Does Proactive Tracking Impact Ranking?

Meridian · #1 (**permalink**) 04-28-2005, 09:22 AM

I was recently sent an email by an "authoritative seo" company containg the following from their chief technologist:

"When buying text links, you should not use any type of tracking. Third party tracking would completely negate any PageRank value. Tracking strings may also reduce the transferred link value."

This has gotten me to wondering on the impact of using tracking tools - are there negative effects... and if so.. why?

C. Jeffers
www.Website-Leads.com

**brian.mark** · #2 (**permalink**) 04-28-2005, 09:42 AM

If you are using a redirection script to track, or appending on ?source=wpw or similar to your URL's, then the effect is lessened. If you're using a page tagging or logfile analysis tool, those won't interfere.

Basically, if they aren't linking straight to your page as the rest of your site calls that page, it is a new page and it won't give as much benefit as a straight link.

Brian.

Meridian · #3 (**permalink**) 04-28-2005, 09:50 AM

Mike - thanks for the note.

What about JavaScript based tools - thoughts?

CJ

www.Website-Leads.com

**brian.mark** · #4 (**permalink**) 04-28-2005, 10:03 AM

JavaScript is ignored by search engines for the most part (they find some links this way, but that's about it.) If that's how the link is sent to you, then it won't work. If that's how you're tracking on either side, it'll be fine.

Brian.