You MUST Charge Matt Cutts For Linking To Him
Cuttisms, Google, Social Media, blogthropology, nerdiness April 27th, 2008
No, seriously folks. Links have value. If they didn’t have value, then Google wouldn’t care about people buying and selling them. Since they have value, we must avoid even the appearance of impropriety. Not only is it what he wants… it’s Google policy. And even if it weren’t Google policy, Matt doesn’t want anything for free. Honestly.
Matt’s very own words:
I appreciate the thought, but please don’t send me any free stuff. Google has a gift policy to avoid potential conflicts of interest. Even if Google didn’t have such a policy, I wouldn’t want to accept any gifts of value, because it’s important to avoid even the appearance of impropriety. - Matt Cutts
Personally, I love it when people link to me for free. I have no such policy. But, alas, Google does, and Matt does work for Google… so…
I’d start back invoicing now guys… avoid the rush. 
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April 27th, 2008 at 10:34 pm
OK, OK! I wasn’t aware you didn’t have the policy - I placed a link to you
April 27th, 2008 at 10:36 pm
Heh! Thanks.
April 28th, 2008 at 9:06 am
Very Funny and NICE CATCH!
Unfortunately, I haven’t linked to Matt so I can’t issue an invoice. (Please, please… do it!!! Just for kicks and giggles sake!)
However, I have linked to AND promoted his employer Google’s tools, (I wrote a “how to subscribe to RSS using iGoogle). Could that be construed as a conflict of interest gift?
“Oh what a tangled web we weave, When first we practice to deceive.” Sir Walter Scott… amazingly enough he WASN’T referring to Google.
April 28th, 2008 at 9:46 pm
According to Matt Cutts, you have no editorial authority to link to him directly, so you must nofollow the link to his blog.