Is DiggBar an SEO-killer?

Note: this topic has been updated. Please see “Update: DiggBar NOT an SEO-killer.”

Previously, Digg did authors a huge favor by linking to their site with whatever keywords they submitted thrown into an H1, all from a heavyweight source (and, to my memory, they did do-follow these links.. right?). Now, Digg links to a shortened URL and uses a 301 to redirect to the target website.

Correct me if I’m wrong, but doesn’t this essentially fool the search engines into thinking that the target website, TJK Web Design, actually lives at digg.com/d1o1uR and not at tjkelly.com? And by pointing to a different URL, doesn’t that not only provide no extra Google juice, but in fact weaken my existing juice?

MG Siegler of VentureBeat, recently noted that this also shifts Digg’s focus away from its own site, and turns Digg into a service. For my money, that service isn’t valuable enough. At least, not for web authors. We’ll just have to wait and see if and how it effects any SEO efforts. If my observations are correct and my prediction is accurate, I think Digg might take a bit of a hit from SEOs out there no longer using Digg to promote their stuff.

Who knows? Maybe that was part of Digg’s intention. And I’m sure they’ll more than make up for the loss in new visitors attracted by the ease-of-use of the new toy.

Note: this topic has been updated. Please see “Update: DiggBar NOT an SEO-killer.”