Why Text Link Ads Changed their URLs
Ok, I’ve heard a TON of complaining and whining about Text Link Ads changing their URLs. People are upset, think it was a dumb move, and all sorts of other criticism all because they either didn’t know to or were too lazy to use a redirect for their affiliate links. I’ve posted a comment over at the epicenter of the whining comments (in response to John Chow’s recent post about the issue) but I figured I should scoot over here and post it here as well. This was somewhat rushed because I’ve got to head off to the rehearsal but I have a hard time not correcting misinformation when I see it in mass quantities like this.
Come on people!!! Think about it for just a minute… have you noticed Text Link Ads anywhere in Google’s SERPs lately? No, didn’t think so. They have been targeted by Google as selling links, which they do, and now penalized for it. So, everyone that linked to them (affiliates this is you) was linking out to a penalized site. So, that hurts your rankings, which then makes your links even less valuable and then TLA loses business. Plus, if it hurts your rankings to link to them, they’ll also have fewer affiliates.
Basically, this allows people to participate in their affiliate program without Google being able to easily identify them. All you people that didn’t use redirects or jump pages, take it as a lesson but don’t act like it’s some huge injustice.
Now, I’ve had an article about affiliate jump pages sitting in my drafts folder for weeks but it’s apparently time to pull it out and publish it. I’ll add that to the list for next week but for now, consider all the implications and repercussions of a move before you form an opinion on it. Believe it or not, TLA made this move for the sake of their publishers as well as their business.
Comments
GnomeyNewt August 24th, 2007
I understand why TLA is doing this. What I don’t understand is why Google is doing this. Using text links for advertising has always been around since forever, now all of a sudden it is taboo and you can see it in SERPS. Just sad that a natural form of advertising is being treated this way. As with anything there will always be people who abuse and take advantage, and as usual everybody and their businesses will suffer for it.
BigPappa August 24th, 2007
If this is a double comment I apologize. I guess I am ignorant on this whole affiliate issue and why you have to cloak your link URL’s. I have been trying to understand it. So let me ask this. It’s OK for Google to sell link ads via Adsense? You can put them on your site but you can’t have other paid links or ads on your site without fear of penalty? This is a sincere question. I think that there is something I am missing. What about Amazon associate program or Auction Ads? Will you get penalized for them?
KingJacob August 24th, 2007
I am all for this move, it forces publishers to protect themselves and indirectly protects TLA. If someone has qualms about using tinyurls they need to simply create a php redirect or shut up. Also whats up with textlinkbrokers being the number one natural result for the keyword “text links”?
Blogging Experiment August 24th, 2007
@ Gnomey, I completely agree. What’s worse is that Google is the one that put the emphasis on links, therefore increasing their value.
@ BigPappa, AdSense links aren’t actual text links, they are java script links which aren’t read by search engines. Google wants you to label any and all links that are paid for with the nofollow tag. Personally I think they are just trying to have webmasters compensate for the fact that their algorithm is lacking and vulnerable to abuse.
@ KingJacob, I agree, just use a redirect and not only will you save yourself time, but you’ll save yourself a lot of trouble as well. I’ll definitely post on this next week.
A Blog about Nothing August 25th, 2007
Lessons from the blogosphere – Week 1…
Lessons from the blogosphere – Week 1
This is the first installment of my new weekly endeavor in the world of blogging. That is to bring you the reader the best tips and information I have run across over the course of the past week on other blogs. Thi…
CFernandes August 25th, 2007
good points!
I am also of the opinion that google is trying to squeeze out other forms of advertising to limit the competition to Adwords/Adsense. This is going to come back and haunt them…
Shaun Carter August 25th, 2007
I think Google probably sees TLA as taking advantage of the purpose of backlinks and artificially inflating a particular site’s value. I doubt most people generate significant traffic from their TLA purchased links, but do it primarily for the PR boost, something which Google would most certainly be against as it takes advantage of their algorithm for search rankings.
blogmunch August 27th, 2007
No wonder everytime I search for Text Link Ads in google search, I can’t seem to find them (at least for the first 2 search page). I was wondering how a site with text link ads in their url cannot get to page 1 of google. Now I know. Thanks.
Blogging Experiment August 27th, 2007
@ blogmunch, yeah, they’ve not been on top for a while now. Every indication suggests that they are penalized and linking to a penalized site is never a good situation. Now, whether or not it would hurt your rankings directly or how much, that’s up for debate but personally I’d avoid it. This actually includes johnchow.com since his site is obviously penalized as well. I might actually begin putting links to John’s site in a redirect as well.
Yehuda Berlinger August 27th, 2007
News:
TLA appears to have heard the message. This is the email I got from them after trying to get clarification on the new tinyurl links:
“We are working on a better solution and will have it available next
week. You do not need to make any changes.
Jonathan Dingman
Product Manager”
Yehuda
Blogging Experiment August 27th, 2007
@ Yedhuda, thanks for the update. I personally don’t see why people had a problem with TLA’s change. I’ve already changed my URLs and they are all working properly but I guess I should expect to be hearing more from them soon. Will be interesting to see what they go with next. To be honest, I think they should have made one change and stuck with it rather than seeming wishy washy and unstable. Just my humble opinion though.
Also, for anyone who’s debating whether or not to change their URL’s I’d be sure to contact TLA yourself before making any decisions. I’ve not received any email saying that the change is not still required. I have no reason to doubt Yedhuda but it’s always safer to get your information straight from the horse’s mouth.
Jenny August 28th, 2007
So in other words they did it to help out the bloggers. Why would idiots whine about that? I didn’t think it was a big deal. Then again I put rel=”nofollow” after all my sidebar links. Now that I know this, I feel a little better.
rony john September 11th, 2007
Too Bad!!They got banned by google.