Does google track your IP address on backlink websites?

[Wintermute]

If you create a profile on Squidoo or HubPages or Blogger, EZA, whatever, does Google track your IP address and know that you gave yourself a backlink?

[Steve Peters Benn]

No they don't as far as I am aware.

[utproducts]

Those sites would have to turn over your information to Google for that to happen. I doubt they do that.

Edit - Obviously they do with Blogger because they own it. Read more below.

[ExRat]

Hi,

Those sites would have to turn over your information to Google for that to happen. I doubt they do that.

Go to hubpages and watch the left corner of your browser (waiting for...googleanalytics)...same with Squidoo.

EZA has adsense all over it.

Blogger - well they won't have far to go to 'turn over your information'....

This is an extremely complex subject, and as it involves Google and SEO related issues, even the foremost experts can only really speculate as to what goes on behind those closed doors and how much they are paying attention to.

I find these 'rules of thumb' useful -

a) as much as possible, try to make things happen naturally, or at the least, appear to be natural

b) make a habit of covering your tracks, avoiding obvious footprints and staying under the radar

c) rather than making a big splash, make lots of little everyday ripples if you can

d) consider just how big the web is, and just how insignificant you might be. But of course, if you want to go and start a controversial, popular BH blog telling all - that might change things. Ever been slapped? Then you attracted their attention somehow

e) never underestimate them - they have more than proven themselves to be particularly adept at running their business and keeping it very profitable, while also offering tempting freebies in order to track your actions (under the legitimate guise of data-mining for contextual advertising relevance)

I figure those rules of thumb might be more appropriate than a misguided attempt to pretend that I can actually answer your question.

[utproducts]

Originally Posted by ExRat

Hi,

Go to hubpages and watch the left corner of your browser (waiting for...googleanalytics)...same with Squidoo.

EZA has adsense all over it.

Blogger - well they won't have far to go to 'turn over your information'....

This is an extremely complex subject, and as it involves Google and SEO related issues, even the foremost experts can only really speculate as to what goes on behind those closed doors and how much they are paying attention to.

I find these 'rules of thumb' useful -

a) as much as possible, try to make things happen naturally, or at the least, appear to be natural

b) make a habit of covering your tracks, avoiding obvious footprints and staying under the radar

c) rather than making a big splash, make lots of little everyday ripples if you can

d) consider just how big the web is, and just how insignificant you might be. But of course, if you want to go and start a controversial, popular BH blog telling all - that might change things. Ever been slapped? Then you attracted their attention somehow

e) never underestimate them - they have more than proven themselves to be particularly adept at running their business and keeping it very profitable, while also offering tempting freebies in order to track your actions (under the legitimate guise of data-mining for contextual advertising relevance)

I figure those rules of thumb might be more appropriate than a misguided attempt to pretend that I can actually answer your question.

Roger,

I love your answer. Very honest and great tips. I missed 'Blogger' in the original post. Obviously, Blogger (which is owned by Google) would get your IP. They would also find you from Adsense, Analytics, and other Google owned properties.

But, I'm not so sure about your first two statements. Those Adsense ads and those Analytics are not linked to you. As far I know you cannot input your own Adsense code on any of those sites (like for revenue sharing). So, Google cannot tell from which IP the article or the lens was posted. All they should know is what was posted on the page, not who posted it. Those properties would have to share WHO posted that article on their website with Google in order for them to know.

Like you, however, I'm not making any promises. Just thinking out loud.

Edit - Like you said. Never underestimate them. They could track you from your gmail address or maybe they do track your browsing history if you are logged in with a Google Account.

[Wintermute]

You say, "cover your footprint tracks"... how? Without re-inventing the wheel for myself, is there anyone who has discussed this or written a guide about this already?

Would you build different "hubs" or "linkwheels' or "mini-networks" of sites that link up and just make sure you put different things on different sites?

Example, in each "hub" of say 7 mini-sites, only use AdSense on one of them, Yahoo on one of them, Amazon on one of them and do the same in the other hubs/wheels but change which parent site (blogger, squid, hubpages) the corresponding ad is on?

For example, in one hub you put adsense on your blogger page and in the other hub this time you put adsense on the hubpages page and in another hub you put adsense this time on wordpress and so on.

Mix it up like that or do you mean something else?

[JackPowers]

If Google was really tracking everything people did online, there would be more serious things than SEO to worry about. What is Google - Search Engine or CIA? I hope Google stays well clear of such methods.

[Jesus Perez]

Google would be downright stupid to not use it's Analytics, Adsense and Adwords in unison to "better understand" your traffic and promotional methods.

But...these are my theories. I've personally ditched Google Analytics and my Gmail account. I never log into either anymore. Prosper202 can pick up any pieces I may be missing from GA.

[ExRat]

Hi qkz283,

Does analytics log your IP address (for Google)? Does the Google toolbar communicate your ID to analytics? If you are logged into gmail or google homepage does it....?

