8 replies to this topic

[bwelford]

I had in mind to start this thread a little way down the line since I am currently in the process of selling two blogs. I've never done this before and am finding it fascinating.

Then by incredible coincidence, I find that Rand Fishkin, SEOmoz, has just written an article on Buying Links is Shallow, Short-Term Thinking. Buying Blogs? Now that's a Strategy.

Of course, I couldn't agree more.

I'm selling via flippa.com and it's an intriguing world that's all new to me. This conversation could go a variety of ways and I'm interested to see what sparks interest on this.

[Michael_Martinez]

I really can't see buying a blog. it's just another tactic that will head south as soon as enough people jump on the bandwagon. Treating Web content as a link-base commodity is such a short-sighted approach to search engine optimization that I'm surprised anyone really wants to get on that bandwagon any more.

How many more major search algorithm slapdowns does the SEO community need before it learns the critical lesson that nothing comes even close to competing with creating real value?

[DonnaFontenot]

Since when does blog = not of real value?

[Michael_Martinez]

I think blogs have real value. I just don't think the SEOmoz article represents the best reasons for buying blogs. Are doing it for "SEO value", like that's a fixed commodity? Are they doing it because they want to break into a new vertical? Are they doing it because they really like the site?

This could just be an off day for me, too....

[bwelford]

My take on Rand's article was that the blog has an associated community of readers and buying the blog gives you access to that community with all the online connections (social media) that are associated with the members of that community.

[Michael_Martinez]

I'm just not having a good week, folks. My allergies are killing me and I had to do two multi-hour presentations. I'm a bit more ornerier than usual.

[bwelford]

Thank God, it's Friday.

[jonbey]

Thing is, how is buying a blog for SEO purposes (which I assume means sticking your links on it) any different from buying links to pass pagerank?

Surely that is against Google TOS and if you get caught you will be in big trouble?

[Michael_Martinez]

Well, hopefully you're buying a blog for more than just link value. If it has content you can try to monetize that, or develop its readership into a new channel to create visibility for your other content, etc.