Google’s John Mueller addressed why charity-sponsored links can sometimes lead to penalties, confirming that such links do get penalized. He also explained that some charity-sponsored links are permissible and detailed why those won’t incur penalties.
Situations When Charity Sponsor Links Receive Penalties
During a webmaster hangout, a publisher inquired about sponsored links. Unable to change a link to nofollow, the publisher worried about its potential negative impact on the site’s rankings.
The Question
A publisher asked: "We sponsor a local hockey club, and they put up an image link on their site thanking us. But it’s do-follow, and we don’t know how to change it. Is this going to cause us any problems?"
John Mueller’s Answer
Mueller explained: "Generally, when the web spam team examines these situations, they consider the bigger picture. If your website is sponsoring numerous clubs and sites mainly to obtain links, the web spam team might take action. Conversely, if it’s just one of many links to your site from a local hockey club that can’t easily change it, then there’s generally no cause for concern. It’s important to reflect on whether this is a systematic attempt to gain links or simply a natural part of the web. Based on your description, this doesn’t seem like an issue to worry about."
Why Charity Sponsorship Links are Sometimes Considered Spam
Charity links have historically been a form of paid link building. Donating in exchange for links isn’t new, and Google’s spam team is aware of it, as confirmed by this hangout discussion. Various sponsorship types can lead to spam penalties, including sponsorships, charitable donations for links, and student discounts intended to “earn” links.
Qualities that Indicate Sponsorship Spam:
- Quantity of sponsored sites
- An apparent intent to gain links
Features that Indicate a Sponsored Link is Innocent:
- Just one sponsored link among a variety of links
- Part of the natural web environment where sponsorships occasionally happen
A Natural Part of the Web
The phrase “natural part of the web” echoes what former web spam team manager Matt Cutts said about reciprocal links. Reciprocal links naturally occur, so there’s no need to worry if there’s a reciprocal link to your site. The principle is that various types of links happen organically, including charity sponsorships. Sponsorships and scholarships become problematic when pursued systematically for ranking enhancement. If engaging frequently in these activities, it’s advisable to use nofollow links, especially with techniques like scholarship offerings.
Watch John Mueller discuss why charity sponsorship links aren’t always considered spam.
Images by Shutterstock, modified by Author
