It is no longer a secret that Google is punishing people for selling links. Some large bloggers have been hit already by Google and we can expect to see more. For now the question is if this is just hitting some big wigs to discourage the small guy from selling text links or is it something everyone has to expect when selling text links? Here are some rules for what NOT to do when selling text links.

1) Do not publish your website’s URL in visibly public forums (i.e. Digitalpoint.com Link Sale Forum). If you need to use public platforms, hide your link or only make it available upon request. Link to a disposable domain that a) gets not indexed by Google and b) where you shift content around. This allows you to publish a page with prices and the actual domains where you are selling text links. A password protected area is even better as it prevents bots from accessing (and ignoring a robots.txt) the page with the actual sales information.

2) Don’t mark Links as sponsored, paid, or whatever commercially motivated. If you do however it is almost like pointing Google right to your front door and making them aware of what you are doing. There are so many other ways to disguise these sections of your website. Call it sites you visited. Call it whatever, but make sure a human reviewer cannot easily identify the links in that section as paid links.

3) Never talk about selling links. If you have an advertising page on your website make sure it does not mention text links. A good way to do it is to just use a contact form to find out more about advertising on your website. Let the people inquire about it.

4) Reduce the footprint on the homepage. If you sell links, avoid selling homepage links. As links usually come with a specific anchor text the homepage will never be the best fit anyway. Homepage links can raise a warning flag with the Google or Yahoo reviewer.

5) Avoid links in the footer section. Site-wide links in the footer are often another indicator of being a paid link. Stay away from it. Rather place your own internal links in the footer. Those can be links to the Terms of Service page, Copyright page, etc..

6) Reduce non-topic related link sales. A website with links on topic raises less questions than a website with links to mortgages and sexy lingerie at the same time.

Overall webmasters have to rethink how to make money from text link advertising and on how to use text link advertising. The question is what raises the flag to get a human reviewer to visit your website. If you can fly under the radar you’re better off no matter what. This is in no way a guide on how to cheat on Google. If you are selling text links for ranking purposes you are violating (or ignoring) Google’s Webmaster Guidelines. It is not illegal to sell text links though, but you do it at your own risk