View Full Version : question about 301 - can it be used for evil?
fromtherooftops
10-11-2007, 05:15 PM
Does google pass flags with a 301? For example, if I were to build a page that linked to bad neighborhoods and spammed, THEN in the height of its badness, I 301'd the page and/or domain to a competitor, what would happen? Would google somehow take the NEW directed page and integrate the previous flags/penalties into it when it gets spidered? or would the original bad indexed domain just disappear from the index. I assume the latter, just wanted to see what you thought.
cryptblade
10-12-2007, 02:20 AM
Just why exactly would you believe the "latter"?
Also, just because you link to bad neighborhoods doesn't mean this sacrifice domain gets any link-backs. If you are giving away the links, you just become unimportant. You'd probably do more to "hurt" your competitor by linking to them in this case.
glengara
10-12-2007, 07:09 AM
With such potential for abuse there's surprisingly little info on 301s, you'd think if they passed benefits they would equally pass penalties, I'm beginning to suspect they may not pass either....
With such potential for abuse there's surprisingly little info on 301s, you'd think if they passed benefits they would equally pass penalties, I'm beginning to suspect they may not pass either....
"Off-domain" redirects are in some ways different than "On-domain" redirects.
If domain A 301 redirects to domain B there would be no issue for domain B as long as domain B doesn't link to domain A. A redirect is after all similar in many ways to any other link.
If domain A 301 redirects to domain B there is no content at domain A to receive a penalty. As long as there is no cause for penalty at domain B there would be no penalty.
Even if you use a 302 "Off-domain" in most cases the destination page would be returned. As long as that page is OK the new domain name should be OK too.
RobHughes
10-12-2007, 05:04 PM
On this ... I was about to start my own thread but it might be more appropriate here...
Does anyone have any PROOF of a 301 actually passing Pagerank (and more importantly Search engine placement!!) from a page that no longer exists to a NEW page?
We are building a new site using a different domain but I have old pages with PR6? The old domain has substantial domain authority (trustrank) but the new one contains target keywords.
Any thoughts?
RobHughes
10-12-2007, 05:22 PM
BTW - answer to your question...
I agree with Beu, and in addition...
If you build a page that links to 'bad neighbourhoods and spammed' and then 301'd to a competitor, it will not have any negative effect on your competitor.
Since none of us can control who links to our sites, there is no reason for SE's to punish a site for negative inbound links - only to reward for relevant links.
Also, the effect may have a slight positive effect on your competitor since not all SE's are 100% effective at determining the link value from spam.
Not directed at RobHughes but intended to keep others from getting confused! Good question, by the way:)
PLEASE NOTE: This post is about 301s passing PR but the previous post in this same thread was about passing penalty.
On this ... I was about to start my own thread but it might be more appropriate here...
Does anyone have any PROOF of a 301 actually passing Pagerank (and more importantly Search engine placement!!) from a page that no longer exists to a NEW page?
We are building a new site using a different domain but I have old pages with PR6? The old domain has substantial domain authority (trustrank) but the new one contains target keywords.
Any thoughts?
As far as I'm concerned this is proof so, I hope you see it in the same light!
"Matt Cutts: ... In general, Google does a relatively good job of following the 301s, and 302s, and even Meta Refreshes and JavaScript. Typically what we don't do would be to follow a chain of redirects that goes through a robots.txt that is itself forbidden.
Eric Enge: Right.
Matt Cutts: I think in many cases we can calculate the proper or appropriate amount of PageRank, or Link Juice, or whatever you want to call it, that should flow through such links.
Eric Enge: Right. So, you do try to track that and provide credit.
Matt Cutts: Yes."
- http://www.stonetemple.com/articles/interview-matt-cutts.shtml
:)
glengara
10-13-2007, 03:35 PM
*..the proper or appropriate amount of PageRank, or Link Juice.."
"Proper" and "appropriate" are an odd choice of words, there's more than a touch of the Jesuitical about them, IMO :-)
*..the proper or appropriate amount of PageRank, or Link Juice.."
"Proper" and "appropriate" are an odd choice of words, there's more than a touch of the Jesuitical about them, IMO :-)
Good point glengara, I found it interesting that no mention was made of penalty passing via off-site (inbound link from another domain) redirect.