The Search Ninja

There seems to be quite a buzz about Google’s now “official” policy which bans reciprocal linking.
The policy has not been well received by SEO’s and Webmasters alike.
A campaign has even been suggested which recommends adding the rel=”nofollow” attribute to any hyper-links that point to Google properties.

Additional suggestions include using the phrase “Web Apartheid” in any content which discusses Google.

Personally I think this is a case of (well-intentioned) bullying on Google’s part.
That is I believe Google’s motives are not “evil”, in as much as they are trying to clean up the quality of the Internet Link Graph.
I believe that they are operating under the assumption that “Google knows Best” and are instituting a policy that they believe is for the greater good of the web (despite the kicking and screaming of the SEO community who have reacted as if they were given a sound ‘over the knee’ paddling by Google).

This of course does not make the decision necessarily “right” if such an evaluation can even be made, as the bottom line is that Google is simply a service and has no “official” obligation to appease the web at large.

One could also argue that reciprocal linking (as is practiced by the SEO community at large) serves no purpose other than to manipulate rankings (and offers no real value to visitors).

There does (or should) exist however a certain responsibility to not abuse the awesome power that the search giant wields. Handing down decisions such as this and operating under the “Father Knows Best” policy just may be an abuse of that power, at least in principle.

Personally this does not affect my work at all and is therefore a non-issue in my eyes.

If however the new Google policy affects you or your clients please do the following:

• Click here to download your PDF Dunce Cap.
• Print the PDF and follow the instructions for building your Dunce Cap.
• Go home and stand in a corner.
• Place Dunce Cap on your head.

You should be ashamed of yourself: You have done your clients a disservice and mis-represented yourself.

If you are relying on reciprocal links for SEO, then you are not an SEO.