Is this considered ethical link building?

[Wilksy]

Simple Q really...

There seem to be a lot of counter and blog links indexed for a site. They are certainly ranking...

I wonder how they achieved that? ;)

[Marcia]

If they're legitimate, visible links for use of a counter, then imho that's valid and it's fine.

I have seen some "tool" offered (hoping to go viral) - NOT the site in question here - that offered webmasters use of the tool on their sites, and the link back to them was a hidden link. That's not fine.

Blog links are a different story. Are they legitimate, voluntary links or posted in comments, or are some/all comment spam?

[Wilksy]

No they appear to be hidden and not so hidden links like: "search engine optimisation counter" where the SEO part links to their site. Most have a couple of other hidden one's around the same area (bottom of page) just for that extra PR.

They are legit blogs however, or at least they appear so. If they are slogs they are the best I have seen.

I really can't see how it's a legit backlink as there is no real reason for these to be there. The blogs are unrelated and certainly not promoted by this company.

I just wonder how they got all of the links in the first place, and how long they will last in the serps.

[jsmm]

I really can't see how it's a legit backlink as there is no real reason for these to be there. The blogs are unrelated and certainly not promoted by this company.
I just had a thought... are the links "hard-coded," or are they dynamic/generated? Maybe the blogs are linking to "something not totally specified" external, and the outward links are being pointed at the site in question?

Just speculation.

[Wilksy]

hey jsmm,

the links all appear to be natural, most of them are slightly different, although many are the same (anchor and style), this leads me to believe that they were hand done by the same person.

The way they have been added is interesting, fairly roughly and almost always the same anchor.

I'd love to know how it was done.