Do Incoming links from the same URL have less weight than...

[wahmjennie]

O.k. couldn't fit the question in the subject line so here it goes again...

Do incoming links from the same domain have less weight than incoming links from a different domain?

For example, smart pages software generates thousands of keyword pages which if all linked to the home page could boost PR, theroitically.

And, Google ranks pages, not sites, so is it reasonable to say that if all the thousands of pages that you have on the same domain as the home page point back to your index page it should affect PR the same as if the pages were hosted on a different domain?

And furthermore, lets say you have pages hosted on a different domain but the same server, can Google tell this and does it affect the weight of those incoming links?

Interesting; does anyone have answers or opinions?

-Jennie

[sugarrae]

If we are talking google only, IMPE, Google seems to weight inbound links from within the same domain a little less. However, they still help and are still valuable.

"For example, smart pages software generates thousands of keyword pages which if all linked to the home page could boost PR, theroitically"

If you are new to search engine marketing, my suggestion would be learn how to legitimately rank first, then explore some of the higher risk tactics (which is what the above is) if you choose.

And again, TBPR is useless. Pay no attention to the number on the green curtain.

[wahmjennie]

So it is considered "illigimate" to have a link to your home page on all pages of your website? say if you have newsletter archives and for the sake of your visitors have a link back to your home page as well as the index page for all the newsletter archives. Is this not legitimate and hurtful to page rank?

If you're building the website for your visitors when do you know something like this will negatively affect your page rank?

I know smart pages can be considered "bad" by some standards, but if the pages within my site are quality content pages like archives for my newsletter is it still considered the same as smart pages?

[Andre Chaperon]

So it is considered "illigimate" to have a link to your home page on all pages of your website? say if you have newsletter archives and for the sake of your visitors have a link back to your home page as well as the index page for all the newsletter archives. Is this not legitimate and hurtful to page rank?

No one is saying that linking from your interior-pages, to your home page, is bad and/or "illegitimate", Jennie.

Do incoming links from the same domain have less weight than incoming links from a different domain?

Yes

And, Google ranks pages, not sites, so is it reasonable to say that if all the thousands of pages that you have on the same domain as the home page point back to your index page it should affect PR the same as if the pages were hosted on a different domain?

No

Pages "within" a domain can only distribute/circulate the PageRank that is already within that domain (you can move it around to an extent). Inbound links from external-pages will pass PageRank, which you don't already have, to the target page on your domain.

I know smart pages can be considered "bad" by some standards, but if the pages within my site are quality content pages like archives for my newsletter is it still considered the same as smart pages?

Your understanding of "smart pages" is flawed, Jennie. As, Rae, has suggested, learn and understand legitimate (White Hat) SEO (search engine optimization) before getting caught up in "higher risk ranking tactics".

[Lynn Terry]

Dont worry about PageRank.

Anything that is good for your visitors (such as obvious navigation) is fine for the search engines.

When it comes to SEO, and seeking Inbound Links to your individual pages, seek links from relevant web pages outside of your domain. Links from within your domain are not bad, and should be there for the purpose of navigation & usability - but for SEO, concentrate more on "quality inbound links" from other domains.

[StephenR.]

...but for SEO, concentrate more on "quality inbound links" from other domains.

Exactomondo Lynn Setting up a receiprocal link resource page for your site is a step in the right direction. Just make sure the sites you exchange links with are relevant to your site theme.

If you prefer not set up a reciprocal link exchange you can also quickly acquire these precious incoming links from text link ad services such as:

www.text-link-ads.com
www.textlinkbrokers.com

They are two of the top paid text link ad services on the Web. Other than that become an active participant in as many forums as you can possibly manage and submit your newsfeed (if you have one) to as many blog/rss directories as possible.

Blog directory list: http://www.masternewmedia.org/rss/top55/

Using any of the above methods will increase your Google PR.

[Andre Chaperon]

Using any of the above methods will increase your Google PR.

...but as you know, Stephen, PageRank is not important, and shouldn't be of any concern. What is important is ranking well -- and that has noting to do with PR.

[StephenR.]

I agree with you 100% Some marketers stake their lives on the notorious PR....Google is not divine nor the end all be all!

[pschlegel]

If you're thinking about buying paid links, be sure to read these:

paid link trap warning

how does google respond to paid text links

Paul Schlegel

[sugarrae]

"PageRank is not important"

IMHO, pagerank is still a part of the algo. But, TBPR (toolbar PR - the green line they show to us webmasters) means jack .

[wahmjennie]

ok. I know smart pages are generated by software for the sole purpose of boosting traffic. I also know these pages are automitically generated "directory" pages based on a keyword phrase.

So I guess my next question is this:

when do "directory" pages cross over from legitimate to illigitimate?

for example, smart pages are a little like directory pages, meaning they provide a list of other websites related to a keyword (much like a google search does).

many of you and me and even google consider these automatically generated "directory" pages (based on a keyword) as illigitimate. Yet aren't google pages just that? automatically generated pages based on a keyword phrase?

Interesting.

But, if you want to get traffic from google you have to play by their rules which are rather vague, thus this discussion.

Am I running around in circles yet? I'm good at that!

So the name of the game if I'm reading this correctly is not that directory pages are not valuable to the visitor (since google itself is a directory and is very valuable to many people) but to be sure if you do choose to build a directory keyword page that you do it with the right intent?

So again, back to this question: If you are building a directory page, when does it cross over from legitimate to illigitimate?

I really don't stress over this question, and it really only matters if you are building directory pages that you feel are of interest to your visitors, but it makes for an interesting discussion any way.

[VacationGuy]

Does anyone have a sucess story involving purchased links? After slogging through directory submissions, setting up my own reciprocal link directory, etc. it seems like a good idea. As long as the actual link text is varied, buying 15-20 links a month sems like a strong long term plan for SE ranking.

[Andre Chaperon]

Does anyone have a sucess story involving purchased links?

Here is a thread that may interest you, then. Just clickthrough to the beginning is it...

http://forums.searchenginewatch.com/sho ... to=newpost

[Lynn Terry]

Just a little clarification between "PageRank is not important" and "Dont worry about PageRank"... PageRank is important, and part of the algo as Rae mentioned - but it's something that will happen naturally if you do the rest of the steps. Not something you should necessarily focus on "achieving".

I recently read a paper titled PageRank Uncovered which was very interesting. You can get the link to download it and also hear a few of my random thoughts on the topic at this recent blog post: PageRank & Link Strategy.

[nuttymarketer]

I think we guys are so much engrossed with Page rank that we forget the real cause with which we started a website. It is to add value. Marketing and SEO is great but you can not make these thing artificially.

It is old way of hard work to get higher rank in SEs. So just down and work hard, not just hard but smart.

Google Page Rank can wait and let the Google people think over it.

Arvind Kumar