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Tuesday, September 1, 2026

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Michael Hayes

Michael Hayes is interested in the business behind the cultural moment: media, brands, creators, and the models that keep them moving.

Media Business & Creator Economy Contributor

Independent editorial contributor focused on media business, publishing strategy, creator economy, digital platforms.

Articles by Michael Hayes

The Link Price Ladder: Four Rungs, One Invoice, and What Each Rung Actually Survives

The Link Price Ladder: Four Rungs, One Invoice, and What Each Rung Actually Survives

Michael Hayes

The Honest ROI Math of White-Hat Links: $10,000 In, Four Revenue Paths Out

The Honest ROI Math of White-Hat Links: $10,000 In, Four Revenue Paths Out

Michael Hayes

Disavow: The Tool Google Says You Almost Never Need — and an Industry Sells Monthly

Disavow: The Tool Google Says You Almost Never Need — and an Industry Sells Monthly

Michael Hayes

Digital PR vs Purchased Links: A Three-Year Ledger of the Same $180,000

Digital PR vs Purchased Links: A Three-Year Ledger of the Same $180,000

Michael Hayes

Niche Edits: The Market for Smuggling Links Into Other People's Rankings

Niche Edits: The Market for Smuggling Links Into Other People's Rankings

Michael Hayes

Inside Google's Link Spam Updates: The Detection Stack and Why Networks Die in Batches

Inside Google's Link Spam Updates: The Detection Stack and Why Networks Die in Batches

Michael Hayes

Sponsored Posts and the FTC: The Disclosure Rules the Link Market Pretends Not to Know

Sponsored Posts and the FTC: The Disclosure Rules the Link Market Pretends Not to Know

Michael Hayes

The Guest Post Price Ladder: What $80, $300, $900, and $3,000 Actually Buy

The Guest Post Price Ladder: What $80, $300, $900, and $3,000 Actually Buy

Michael Hayes

PBN Economy: $50 Domains, $50,000 Networks, and the Business of Fake Independence

PBN Economy: $50 Domains, $50,000 Networks, and the Business of Fake Independence

Michael Hayes

Link Farm Economics: 90% Margins on a Decaying Asset

Link Farm Economics: 90% Margins on a Decaying Asset

Michael Hayes