I keep getting offered link exchanges with sites that are about poker, casinos, porn, etc.

Now I will not be linking with them anyway as they are completely irrelevant to my theme, but was wondering if google and the other SEs consider these sites as bad because of their content, or would some benefit be derived from those links, if accepted ?

I don't have a clue about what Google etc would think of these links but you've got to think of your reputation. Most of these sites are probably just the usual junk anyway.

recedo makes a great point. I wouldn't bother with them.

I cant see any search engine holding your site back for inward links - after all many of these sites will link to you anyway in the hope you will link back and there is not a lot you can do.

As for your outbound links you do have to be very carefull imo who you do agree to link to. You certainly dont want to link to poor rated sites and your outbound links should be to sites of the same or of your site related nature.

A link exchange with a porn site i guess is only of use to other sites of a sex related nature

Originally Posted by Padawan

I keep getting offered link exchanges with sites that are about poker, casinos, porn, etc.

Now I will not be linking with them anyway as they are completely irrelevant to my theme, but was wondering if google and the other SEs consider these sites as bad because of their content, or would some benefit be derived from those links, if accepted ?

I have 2 theories which I would like to share with you guys.

1. Always go for one way linking and in the case these is one way linking I assume all the links are good for a simple reason. I can link to my competitor site and that can be banned if that link is bad and so no links are bad.

2. When in link exchange go for site which are relevant because what i think is if you are linked from a bad site it shouldnt do much harm then linking to bad site and there only go with content and ask - Will this be helpful to my user.

Here many will argue that you will be loosing the visitors just if you get sites that are better than yours or something similar. But I am firm thinker that if user finds other site very very useful then he will also visit other lists of sites in the list to be curious as if there is something as good as this is there on someother site and he may give you some bucks with the ads also. This is better than closing of browser as far as I think and I am planning to go for this after I think I am saturated with one way linking.

Thanks
Shabbir Bhimani

Thanks for the advice guys. I never really had any intention of linking to them anyway because they are so off-topic, though I was a bit tempted for a few seconds by some who quoted high PR and visitor counts, though sensibly I would have to assume that none of those visitors would be looking for my type of site anyway.

Thanks for the advice guys.

Thats what wt is all about

I never really had any intention of linking to them anyway because they are so off-topic, though I was a bit tempted for a few seconds by some who quoted high PR and visitor counts,

They give that info because they know that without this the chances of getting link back is nil

Thanks
Shabbir Bhimani

I joined one of these things a while back and am sick to my back teeth of emails telling me that 'Josie from Flowers R Us would like to exchange links'

HELLO!!! I run a Sports site, where sport comes first and the wife makes the tea, so no flowers required!!!!

Just ignore those link requests. I get dozen like that each week. Only trade links with like-minded websites and you'll do well.

I agree with you Gaffer!

Originally Posted by Gaffer Sports

I joined one of these things a while back and am sick to my back teeth of emails telling me that 'Josie from Flowers R Us would like to exchange links'

These people are no good. We get them all time to our www.firststopshops.com for link exchange. A few times we emailed them back to link, got signed up to newsletters and never got any links. They have now been designated as Spam. Also a big pain in the %&*!

Originally Posted by petertdavis

Just ignore those link requests. I get dozen like that each week. Only trade links with like-minded websites and you'll do well.

Are you member at sitepoint also.

its like would you like to have a porn site or a casino site if your trying to offer a service to buisness peolpe its like having spray paint on your buisness think peolpe would deal with you ?

That whole industry is way too shady to be affiliated with.

Them linking to you will not hurt you, it also might not help you. It cant do any damage, though if you link to them thats where the problems develop.