How do you define outbound links?
 

Hi gang

I just want to ask a question to clear something up, on behalf of myself, and for any newbies out there.

How do the various linklist owners here define "outbound links"?

Do you define them as:
1. Every single tag on a page (including links back to the root domain and 2257 links)
2. Every single link that goes to a sponsor (so if I've got a linked banner for a site with text underneath and the last bit of text is a link that says "Click here for sponsor" that's 2 links)
3. Every ad that goes to a single sponsor site (so the above only counts as one "link")

I've always considered the "no more than 3 outbound links" rule to mean "no more than three ads for sponsors per page"... but perhaps others interpret this differently. I'm interested to hear your thoughts. Can you clearly list how you implement this rule on your own linklist?

Links that leave the site (whether that be to your other projects or sponsors - 2257 links generally excluded)

WRT ad blocks - ie a banner with a text link immediately below (linked seperately) may be considered one or two depending on who you ask

I count "clickable areas". A HPA can have many slices so it doesn't make sense to count tags. If the supporting (linked) text for a banner isn't immediately below/above I might count it as two. It's a judgement call.

I don't count each on a page - if it looks like it's supposed to be one ad, I count it as one. If you've got 3 paragraphs of unlinked text between that banner & the 'click here' link, that's 2.

Hubs count, 2257 doesn't.

When I review, I'm pretty loose about it, depends on the rest of the site & the submitter. When I submit, I'm usually very careful about this - I hate getting rejected cuz I'm usually to busy/lazy to go back & fix it, so I play it safe :D

This is actually a pretty timely question (thanks grandmascrotum |thumb ) - I was just trying to figure out a way to have a button with text beside it all in one link. I'll be interested to hear other's opinions on this.

Ponygirl

I do not count the 2257 link assuming it leads to genuine 2257 documentation with no ads.

I do not count individual href tags. If an ad block comprised of a graphic banner and adjoining text contains two links, one for the banner and one amongst the text, I consider it a single link.

I count hub links or other non-sponsor links amongst the 3 links out.

I am willing to list sites that have an excess of 3 links out if they have been built for SE purposes and are still surfer friendly, but I would expect to be contacted prior to a submitter's first such submission as a heads-up.

The same except if the 2257 is linked I may count it depending on how it is done. Best not to have it linked.

I would have said exactly the same as UW...so saved myself some typing :D

Same as UW and Mr Yum here

Hi Grandmascrotum

If the reviewer tomorrow have a headache or is angry for some personal problem, probably he/she will not see only a link if you put a banner linked with a text link above or below it; but if he/she is in a good day may be accept 5 or 6 in each page. :)

I decided to have ONLY 3 links that leave my site (not necessarily my domain) in each page of my sites. From some weeks ago my sites have not 2257 link or Exit link.

|waves|

Talleyrand

Quote:

Originally Posted by grandmascrotum Hi gang I just want to ask a question to clear something up, on behalf of myself, and for any newbies out there. How do the various linklist owners here define "outbound links"? Do you define them as: 1. Every single tag on a page (including links back to the root domain and 2257 links) 2. Every single link that goes to a sponsor (so if I've got a linked banner for a site with text underneath and the last bit of text is a link that says "Click here for sponsor" that's 2 links) 3. Every ad that goes to a single sponsor site (so the above only counts as one "link") I've always considered the "no more than 3 outbound links" rule to mean "no more than three ads for sponsors per page"... but perhaps others interpret this differently. I'm interested to hear your thoughts. Can you clearly list how you implement this rule on your own linklist?

|haha |haha |haha

Me too...but I know from my free site submitting days that at least one script out there does count tags, because it would not take a submission I had built using multiple tags to produce different link and mouseover colors in one block of text -- stopped at the script submission end, not denied by the owner if that wasn't clear.

And like Useless I treat hubs as an outbound link.

I agree with most here, but I add this: If you have a link off a page that goes to a full page ad, sales text, or otherwise moves the surfer out of the flow of your site and into another "flow", I consider that a link off. So if you send them to a hub, a FPA on the same domain, or to "another big tit site", they all count as a link off.

I look at 2257 links only to make sure they are not commercial links, and that there is no way for the surfer to move forward or be sold anything on those pages. It should be an informational page and a dead end.

Alex

I'm pretty much in line with everyone else on this. I consider outbound links on a "per ad" not "per link tag" basis, so a banner with text above and below would be one ad (but starts wandering toward the slightly related "obnoxious advertising" area). I state clearly in my rules that I don't consider a 2257 link to be a link off and there must be no ads on the 2257 page.

A link back to a hub is most certainly an outbound link IMO...basically anything that takes the surfer out of the 4-5 page free site.