How Google rates links from Social Networks like Twitter and Facebook
The number of incoming links to a blog as well as quality and relevancy of those links play a role in determining a blog’s Pagerank.
A question that has been asked recently by a number of bloggers is does Google rate incoming links from social networking sites the same way it does incoming links from other sites.
The answer is that Google treats links the same whether they are from Facebook, Twitter, as they would if they were from any other website.
In a post that can be read on WebProNews, Matt Cutts (Google employee) addresses via video how Google rates links from social media pages.
Be sure to listen to the video. The video is part of the new webmaster videos that Google has started to release. If you’re interested in knowing when new webmaster videos come out, follow @googlewmc on Twitter.
Matt says “Google treats links the same whether they are from Facebook or Twitter, as they would if they were from any other site. It’s just an extension of the pagerank formula, where its not the amount of links, but how reputable those links are.”
Matt does say that with Twitter, most links are nofollow anyway, but in Google’s web search (organic rankings), they treat links the same from Twitter or Facebook as they would from a say your blog for example.
This is interesting and I imagine that the same is most likely said regarding blog comments.
I assume that Google would treat the links left in comments on a do-follow blog the same as they would any other link.
Of course taking into factor the quality and relevancy of those links.
Your thoughts?
Rose DesRochersRose wears many hats. She's a wife, mother, respite worker, proud shih-tzu owner, blogger, published poet, freelance writer, as well as the owner and administrator of Today's Writing Community and Blogger Talk Blog Community. Feel free to contact her with any questions you may have.Rose DesRochers has 1224 post(s) at Rose DesRochers – World Outside My Window
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10 responses so far ↓
Wrote: Jan 22, 2010 at 3:43 am
I don’t think links on Twitter have much juice, do they?
Gordie´s last blog..Six Things You Should Do Daily To Succeed.
Rose DesRochers Reply:
January 22nd, 2010 at 11:22 am
As Matt pointed out Twitter adds a “nofollow” attribute to links submitted by its users. Do read though “How to Squeeze Every Last Drop of SEO Juice from Your Twitter Page.”
Twitter however can affect your Alexa rankings by sending visitors to your pages. I know my Alexa ranking has improved.
Wrote: Jan 22, 2010 at 5:34 am
I watched the video the other day and I’m not surprised by this. I can’t think of any reason why they wouldn’t treat them the same. It would really suck if they did.
Thanks Rose.
Ileane @Blogging´s last blog..Install Google Analytics!
Wrote: Jan 22, 2010 at 6:46 am
Hello Rose.
I too have wondered about this. Of course we’ve heard all sorts of opinions, but nothing like going to the source.
Thanks for this!
Wrote: Jan 22, 2010 at 7:41 am
Hmm interesting post. So google also rate incoming links from FB? I do FB everyday so this would help me a lot. It will save time and effort. My gratitude for your post. I think i’m gonna watch that video of Matt Cutts.
Wrote: Jan 22, 2010 at 11:27 am
My thoughts:
I think my head is going to explode..
Glen´s last blog..My First Speaking Engagement
Rose DesRochers Reply:
January 22nd, 2010 at 11:42 am
I’m thinking this is why I have a headache today. lol
Wrote: Jan 22, 2010 at 11:41 am
Not all links are created equal, however incoming links from comments are calculated into the algorithm.
Wrote: Jan 23, 2010 at 1:56 am
You might find this article helpful. Secret Out – How Google Ranks
Websites
An old article, but still informative.
Wrote: Jan 25, 2010 at 2:04 am
As anything else I would think that quantity doesn’t matter and where they come from really doesn’t matter either.
What does matter is quality. If the links are good, from anywhere, they’d get recognition.
What is your opinion here?
Eric´s last blog..The Way I Blog With Ease