Since the whole I Follow Movement thing last spring, there have been lists of blogs published with titles like “10 High PR I Follow Blogs” encouraging readers to visit and comment, and “be sure it doesn’t look too spammy or it might get deleted.” Now that page rank has been updated, there are new lists being published, and since I’m now at PR6, I’m more of a target than ever for those sleazy link-whoring tactics. It’s not that I mind all that much – it’s pretty easy to spot and I can always delete the URL if not the entire comment.
While I certainly understand the urge to try and get as many high PR links as one can, in the end, many link whores are just lazy. All that time spent gathering links could be put to much better use writing great content, and networking with other bloggers.
Are you a link whore? Here’s a little quiz to help you answer that question:
1. Have you ever paid for a link (you can even buy links on ebay now!)? (5)
2. Have you ever left a comment just because you knew the site had turned off no follow? (2)
3. Have you ever done a press release that was full of links, but had nothing that was actually newsworthy? (5)
4. Have you ever used a trackback just for the link? (3)
5. Do you have multiple social bookmarking accounts, just so you can submit your posts multiple times? (3)
6. Have you ever e-mailed another blogger, asking to be added to their blogroll? (4)
Add up the points in the parentheses for each question you answered yes to. See how you fall on the relative scale of slut below:
0 – Congratulations! You get a halo and a gold star. 
1-5 – Okay, that’s not so bad. We’ve all felt a little desperate to build links at one time or another. Resolve to never do it again and you can have the gold star too.
6-12 – We’re starting to edge into slutty territory here. Go leave 5 comments on blogs that actually contribute to the conversation, and don’t let me catch you looking for that I Follow badge (see my sidebar) before you do it either.
13-17 – You slut! 20 lashings with a wet noodle and then go write a nice long “how to” article for your site instead of sending those e-mails to bloggers you barely know, asking to exchange links or to be added to their blogroll.
18 or more – [cue the Eagles' Desperado soundtrack] You need help! Start the 12-step program at Link Whores Anonymous immediately and remember that the first step is always to admit you have a problem. After you’ve finished, and are completely reformed, resolve to increase your page rank purely through providing great content for your readers.
So tell me… how did you do?
I am on the edge of slutty with an 8! Great post! I came in through Blogzooming too!!
I’m here via BloggingZoom.
Great post! I got a good chuckle from it. I scored a zero, not because I’m too busy, but because I like to get to know bloggers and leaving meaningless comments doesn’t accomplish that. PR is great, but it’s more important for me to participate in the conversation in a meaningful and unselfish way. If I can’t do that then I just don’t comment.
Hello my bloggingzoom friend. I wouldn’t be too worried about being attacked. Your outgoing link has about the same value as a pr1 with 50 links. I commented because I like the content. I marked you as my friend because I like your content.
Keep up the good work.
By the way, can you imagine the increase you are going to receive in traffic when bloggingzoom gets a pr of 5. I just looked, I think they have 14,000 pages.
Well I scored a 0, but I have been guilty of commenting on a blog with the main purpose of getting the link from the post. Of course I always only comment on posts I’m interested in and are good post. I never pay attention to the No Follow or Follow attribute of the link. My blog is already in the SE’s and I want the link for potential traffic.
Hithere!
Q: The “U Comment – I Follow” plugin is allowed by the Google search engine, or can be reported as a link seller? I’m afraid of this after Google PR updates. I have only nofollow links on my blog.
I want to use this plugin if is “Google PR” safe.
Thank you, and keep up the good work!
@Sly: I’m pretty sure google has no problem with the iFollow stuff, because my blog’s rank actually went up some time this week, from a +3 to a +4 (and I’m still amazed that it’s gotten than far up) and I’ve had the iFollow plugin for a long while now, since Ronda first made the logos (and I blamed the campaign on her hehehe
So…go for it, no worries, at least on that front.
I think I am a link whore but also that helps me to follow some websites just for this and improve my content in a better way. So i am not much bothered about this as far as spamming can be avoided.
I am also planning to open my blog for dofollow. Let’s see.
How about question 7…..
Have you ever created a link, just to get instant recognition for your article?
….as in, If your site gets indexed everyday, and my site gets indexed once a week, I can use your site for my benefit.
I scored 9 but the answers were more relevant to the distant past. After reading about the I-Follow movement a couple of months back, I enabled the DoFollow plugin at 3 of my blogs which were at PR4 on Google’s radar.
There were a couple of spammy comments which I just deleted them as a matter of course. Now that my blogs have been slapped with PR0, I wonder what juice left is there for me to share with those who genuinely commented? LOL!
Yay! 0 points!
I’ll admit that I’ve considered buying links or requesting them from some of the bloggers I visit regularily, but I kind of like the challenge of giving other people the reason to link to me.
Perhaps this winter I’ll get lazy and succumb to a few requests here and there, though ….
Woohoo! Gold star for me!
I know what you mean about being a target because of your PR though – since mine came out at PR5 in the last update my spammy comments have shot through the roof!
2 points — whoo hoo
I got a zero. I am not a link whore
Guilty to 2 and 6, although i always try and leave a decent comment even if i am just after a link. I think if you read a post fully and then leave a decent, relevant comment does it matter what your agenda was when you first arrived at the blog.
I am definitely a link whore… and I am whoring now =]
Networking is a good medicine for the health of your website, but doing it blindly can have an opposite effect. Personally, I’m within the 6-12 range. Good day to you all!
Ok – It’s give and take just like good whoring should be, I’m happy to share the love with people who contribute good conent. having said that this is an exceptional blog that I will be sure to bookmark and visit on a regualr basis. The idea of the No Follow attribute is repulsive at best, Google should be ashamed of it but I bet they are not. Thanks for sharing the love.
7 points here.. Great post:D
Well I started to be worried about sliding down that slippery slope, but turned out I could only get to a 2 – not bad at all.
Fun post – I enjoyed it!
He, he, guilty of number two. The more projects we have, the less time we get to surf other blogs so we’re maximizing ROI by prioritizing blogs of the iFollow movement.
Frankly, why waste time on the link hogs? When it comes to content, any one topic must’ve been discussed dozens of time. So yes, we go first for those who have removed noFollow.
I always joke that I’m a link whore, but I only rated 4 on your scale. I didn’t really know any better when I started blogging. Now I’ve discovered socializing and I’m having so much fun getting to know people that the links just come on their own – people like my content and often link to it, and sometimes ASK PERMISSION to blogroll me, which I find very sweet.
Btw, I found you thanks to one of the No Follow links I saw on a blog. I liked the idea, so I’m joining in the movement. I just worry about “getting used”, but in the grand scheme of things I’m sure it’s a good thing.
haha, i scored 17, i never paid for a link yet, but that will come too :p
Did you just call me a slut?? Why you dirty &%((%&$(&&(!! lol j/k
I can’t believe how many of these I have done. I actually feel guilty now. Sigh…
Wait. Going over the list, the only one I still do is number 1. an IU at least be called a “recovering slut”? lol
Funny stuff pal. Thanks for the laughs.
[...] I can’t emphasize strongly enough that this kind of link whoring practice is really not the best use of anyone’s time. There are much better ways of increasing the [...]