Have you ever heard the phrase “falling in with a bad crowd”? In search engine optimization, linking to websites that search engines consider questionable can have a similar effect. Your own website may not be “bad,” but if you promote sites that violate the terms and conditions of major search engines by linking to them, your site can be judged by association. While it is unlikely that your site would be completely blacklisted, you could see a sharp drop in rankings—or, in more serious cases, be removed from the search results altogether.
That raises an obvious question: how do you know whether a site is “bad”? If someone links to you, it may feel natural to return the favor. After all, much of website building, networking, and promotion is based on that kind of exchange. But how can you avoid hurting your own search engine visibility by linking to a site that search engines view poorly?
It can be tricky, but a good starting point is to trust your instincts. Take a close look at the website. Does it appear professionally designed and properly maintained? Is the content original, or does it seem copied or overly familiar? Is the writing clear, or is the English poorly written?
From a more technical perspective, you can check the site’s PageRank and its standing with Alexa. These can help you get a general sense of the website’s reputation and whether it is the kind of site you want to be associated with. It is also worth familiarizing yourself with Google’s terms of service and scanning the site for any obvious violations. If everything checks out, you can feel more comfortable linking back.
