Google Cautions against Buying and Selling Links that Pass PageRank

Google has once again reminded webmasters as well as website owners against buying and selling links that pass PageRank. Google states that this action breaches its quality guidelines.

The company has reminded site owners and webmasters that they will face action in case they indulge in selling links that have passed PageRank. Google has also cautioned buyers about link sellers that approach them with an offer to sell advertorial pages on your website or paid links that pass PageRank.

Google has stated that the selling site’s PageRank visibility in the Google Toolbar will be adversely affected even as that site loses trust during search results, which in turn may also result in lower rankings for Google search results.

Those that have sold PageRank passed links will receive a notification message. The message will be displayed as “possibly artificial or unnatural links on your site pointing to other sites that could be intended to manipulate PageRank”. Google advises you to ensure that paid links that are on your website do no pass PageRank.

In case you notice such advertorial pages or paid links, you will have to remove them or add the rel=”nofollow” attribute. Once you have removed such links, you will need to put forward a reconsideration request. In case Google has taken webspam action against your site then your request will be reviewed by the company and you will receive a notification mentioning if your reconsideration request was rejected or granted.

Google has once again reminded website owners and webmasters to seriously consider this concern. Adverse effects of buying and selling links that pass PageRank could include lowered PageRank in Google Toolbar, lowered trust, lowered rankings, and in extreme cases, dropping sites from search results.