Why publishers aren’t afraid to sell links?

Marc discusses the higher risk of loosing PR juice on ones blog or website (Link Sellers Risk Permanent Link Condomization) for selling links.

Let’s delve into the practically of this incessant debate on link buying and selling by going inside the mind of your regular blogger or publisher.

• People sell scrap metal and old/used newspaper by the kilo. Why can’t I sell links ads on my site too?
• Free links. Paid links? Hmmm, which one will get my attention first?
• I might loose my PR5 tomorrow. Might as well make a few hundred bucks before I loose it for a nickel. It’s like having sex with a prostitute — get a taste of heaven before going to hell.
• Can I just go visit the priest, confess my sins and repent? Sell links now then remove them later when all hell breaks loose. (I didn’t know! I didn’t know!)
• What? You’ll pay me for what I’m just about to do for free? Where do I sign?
• This is the only way I can earn revenue without my visitors clicking away from my site and you’re gonna punish me for it? No wonder a lot of children in the world die of hunger.
• Ey everybody else is doing it, including the bug guys and the blog networks, so why can’t I?
• What penalty?

I guess if the danger is not imminent, then there’s nothing to worry about. Just observe those people who live beside Mount Mayon or some other really disaster prone area. They know something *might* happen but they still continue living there.

Reminds me of the Mayor Fred Lim approach against drug pushers in Manila. He’d go around and spray red paint on the doors of houses of suspected drug pushers. Guess what, they just change address. :D