Yahoo Penalizing Affiliate Sites?

[Linda Buquet]

I copied this post of Garrett's from the Search Engine Insider Reports forum here: http://www.webproworld.com/viewtopic.php?p=83316#83316

Posted: Mon 15th Mar 2004, 1009
Post subject: Yahoo Penalizing Affiliate Sites

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From the WebMasterWorld forums comes word that Yahoo's cracking down on affiliate sites. The thread, six pages long at the time of this writing, includes snippets of letters from Yahoo to the forum members, many of whom have been banned.

From what I gathered, Yahoo's weeding out sites with content that appears on duplicate sites. Affiliate sites are hit especially hard by the campaign.

Eyeinthesky said, "I got a reply from Y! that they don't oppose affiliate sites but they don't want their index to be full of the same stuff..."

Gavstar reported that, "they are saying that my site has been banned because I have traded links with other webmasters. And because I have affiliate links on my site."

Some consider the penalization to be more like persecution. "I think this is an awful decision and isn't being applied fairly either," said TravelMan.

"If you are a traffic passer, or have heavy affiliate content then your entire domain will be blocked from their index," continued TravelMan. He also claimed that, "there isn't a route back via pfi either, so don't waste your time or money. I've tried and failed."

Tim Mayer, Yahoo's Director Of Product Management, who posts there as "Tim," said early in the thread that if you've been banned and are not sure why you should "try emailing webmasterworldfeedback@yahoo.com."

Neither he nor any other Yahoo representatives appear anywhere else in the thread.

View the Yahoo What gives? How do you tell if you're penalized? thread here: http://www.webmasterworld.com/forum35/1845.htm

Thanks to SEORoundTable for the tip.
_________________
Garrett French
Editor, WebProNews.com
http://www.WebProNews.com

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I'm still reading the thread - what do you all think?

[npsny]

Is Yahoo a group of hypocrites in power? You see several affiliate associations advertised on Yahoo all the time, yet Yahoo will refuse to index any other web site that has affiliate links. If you ask, Yahoo will probably tell you the advertisements on their web site are not affiliates, the advertisments are from sponsors. No matter what excuse or reasoning Yahoo wants to give for refusing to index affiliate linked web sites, it is obvious Yahoo wants to eliminate competition from their database.

Do the math:
No Affiliate Web Sites Indexed In Yahoo = No Competition For Yahoo.

After all, that's what marketing is all about, drowning out the competition. Grow big and start knocking out the little guys. It worked for companies like Wal-Mart. This month it's refusing to index affiliate linked web sites, next month they will find a different reason not to index a web site. I'm sure they will come up with something. Kind of like the IRS. Make so many laws only the law maker knows them all.

Personally, I don't waste my time with yahoo anymore. Who Cares? There are too many other options on the internet and abroad this day and age to worry about one. In addition, I work with people and organization who work with me, not against me.
Tim and the people at Yahoo need to remember that Yahoo is not the only gig in town. In my opinion Google and MSN are miles ahead.