB links - worth it?

[Harbor_Compliance]

This is a "paid link" so I'm naturally skeptical.  But I'm wondering if the SEO value plus the usability of a potential client clicking the BBB link to our site would be worth it.

[vmialik]

Yeah I noticed the same even for paid customers. At first I thought it was for unpaid customers, as there is a way to setup your profile via someone requesting to set it up, but not get a followed link. However checking paid aka Verified accounts it does not have a follow link, really interesting..

[EGOL]

I've changed my mind on the answer that I gave above.....

BBB called me yesterday and I decided to give them a chance to convince me of their value rather than hand up on them.

When I asked them what value they will they produce for my business the number one answer was the "SEO benefit" of getting a link from their website.  This was over half of the guy's answer and he yapped and yapped about it.  So, it seems that the BBB is in the business of selling links, but when I went to BBB website for my region, all of the links to businesses were "nofollow".

[JacobEdward]

We have a ton of clients who ask about the BBB. I initially thought it as just for the older clientele but I found myself looking at the BBB for a business I wasn't sure about. It's a last case resort type of scenario and if you are interested in making a purchase and the search engines are to no avail, it provides some alright insight. The problem with the BBB is that the people who frequent it are the customers that are upset. At least you get to see what they are upset about and make a judgement for yourself.

[vmialik]

Did not know that about Mike. Hmm, ...learn new things every day!

[MiriamEllis]

So glad this was what you needed, Mike!

[Harbor_Compliance]

Thanks, Miriam.  This is exactly what I was looking for.  Btw our BBB page has PA1 so I'm not sure we're going to get much link juice from that link anyway, unless we build to it like Cyrus suggests.

[MiriamEllis]

Hi Mike,

Opinions vary on this. Local Search godfather, Mike Blumenthal, refuses to pay the BBB. See:

http://blumenthals.com/blog/2010/10/07/google-better-business-bureau-ratings/

Others point out the authority of the BBB in the world of SMBs:

http://moz.com/ugc/the-best-link-your-clients-may-be-missing-12889

My feeling on this is that, if a client has money to throw around, having the BBB link won't hurt, but I'm not convinced that it really helps a ton, either. Provided your core business NAP (name, address, phone) is correct on the listing, then that is, in my opinion, the main thing.

[Harbor_Compliance]

Just a clarification.  We have already purchased the BBB Accreditation.  We found it was very important to have that logo on our site and the link to BBB so people can view our report.  What I was asking about, is should we pursue the link from BBB.  They actually charge extra for this link.

[EGOL]

I agree.  I think that the BBB is not a paid link.  You are not paying them for a link.  You are paying them for a rating and paying to give your customers a recourse to complain about you.  Your rating can drop to a  D if your  customers complain or stay at an A if you treat them well.

[MoosaHemani]

I believe the link from BBB is worth it if you are a business offering any particular services or products to clients. Other than the value of link, this is a trust signal for customers who are landing or your website and planning to buy.

The BBB logo can help them accelerate their decision making process and most of the time the decision will be in your favor.

The tip here is to think beyond search engine and get the links that have a positive impact on people!

Hope this helps!