Does Google Groups and Google Community links count?

[EVERWORLD.ENTERTAIMENT]

Hello Everyone.

I noticed when I added a few links from Google Groups and Google Communities. It has a do follow? Does that mean it help your SERPS?

Thanks for you help?

[dotfly]

If it is like you describe then the counter question: why not?

I mean links (dofollow more than nofollow) are part of the ranking criterias and the SERPS are the result of the calculation of all ranking criterias of your site. Links also still have a big relevance in the list of the endless ranking criterias.

[Hannah_Smith]

Hello there

Whilst these links are followed (or at least some of them are - it depends on how you're sharing your content) my view would be that they aren't particularly valuable in terms of improving your rankings.

This is for a couple of reasons:

1. It's too easy to manipulate. If these links really 'counted' all you'd need to do is post hundreds (or thousands, or millions) of times to dominate the SERPs. This is not the sort of activity that Google wishes to reward.

2. These are links from specific properties (which Google own). Whilst these links are followed, you've no clue how their handled by the algorithm. Despite being followed, they may not actually be 'counted'. Moreover it's really easy for Google to switch this off i.e. - they could very easily decide to make all of these links no-follow.

I hope this helps,

Hannah