6 Link Max Becomes 4 Soon
May 12th, 2008
Important Change:
In 2 weeks, EzineArticles will no longer accept articles with (3) self-serving links.
Currently: (See Editorial Guidelines section 2.f.) Your articles can contain up to (3) self-serving active links and (3) non-self-serving links for a total of (6) active links per article.
Next 2 Weeks: Your article submissions in May 2008 can continue to include up to (3) self-serving links and up to (3) non-self-serving active links for a total of (6) active links.
After June 1st 2008: Your articles can contain up to (2) self-serving active links and up to (2) non-self-serving active links for a total of (4) active links.
Active Links Allowed In Each Article:
Important:
- This change doesn’t take place for 2 more weeks. Yes, that means you’ll be able to submit articles with up to (3) self-serving links for the rest of May 2008.
- Existing articles will be ‘Grandfathered’ in. That means they will have amnesty and we will not retroactively require any currently accepted article to meet the new (2) self-serving link guideline.
- However, after June 1st, 2008…if you edit any of your articles, they will need to meet the (2) self-serving link rule to be re-accepted.
Active Links Allowed In Each Article:
This decision was one of the most difficult we’ve had to make this year.
Ultimately, it does not hurt members who post the highest quality content (as they on average usually only include 1 or 2 links) but this change does impact members who submit thin content and then asks for 3 self-serving links. No, we don’t think thin content deserves 3 self-serving links, much less to be accepted.
EzineArticles can still deliver a very positive value proposition that makes it significantly worth your while to submit your best quality original articles even if 2 is the new maximum self-serving link allowance. If you don’t believe me, just ask any of our top thousands of members who tell us frequently that we’re their top traffic source after the search engines.
We have data not revealed that makes a very strong case that the EzineArticles system delivers significantly more traffic per article to our members than the competition…and we don’t expect this change will have any material impact on that truth.
The primary motivation is to put up a hurdle between us and thin content producers who are out to game the system.
Many thin content producers submit 300 words and then include 3 self-serving links. A 300 word article only deserves 1 self-serving links, but after this change, we’ll allow 2.
Our goal is for the market to respect the content from our members that we’re able to accept and to differentiate ourselves from the spammy-looking thin article that includes 3 self-serving links.
Most of our ideal member already approve of this change (they’ve told us privately and publicly) because they know their articles will be in better company with higher standards than competing sites.
Why did we leave a 2 week window before closing the door on (3) self-serving links?
To give members who are sitting on un-submitted content to submit it with up to the (3) self-serving links before the new policy goes into affect.
We’ve had about 3 weeks to carefully consider this decision thanks to your feedback.
In summary, Less Fewer Links = More Market Credibility.
Is that all links (including bio box) or just in the article itself? (Not that that will make a huge difference to me.)
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