Question about 3-way links - what's wrong with them?

[geolocal]

I was reading the rules for this forum and saw that 3 ways were not allowed. I didn't know what they were, so I asked Seoguy and he said, "That is when a web site links to you from one site, then asks you to link back to a different one then the one you linked to. It is not advisable."

I don't understand what's wrong with it. I know we shouldn't try to artificially manipulate search engines but really, isn't that what what most link exchange requests are about? Sure, they shouldn't be, but they are. In reality, when a site is truly useful or unique, people will link to it without being asked. I know this firsthand.

When I built my primary site, it was because I was passionate about the topic. I spent all my time researching and writing about it, and the site became a resource about the subject. Not many other people were writing about it, so people linked to my site without my ever asking for a single link. Now the main page has a PR5 and the (few) links pages have PR3s and 4s. I didn't even have a links page until last year.

Ok, so now I've started a different site, business related but in a different area. I still get link requests for the old site, but it's on autopilot, has plenty of links already, and I'm really interested in getting some links to my new site.

What's wrong with me saying to someone who asks me to link to them, okay I will, but don't link to this site, link to my new site? Most of these request are for general business websites anyway, just as relevant to the old site as the new one. It's not like they were offering to link to me for the good of their visitors. If so, they would've done it anyway, regardless of whether I linked to them or not. That's the "natural" way, right?

So I'm confused about 3 ways or one ways or whatever they're called. Obviously people must have used them to do bad stuff in the past. But I've never asked for a link in my life until recently, so this is all new to me. What's wrong with 3 ways?

Sharon
:confused:

[dilligaf]

Almost always one site ends up the "dumping ground", even if it's unintentional at the start. I know most of the requests I get for similar are already there! Their link from site with fewer and fewer incoming to support their greater and greater outbounds.

[seo guy]

Yup, thats basically why. A site starts out looking appealing with a PR 4-5 and very few outbounds (It may even be relevant) but this site the owner has already decided to write off, so what happens is it becomes a huge FFA link site, giving away virtually nothing to virtually everyone and their site that they get links "to" benefits from those partners who chose to use dicretion with thier links.

The whole point is if you do this kind of exchange you get fewer links "it takes more time to negotiate them" and the links you get (Generally) will end up carrying much less weight in the end.

It's a great topic though, because so many newer webmasters are drawn in by the promise of a one way link from a good site.

[geolocal]

There's a guy who's started a one way links membership thing. He has 3 pods, A, B, & C - A links to B, B links to C, C links to A. The site someone joins with is the one that gets linked to, so maybe that removes the element of a "throwaway" site. What about that, is that better?

Sharon

[seobook]

if a is known to be affiliated with b and b is known to be affiliated with c then it is assumed a and c are related.

[Lisa-SEP]

I can see why with 3-way people assume would be link farm- that is in not the case- all the time. Two of our clients-- Whirlpool and KitchenAid like all other major appliance sites haveoffer any outbound links of any kind.. we have about 90+ other clients we we offer to link with- none are links farms in anyway shape or form. Most SEO's will see this and realize the value- many times I will offer 3 links in exhange for 2, etc. More and more SEO's are seeing value in this-the benefits of diversification ie. if all your eggs are in the straight reciprocal links basket, you are exposing yourself to a great deal of risk.
I also get out and out refusal based onlu on being 3-way and sometimes I am surprised- can tell it it some one who has read somewhere "threeways ALWAYS bad " Which I think is shortsighted,If you have a home improvement site, Whirpool and Kitchen Aid is relevant to us- and the copper plating, tool sites,real estate agent sites, insurance sitesis good fitfor you. A home decoration also is good fit for us and we can link to other relevant clients- Gift sites, flowers sites, etc. Most of our sites have PR4/5/6 and it is fair exhange.
I think if it is relevant site then fine. Not all three way links are sleazy . I too am also confused when people think it is "tricking" search engines's- Title and description tags, keywords and link building are all tools to help site ranking and SERP's. All legitimate methods should be given consideration.
Thanks,
Lisa

[Wit]

It's not that threeways (I'm still talking about links here ;) ) are always bad. In fact they are still very effective, thus great.

It's more that SEOers knowingly suggesting a threeway link construction are probably too devious to be any good. Bar a couple of decent exceptions of course... And their scheming may well result in the doom scenario described above.

Basically, that means you should not get into five-ways either... Any webmaster even suggesting a five-way contruction must be SO devious, that etc. etc..... ;)

[wlh]

I perform 3 way links, the two sites I involve are of equal value. Actually sometimes I switch them up so one of them isn't dominant. And of course they are both related. IMO the way I practice it, I don't see anything wrong. Though, like SEO Guy said, if one site is being used as a dump, its not advisable to do so.