+15 votes
by (270 points)
If you're trying to outrank Yelp, would you still link to them?  
If you're trying to outrank Yelp, would you still link to them?

10 Answers

+13 votes
by (4.1k points)
 
Best answer
The question was to outrank them and you are never going to achieve it by linking to them from the page you are trying to rank higher than theirs.  
by (1.1k points)
Tell this to Wikipedia :)
by (4.1k points)
Do wikipedia link out without nofollow? :)
by (2.2k points)
@highams how many listings do you have that rank higher than yelp? Cause I manage at least 5 competitive ones, all linked to yelp
by (4.1k points)
@kizzykjersti dude the question was simple, To outrank, will you link to their competing page or not? Your answer seem to be you are never going to outrank them but that depends on the site in question and several other factors.  
by (2.2k points)
@highams you didn’t answer the question. And you seem to be making claims that have no backing.  
by (4.1k points)
My answer was No.  
+15 votes
by (1.2k points)
Yes, it brings me relevance and it helps me build brand entity.  
by (4.1k points)
There is a method to do it but not to a directly competing page.  
+13 votes
by (2.2k points)
Yes, lol what is the reasoning behind not linking to them
by (4.1k points)
Will you be able to outrank them by linking to theirs which is in direct competition?  
by (2.2k points)
@highams dude they put way more effort into the SEO you could provide, your work is not going to help them outrank you
by (4.1k points)
It is not about helping them but what will you do when you are trying to outrank a directly competing page of theirs.  
+6 votes
by (880 points)
Use a no follow. You're not loosing any juice to them
0 votes
by (220 points)
Absolutley not. Why add to their backlinks & authority if your trying to outrank them? Giving the competition more ammo makes no sense
+13 votes
by (2.2k points)
I recently noticed one of my clients started getting a lot of leads from yelp even though he doesn’t pay them. Turns out we raised the ranking of his yelp listing. So I’m really not sure why you would avoid using yelp for your SEO
by (2.2k points)
@kizzykjersti because he is obviously trying to outrank them, as explained in the original post.  
+7 votes
by (2k points)
Yes - it works for me
+6 votes
by (2.2k points)
1) I wouldn't be linking to them unless it was maybe one of my social icons on my website 2) the link would be to my listing, not to a page ranking higher than me for anything so it wouldn't matter. Your link would be one of millions to the domain.  
by (6.4k points)
Do what @pursuant said, with a no follow. But no pro like me worries about these tiny issues.  
+13 votes
by (14.2k points)
Nope. Definitely not.  
+11 votes
by (5.7k points)
Do a test and see what happens. Crazy shit happens all the time in seo.  
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