Google Update Florida
In November of 2003, Google performed a major algorithm change. The goal of the change was to make it harder to manipulate their search results. It is believed that Google may have significantly incorporated Hilltop, topic-specific PageRank, and/or a latent semantic indexing like technology into their algorithms.
It is important to get links from the right community. Do not rely on cheesy off-topic link exchanges. They can hurt you more than they help you. For example, to a search engine marketer, a link from Search Engine Watch (a search engine information resource hub) is worth much more than many random off-topic links.
I still have seen significant evidence that off-topic inbound links can improve your Google rankings significantly, but it is likely that this will eventually change, and there is an opportunity cost and risk level associated with every activity.
In early 2004, Google also began to block the ability of certain sites to pass PageRank, even if those same pages showed PageRank when you visited them.
In addition, Google seems to have set up a portion of their algorithm to delay the effects of some links or to only allow them to parse partial link credit until the links age. These moves are aimed at curbing manipulation of the Google index through link buying by making it a much more expensive and much less predictable process.
It may take up to three or so months for the full effect of new links to kick in.
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