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Quality Criteria for Authors
In response to the Google Algorith Change 2011, Ezinearticles.com
has now finalized its new Quality critieria for authors.
The list is provided here:
- Doubling the time for editors to make quality checks
- No longer accept article submissions via WordPress Plugin and API
- Two weeks limit for removal of identified dead links (vs 35 days)
- Only 10 additional submissions to reach Platinum Level (vs 25)*
- Minimum 400 word count (vs 250)
* Note: if you do not make the quality grade (platinum member) after
20 submissions you will no longer be allowed to submit to
Ezinearticles.com
The NoFollow Link Debate
There has been a heated debate over the suggestion by
Ezinearticles.com that they would introduce a nofollow link
process for the Resource box area of an article (they already
have this in place for "within article" links).
Blog comments became quite heated over this topic
(50 + pages of comments). There was a very strong resistance
to this proposed change as it stopped authors from generating
quality backlinks via Ezinearticles.com.
The effect of the no- follow tag on links is that search engines
will not follow/index the link and no "link juice" or anchor text
will pass from Ezinearticles.com (now PR 6) to the
author's website. Thus the author would not gain a quality
backlink (see Matt Cutt's video below explaining Google's
position on no-follow links).
Christopher Knight argued that using the "no follow" tag
for the Resource Box links, would show Google that
Ezinearticles.com were not "gaming" the search engine
system and would improve its quality score.
Other commentators pointed out that Articlebase.com
had a 100% "no follow" policy and still were hit very hard
by Google's 2011 Algorith Change.
The debate then turned to, "What is the fundamental purpose
of Ezinearticles.com?" Christopher Knight argued that the primary
purpose is to serve the reader with content that helps them
solve their problems/issues - Ezinearticles.com does not exist
to provide quality backlinks for authors.
Many of the commentators then argued that authors submit for
two purposes - to get traffic and quality backlinks. They suggested
that if the second benefit was taken away, many authors would no
longer publish on the Ezinearticles.com article directory.
Christopher Knight, Owner of Ezinearticles.com, then
withdrew the suggestion of "no follow" links from
current quality considerations.
The discussion, though, highlighted Ezinearticles.com absolute
commitment to improved quality (necessary for its survival)
but genuine willingness to engage in discussion and consultation
with its members.
It also highlights the need to be continuously vigilant about quality
and innovation, even for an organisation that holds a premier
position as the No. 1 article directory of the Internet.
Related Post:
The 2011 Google Algorith Changes: Ezinearticles.com Response
********************************************
Ron Passfield, PhD, is an expert author/Platinum author
with Ezinearticles.com with 40 published articles.
Ron is the creator of a training program in social media marketing,
covering content creation, social networking
and promotion:
http://www.squidooroo.com
**********************************************
Matt Cutts from Google on "no follow" links
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