Is this link building concept white or black

[GardenBeet]

These guys have a service for bloggers and advertisers - advertisers submit their wares for review and bloggers review providing text links - they also let people know they are getting paid for the review

is this another grey link building tactic

https://www.reviewme.com/

and what about

https://www.text-link-ads.com/r/advertisers

[AlanBleiweiss]

Let's see.  It's a link selling network.  Google can follow networks.  Patterns.  IPs.  Names. Sites.

[firstconversion]

Here's a story in the UK's most well respected newspaper http://www.guardian.co.uk/travel/2011/jul/15/kayaking-white-water-rafting-croatia

The writer goes on a holiday to Croatia and then there's a whole nice link section with prices at the bottom of the article etc for a company they have a deal with at the bottom. No indication of paid links, although obviously its paid for in some way

What you can get away with depends who you are

[JamesNorquay]

I would not advise using Text Link ads it is a paid for link buying service, sure enough if you are buying links for only traffic and it is no follow then it is fine.

Paid for blogging posts are not aloud too, a better method is to make a press release about your new website for example and then go to market and send it to a few related blogs with a nice personal message and hope that these guys pick it up and write about it in their own words, and even better if they link back to you.

Kind Regards,

James.

[GardenBeet]

yes - they were my thoughts too - but how will google know they are paid links - he payment is for the review  - not the links - in theory anyway

[AlanBleiweiss]

If each article openly states, in an obvious way, that its a paid review, it's perfectly acceptable. Yet it won't bring that much SEO related inbound link value, if any.  Or at least it shouldn't if its implemented properly, because paid links are clearly stated to be devalued by Google.  If it's not disclosed right on or within the article, it needs to be avoided at all costs.  Not just for SEO reasons-  it violates FTC regulations on disclosure.