old link new link - which is better?

[imfeelinglucky]

which is better as a backlink...
A PR4 link that's been linking to your site for 2 years...
or...
a PR7 link that's been linking to your site since last month?
(all other things being equal).

[I, Brian]

Nothing's ever equal in links, though - at least, IMO. :)

Value of links isn't simply a "yes" or "no" answer - it isn't a question that allows for rating of "score 10 for Link A" and "score 5 for Link B".

Since PageRank hit mainstream, it seems that people across SEO forums have been looking for mathematical exact values for links on or to their sites - "will I lose x for linking out with Link A or Link B; will I gain x for getting Link A over Link B?"

The mantra of link building has always been: "Get quality links from quality related content pages."

Simply do, and the Q&A of "Link A vs Link B" becomes immaterial. Get both, then check your rankings regularly. :)

[St0n3y]

A PR7 is always better than a PR4 regardless of when it was places.... assuming that Google knows about both and both are from relevant sites and both have equal number of outoing links on the page and....

[Marcia]

There are more factors related to the value of a link than just one, PR isn't the only criteria for value or how much a link can do for a site.

[imfeelinglucky]

I know all that...(everything else being equal).
This isn't a question of PR, relevance, outlinks, or the such...
It's "Is an old backlinks (link that's been linking to your for years), worth more than a new link...even if it "appears" that the new link is more "powerful"?

[I, Brian]

It is to my perpetual chagrin that my mother - who teaches students and staff at our city college - will not allow myself free reign of her webspace on a .edu domain, for self-interested linkage. :D

[I, Brian]

I know all that...(everything else being equal).
This isn't a question of PR, relevance, outlinks, or the such...
It's "Is an old backlinks (link that's been linking to your for years), worth more than a new link...even if it "appears" that the new link is more "powerful"?
Judging by the way certain old dead sites with old dead linkage are floating by certain reference sections, I'd say it definitely seems the case that older links may well have some advantage. :)

A big part of the mentality on the Google Sandbox, is that age of indexed links can play a significant role for ranking purposes - with newer links especially having delayed impact for their anchor text.

[Dave Hawley]

which is better as a backlink...A PR4 link that's been linking to your site for 2 years...or...a PR7 link that's been linking to your site since last month?(all other things being equal).
imfeelinglucky, to answer your question as you have asked, the latter is better.

[seobook]

imfeelinglucky, to answer your question as you have asked, the latter is better.
if I were a network reselling pagerank I would go with the new link. if I were buying it for the one month immediate effect the older one would probably be better. if I were locking in a price on a long term relevant link and could afford the wait then I may want the newer link.

[Dave Hawley]

um, imfeelinglucky asked the question not me :rolleyes: