I think we are different bases on links. IMO there are 4 types links.
1. Traffic
2. Link Popularity
3. PageRank
4. Natural links
Traffic links are legit. These links could be static or redirects such as Adwords. In the end they provide relevant traffic. If they are not relevant they wont provide much.
Link Popularity Links are static and can be abused by purchasing large irrelevant packages. These irrelevant links do not seem to affect Google as much anymore, where relevancy seems to play into LocalRank now. But Y! and MSN are suspect to these type of irrelevant link packages. Link exchanges, static advertisement links. I do buy some static links from high ranking(SERP's), relevant sites. There is nothing wrong with that at all. I do not buy for
PR. I buy them for traffic and LP.
http://www.christmas.com/ is a great example, we are their main sponosor. Is this for
PR, no. We get good branding, traffic, sales, and YES LP.
PR Links are touchy subject. But buying a link simply to have
PR pass is fruitless waste of money.
PR is meaningless and where these have received a bad reptuation is buying based purely on
PR and not relevancy.
Natural Links are out of the goodness of someones heart. Unrequested resource links. Yes these are great. But anyone who says Google only cares about these links is wrong. Hell Press releases can be purchased.
Most links can be categorized as any one of these types or combinations of the 4. Do I hope
PR passes from some of my advertisements, of course I like the lil green bar as much as anyone else. But if the site isnt relevant and has very little chance of bring me either good branding, traffic and sales, I will not do it. I know adwords does not pass
PR nor LP, but I think most have misinterpreted what Google has said. Buying links is not bad. Buying purely for
PR is on irrelevant sites. Just how do you think Google knows the difference? They dont. How can they penalize or discount links of this type? IMO, They dont unless it is totally irrelevant. My best guess is if it isnt relevant it doesnt pass
PR and probably some age factors. My Christmas card site static link on Christmas.com is not discounted at all and our rankings have gone up because of it. It cost us alot more than 1k on month but the sales justify it. The
SEO benefits are extra. To heck with
PR :)
DMC