trying to understand the value of linking

[over40]

I am trying to gain a greater understanding of the value of linking to other websites, both in terms of increased traffic and monetary value.

If I am approached by a real estate site that is getting 25k hits per day, and they want me to pay to link to it... how do you determine the value of something like that?

If 3,000 other agents are also linking to the site, does the fact that there are that many similiar links help me in the long run? I guess it would but how do you put a dollar figure on that?

do paid ads in directories help?

[linkbuildr]

They want you to pay to link to them?

[over40]

yes, $38/month. it's a paid business directory.

[nyccountryhomes]

What is the website you are talking about?

[belgirl]

Quite honestly, I hate paid link directories. There are so many free ones out there and better backlinks. Plus if you have 3,000 other links on the same page, your linkjuice is going to be really depleted.

[NealRM]

over40: I think there is some confusion. If they are a business directory the charge is for them to place a link on their site linking to you.

Since Google gives basically zero weight to paid links, the only advantage would be the traffic. Over the long run I would expect very few visitors to reach your site from a general directory. A locally run directory will do better than a national site.

[Arizona Real Estate]

Yes, I also would not pay for links since there are so many websites that are free. I also found out the hard way that "sponsered" links don't get the click throughs as organic searches do.

[over40]

thanks for the replies. i guess what i was trying to figure out was the value of traffic generated from a paid website link (in a directory) and this apprears to be a semantic issue.

i also am abit leery of google and search engines and in the back of my mind think that they could one day change all the rules on us little folks who have let them control the internet.

[CLTMichael]

over40: I think there is some confusion. If they are a business directory the charge is for them to place a link on their site linking to you.

Since Google gives basically zero weight to paid links, the only advantage would be the traffic. Over the long run I would expect very few visitors to reach your site from a general directory. A locally run directory will do better than a national site.

Google gives zero weight to paid links on other sites? Many factors to that comment. Google doesn't know if it's paid or not.

[NealRM]

Google gives zero weight to paid links on other sites? Many factors to that comment. Google doesn't know if it's paid or not.

In this case it is a paid directory. So there is a good chance the Google knows they are paid links or will know at some point in the future. If it was a small site that did not advertise paid links, then you are right Google would not know.