A number of sites have had their PR values downgraded because Google has apparently chosen to penalize sites that have paid links. Danny Sullivan and Darren Rowse have both confirmed that the latest PR Update was all about paid links.
Remember in my last post on the latest PR Update, Matt Cutts in one of his blog comments stated that PR updates are considered non-events at Google because PR fluctuates almost on a daily basis. The Toolbar PR is also only a snapshot of the actual PR that is in their system. Again, PR value is only ONE of many hundred parameters that factor into the final algorithm that determines how you rank in the SERPS.
The problem with Paid Links was that people chose to pay for links in the hopes of BUYING higher PR value. What Google is doing is telling these folks that if they want to gain higher PR, they need to do it based on the strength of their content, not on the mighty buck and buying links on high PR sites. There are also many site owners who have "gamed" the system to achieve higher PR with the intention of selling links and advertisers will also achieve a higher PR too. I think Google has no choice but to lump everyone together and penalize them.
So back to the question : To Sell Links Or Not To Sell Links?
It's really a catch 22 situation don't you think? Selling text links is a viable way for bloggers to monetize their small sites. I remember when Text Link Ads first appeared on the scene and they were hailed as a breakthrough to the problem of banner ad blindness. Now Google seems intent on gunning after bloggers who buy and sell TLA.
People are buying and sellling links to try and increase their PR score as much as it is to monetize and promote their websites. When we selll a text link, we have the choice of approving or declining it, but we can't know for sure WHAT the advertiser's intention actually is. It was Google who first introduced that stupid Toolbar PR and created a mad rush for green pixels. They've gotten hundreds of thousands of webbies believing that Internet Nirvana is just a matter of getting a high PR and money will come rolling in. Now to clean up their own poo-poo with their latest PR update, they're penalizing thousands of bloggers who were just following the trend that Google started in the first place - build a website then get links (preferably from high PR sites).
It'll be interestind to see how TLA deals with this predicament. I've already noticed a decline in text link sales on my sites. It would seem I have 2 choices : Stop selling text links. Be a good boy and do what Google wants... or continue to sell text links as long as it's a viable means of monetization.
I'm not sure how it will turn out but I do know one thing. Google is frustrating website owners and bloggers when it keeps changing the rules. Their algorithms have gotten out of control and they know it. It's like webbies coming to play ball with Google everyday, and everyday Google keeps changing the shape of the ball! Pretty soon, nobody will want to play with Google!
