SEO Strategy: Big time paid links? OR Big time PR?

[tomj]

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Sat here looking at some of the very successful big competition term sites.

Some have no visisble backlinks from any form of PR or "quality/trusted" sites but seem to rely on shed loads of sitewide purchased links. They are top of their game.

Some have relatively few backlinks but they are from high PR tusted sites as a result of savvy and hard work PR. Cant see massve linkbuying in their profile. They are also top of their game.

So, whats best? Spend SEO budget on link buying? or invest in PR?

Or, basically are most very successful sites doing both?

I can see two schools of thought on this.....interested in anyone elses....

[channel5]

Most use a combination of both in my experience

[smingle]

I would also say a combination of the two.

Monesy supermarket is top for almsot any money phrase they are targetting !

[shakir]

I say the first one is the best.. This will pass PR tooo.. And can get quality links from other sites

[reddygo]

yeh use both

i know it always seems that the link buyers never get caught but they do and Google are getting better at detecting it.

I know my link builder doesnt buy links, sometimes she will ask if me if i want to buy any if she has a decent deal with someone but very rarely