Links Within Article Body
Should we allow active links within the body of the article?
To look at this issue from the author’s perspective, the answer is YES. More links to their websites creates more link currency value.
To look at this issue from our ad revenue based model perspective, it makes no sense to allow authors to put active links within the body of the article because you get paid for your article with a link to your website in the resource box.
Why then do we allow active links within the body of the article?
I’m not really sure why we allow that.
Seemed like the right thing to do when we got started.
Each day, it seems like the less smart thing to do.
Perhaps an author should have to earn the right to put active links in the body of an article.
One reason the brakes are coming on for this issue is that I’m realizing the importance of not allowing link spam to clutter our site up.
There are genuine times when an active link within the body of the article adds value to the reader, but in the greater majority of the cases, it’s a keyword anchor for the sole benefit of the author. These are the types of articles we intend to crack down on.
What are your thoughts?
What are the downsides to removing the ability for authors to get an active link in the body of their article?
I am both a content creator and a reader and my reaction as a reader to an article filled with links is that it is primarily a sales pitch.
On the other hand, as an article writer and content creator I am creating material that would normally command a reasonable fee if it were commissioned work written for publication.
So, as a compromise, rather than links within the article itself,in addition to the resource box link, why not consider having the author’s name as an enabled link to go to their website?
Dennis Mellersh
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