Google's Search Algorithm Blown Open

Aaron, in your comments at TW you say:

"I always thought that the amount of direct trust transfered to a subdomain should have to deal with weather or not the root linked to it, and in what ways."

And nuevojefe says:

"I believe that, of course, subs should get the trust if they are linked to properly from the domain of course."

What is considered a safe way to link a subdomain?

In this case we were not really discussing what is safe vs unsafe so much as we were talking about subdomains that should have not been trusted.

I think if you want Google (and other engines) to trust your subdomains as if they were an extension of your main site then you should link to those subdomains prominently on your main domain.

Aaron,
This search sesults spam 'phenomenon' is on all 3 of the major SE's. Seems like a major regression considering the evolution the SE's have had to go through. At least it will force them to tighten up the results and keep improving their quality. I was pretty surprised to see it last as long as it has.

Mmm, when i started reading about SEO my sole intention was to create sites like the ones you are talking about "spammy"... but as i kept on reading this site and the "SEObook" i understood the meaning of building a site which offers real value to people and quality content. It would really piss me off to research something i'm really interested in...and all i find are pages full of #$W@#!.
I fully support google updates!.... ban those spammy sites!

Aaron,
I apologize if you construed my previous signature name of 'Wholesale Furniture' as 'spammy anchortext'. Just trying to deliver relevancy. It does give readers a better idea of what that link will take them to and I don't think 'Minnesota SEO Company' is any different.

It is your blog & I will abide by whichever rules you set. Again, I apologize, there was no intention to spam.

Keep up the great work!
Dave

Hi Dave
Their sig may have been a bit spammy but at least it matched their domain name...yours was way in left field, and left unchecked it quickly deteriorates to online casino, porn, and payday loan links.

Sub-domain trust has been in place and documented for years. Google has always been particularly bad about allowing sub-domains to shoot to the top without major linkage.

The situation described at Threadwatch documents an abusive pattern that implies a certain amount of complicity or at least security vulnerability at some ISPs.

If it were happening to my domains, I would move them to another hosting service, although there is no guarantee it wouldn't happen again. But this is a case where speaking with your server fees may get the message across to the ISPs who allow this kind of unauthorized access and abuse (if not in fact engaging in it directly) to happen.

They have a responsibility to insure the integrity of their customers' accounts is not compromised from the inside.

I believe it is ok to link to a sub domain which is established and high quality. There are those people out there who cannot afford a regular domain and hosting and run really good websites hosted on subdomains, just as there are those top level domain which are nothing but spam and junk.....as with linking to any website just examine the site first to see if it looks like a quality site and do a check with Google to make sure they are not blacklisted.