How your pet business can work with bloggers and pet related websites, and still make Google happy.

We all know by now that Google is cracking down on paid links, excessive link trading, buying and selling links that pass page rank, large scale article marketing, and any links designed to manipulate page rank or the site's placement in Google rankings.

The following are examples of a few link schemes that Google has outlined, which can negatively impact a site's ranking in search results:

• The buying or selling of links that pass PageRank, including exchanging money for links, or posts that contain links; exchanging goods or services for links; or sending someone a “free” product in exchange for them writing about it and including a link.
• Excessive link exchanging or creating partner pages exclusively for the sake of cross-linking.
• Article marketing and guest posting campaigns on a large scale that include keyword-rich anchor text links.

Google also frowns upon:

• Text advertisements that allow the passage of PageRank. 
• Advertorials in exchange for payment with links that pass PageRank. 
• Links with highly optimized anchor text in articles or press releases distributed on other sites.
• Participating in low-quality directories or bookmarking site links.
• Links to your site or on your site that are embedded in widgets and distributed across various sites, just for the purpose of link building. These may include blog hops if the blog hop system isn't no follow.
• Overuse of links in footers of website just for the purpose of PageRank improvement. 
• And leaving forum comments that include optimized links in posts or signatures. 

So what's a pet business to do to work with bloggers and other sites to promote their product and/or service, and still make Google happy with your site and the site you are working with? A few guidelines:

If you are submitting your product/service for blogger review, I would request the link be rel="nofollow".

"Nofollow," according to Google, provides a way for webmasters to tell search engines, "don't follow links on this page" or "don't follow this specific link." Readers can still click on the link to learn more info, but you'll (and the website individuals that you work with) will be following Google's Webmaster Guidelines, which will not hurt, but help your status with Google and your page rank.

Yes, it's true that Google will not 'give you credit' for having a wonderful link on a high page ranked site, but...

• You will still benefit from the positive relationship and how your business is positively perceived within articles on popular websites and blogs.
• Readers of blogger reviews will still understand how great your product and/or service is, and click to learn more.
• And you will still position your company as a leader in your pet product/service space.

If you are guest posting or participating in article marketing with other blogs and sites that include a link back to your site, Google won't have a problem with your site if the site you are posting with is of high-quality, and if your guest post is high-quality and original in nature, as well. This means don't write a guest post and submit it to 10-20 site (many of which may be low quality), as this falls into an area that Google may take action upon. 

Be honest in your marketing. Write and create high-quality articles and content that is valuable to your audience and market, that will naturally gain popularity within the pet-loving Internet community. That way, when others link to your site or content it will be editorial in nature, pass page rank, generally be more well respected, and provide your site with the increased exposure you want and need.

By following these simple guidelines, Google will be a lot more friendly to your site and with the company's or individual's websites of which you choose to collaborate - a win-win situation.

Read more about Google's Webmaster Guidelines and link schemes.