Hi wintermute,

Without re-inventing the wheel for myself, is there anyone who has discussed this or written a guide about this already?

If there is, it's under the radar.

No google can not track you and know if you gave yourself a backlink. I know there has been some that talk about whatch the IP you use and etc.. But I personally find these talks more funny than anything...

Today most ISP's use DHCP, which means for one thing your IP changes and does not always stay the same. So not only can google not track that because they have no idea who you are but also keep in mind that many places like AOL has proxies that many people are on at the same time. Thus 1 million people can have the same ip creating hubpages.

The fact is google really has no idea who you are because of the things mentioned above. If you want to know if they keep logs and such, I am sure they do but nobody can honestly answer that but them. Unless google itself has access to your actual computer ip they can not say who is who because as I mentioned 1 Million people could be using the same ip and creating hubpages at the same time...

James

[utproducts]

Originally Posted by ExRat

Hi qkz283,

Does analytics log your IP address (for Google)?

Yes they do. So in theory they could make the connection. For instance, finding the patterns of who posts what articles and with what backlinks.

I'm always as natural as possible, but I never analysed Google to this much detail. Maybe it matters or maybe it doesn't.

Guess we will all have to start using proxies.

Eh, wonder what Griz would say on this subject.

[Steve Peters Benn]

In theory they could make the connection - but why would they waste all of that processing power and man hours unless you presented a significant threat. Far more likely is that those of you that Game CPA networks will be identified by IP trails and cut off or sued.

Having said that, I do recommend doing a little everyday to avoid a big splash - stick your head up too far and it will get chopped off, by Google or more likely a competitor.

[ExRat]

Hi qkz283,

Eh, wonder what Griz would say on this subject

Statcounter?

[Wintermute]

What about my question of how to create link hubs without getting exposed as a self made network? Is that not what a "linkwheel" is?

[ExRat]

Hi wintermute,

What about my question of how to create link hubs without getting exposed as a self made network? Is that not what a "linkwheel" is?

The only reason I've ever seen given for creating a linkwheel is 'because of' Michael Campbell's 'revenge of the mininet' - which I read a long while ago. I haven't seen any worthwhile explanation of the connection between the two. Just vague theories about 'building up link juice'. But in the manner that most regular IMers are creating them, it only takes one 'spoke' to be removed (a web 2.0 page deleted for example) and the entire theory collapses and the juice builds up at a dead-end.

Linkwheels look more like glaring footprints to me. Many of the biggest proponents of them that I have come across are selling linkwheel related products and services.

Personally, I don't create link hubs. I would agree with you - in that the methods that I have seen advertised probably do more harm than good - I wouldn't know for sure.

[Amenda Jessera]

I don't think google is doing such things. However, if it cannot be done as most of the sites do not allow other third party to check their traffic status. Say, google starts to track those, then all link builders will go to out of this world

[melanied]

HILARIOUS!

But, more on topic to the thread, I agree with the statement that they are not interested for the most part in small-time information marketers and "mommy bloggers" and the like. If you do something to get on their radar...time to form a new LLC.

Originally Posted by ExRat

Hi,

I figure those rules of thumb might be more appropriate than a misguided attempt to pretend that I can actually answer your question.

[GIahGroup]

I found a permanant DOM cookies Google plces in my Firefox browser window, its tied to the MAC address of my laptop.

Now if Google want they can log this and track some sites and multiple Google accounts ie blogger etc..

Worst of all I can not delete this Google tracking cookie unless I do a clean install of FF.. now I use IE for all my Google related log ins as I can easily clear IE cookies completely and reconnect on a new IP address.

[SurviveUnemployment]

Yes, it's a safe bet that they track that. They actually categorize links as "me" links, "friend" links, and "earned" links. There's a great video about it made by Google itself. It's probably on YouTube. They don't say whether "me" links are discounted, but...

[brainerd]

You better believe they are tracking absolutely everything they possibly can. The founders of Google are amazingly scientific and their method to indexing does not involve guesses. This is NOT the type of company that would toss data aside and take a guess. They only anonymize the IPs after 9 months. No mention of removing IP's at all.

There is no doubt in my mind that they track your movement across the Google Content Network. They want to find out your demographics, what your in to, and if you are a spammer or not. There is NO way I would ever use Google OS and when I do use Chrome it is only for development tools.

They have said openly they use your browsing history from Chrome. Plus there was that whole issue with the Google's CEO saying,

“If you have something that you don’t want anyone to know, maybe you shouldn’t be doing it in the first place.”

But that's for another thread.

To make a long answer short: My guess is they do track back link source IP's whenever they can. I believe they would look for patterns between back links and add a ranking variable for authenticity. Trust me, this is a company that has totally broke the mold. Expect the unexpected and anyone who says they can't track IP's because of DHCP are wrong. There are many ways to extract geo-location and user info.