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Anchor Text Penalty?

by SEOGhost
19 replies
  • SEO
    • |
Most of the webpages on my new website have been indexed by Google. One of my webpages is an article I wrote that is highly relevant to my niche, and optimized to target a search term that is searched between 15,000 to 50,000 times per month. While Google was indexing my webpages right after I launched the website, I bought four backlinks on four different web directories with the anchor text for the search term I am targeting and each page that the link is on is between 20 and 40 PA. Google hasn't shown that they've indexed those bascklinks yet since they're not listed in the links to my site section in my Google Search Console.

Here's the thing. One of my other articles from the same site is already on page 5 for a search term that gets searched 10,000 to 30,000 times a month, but the other article that I bought the backlinks for doesn't show up anywhere in the Google SERPS when I type in my target search term. I checked all the way to page 34.

Is Google penalizing me for the anchor text directory backlinks or am I being too paranoid and need to wait longer for the webpage to show up in the SERPS for that search term?
#anchor #penalty #text
  • Profile picture of the author MikeFriedman
    It's 4 links. Google doesn't give a shit about what your anchor text is on 4 links. The links might be an issue for other reasons, mainly the pages the links are on. PA does not mean a thing to Google. Those could be pages that Google thinks are total trash.

    I don't really believe in the whole anchor text nonsense, but if it is going to get you in trouble it is when you build 1000 links and 999 of them have the same anchor text that happens to be some 5 word long phrase.
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  • Profile picture of the author SEOGhost
    Thanks, guy. That makes sense. Any idea why my webpage isn't showing up anywhere in Google's SERPS, not even on the last few pages, for the search term I optimized the webpage for? Is it just too early (Google started indexing my webpages almost a month ago) and that's why it's most likely not showing up? I know Google has indexed the webpage because I've seen it in the SERPS for long tail phrases.
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    • Profile picture of the author Woomeister
      Originally Posted by SEOGhost View Post

      Thanks, guy. That makes sense. Any idea why my webpage isn't showing up anywhere in Google's SERPS, not even on the last few pages, for the search term I optimized the webpage for? Is it just too early (Google started indexing my webpages almost a month ago) and that's why it's most likely not showing up? I know Google has indexed the webpage because I've seen it in the SERPS for long tail phrases.
      it's quite possible that you've over optimised that page. Penguin will stop it ranking if thats the case.

      Do you link to the page thats not ranking from other ranking pages?
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      • Profile picture of the author A Creative Store
        How does one over optimize a page? Is that even possible?

        I am new at SEO, so this may be a newbie question. I have also recently set up a webpage and hope to get it ranked high.

        https://acreative.store

        I have done SEO audit on several sites and made the necessary recommended amendments. Will that also be considered over optimizing?

        Thanks
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    • Profile picture of the author MikeFriedman
      Originally Posted by SEOGhost View Post

      Thanks, guy. That makes sense. Any idea why my webpage isn't showing up anywhere in Google's SERPS, not even on the last few pages, for the search term I optimized the webpage for? Is it just too early (Google started indexing my webpages almost a month ago) and that's why it's most likely not showing up? I know Google has indexed the webpage because I've seen it in the SERPS for long tail phrases.
      There could be tons of reasons... the content sucks, the links are awful, the competition is better, the content is copied from somewhere else and has been relegated to the supplemental index, it has not been long enough, a penalty, awful web hosting (site goes down all the time or is in a bad neighborhood), Google hates you, etc.
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  • Profile picture of the author SEOGhost
    Well, the website is spectacular. I should know, pal. I designed it myself and I'm awesome. So, that can't be it. The content is high quality with no copy/paste material. I wrote it myself. Enough said. So, it must either be the links I bought on the link directories or not enough time. I'm awesome.
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    • Profile picture of the author MikeFriedman
      Originally Posted by SEOGhost View Post

      Well, the website is spectacular. I should know, pal. I designed it myself and I'm awesome. So, that can't be it. The content is high quality with no copy/paste material. I wrote it myself. Enough said. So, it must either be the links I bought on the link directories or not enough time. I'm awesome.
      I don't think I have ever seen a page get penalized from 4 links, so unless you bought a link on a directory that advertises "Super awesome SEO links here. High PR. F Google in the A with our awesome links" I do not think that is the problem.
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      • Profile picture of the author SEOGhost
        Originally Posted by MikeFriedman View Post

        I don't think I have ever seen a page get penalized from 4 links, so unless you bought a link on a directory that advertises "Super awesome SEO links here. High PR. F Google in the A with our awesome links" I do not think that is the problem.
        Holy crap! Did you write the ad copy for the link directories, Mike? That's exactly what it says on their homepage, word for word! LOL.
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        • Profile picture of the author MikeFriedman
          Originally Posted by SEOGhost View Post

          Holy crap! Did you write the ad copy for the link directories, Mike? That's exactly what it says on their homepage, word for word! LOL.
          Nevermind. Go back to thinking that you penalized your own site by buying 4 directory links with some sort of anchor text.

          Good luck.

          Hate people that ask for help and then turn around acting like smart asses when you give it to them.
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          • Profile picture of the author SEOGhost
            Originally Posted by MikeFriedman View Post

            Nevermind. Go back to thinking that you penalized your own site by buying 4 directory links with some sort of anchor text.

            Good luck.

            Hate people that ask for help and then turn around acting like smart asses when you give it to them.
            Geez, Mike. I was kidding. You're sense of humor is almost as sensitive as mine in the morning.

            In all seriousness, thanks for the input, Mike. Unlike, Pauly the Flaming Troll, you're actually helpful.
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    • Profile picture of the author Mike Anthony
      Originally Posted by SEOGhost View Post

      Well, the website is spectacular. I should know, pal. I designed it myself and I'm awesome. So, that can't be it. The content is high quality with no copy/paste material. I wrote it myself. Enough said. So, it must either be the links I bought on the link directories or not enough time. I'm awesome.


      lol...I knew there had to be some entertainment here this morning.


      Only your mother living upstairs above you thinks your sarcastic "jokes" are funny, Pauly. They're utterly aPAULing.
      Makes me almost want to grab a bag of popcorn.
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  • Profile picture of the author paulgl
    He's not called the SEO Ghost for no reason. We should all be able to see right through him...

    Who told you that buying 4 links was going to shoot you to the top?

    What happens if someone else buys 5? Or 6? Or maybe does not have to buy them?

    Just had a good chuckle....most people who worry about anchor text BS, and PA BS, would also worry about buying link BS....

    Say hello to Casper.

    Paul
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    If you were disappointed in your results today, lower your standards tomorrow.

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    • Profile picture of the author SEOGhost
      Originally Posted by paulgl View Post

      He's not called the SEO Ghost for no reason. We should all be able to see right through him...

      Who told you that buying 4 links was going to shoot you to the top?

      What happens if someone else buys 5? Or 6? Or maybe does not have to buy them?

      Just had a good chuckle....most people who worry about anchor text BS, and PA BS, would also worry about buying link BS....

      Say hello to Casper.

      Paul
      As usual, Paul, you're putting words in my mouth. If I wasn't such a manly man, I'm sure you'd try putting other things in my mouth as well... pervert!

      I never said that I thought "buying 4 links was going to shoot me to the top". Take your meds, pal. What I was asking was if 4 links from link directories could be causing my webpage from even appearing in the Google SERPS (due to some sort of algorithmic penalty).

      I doubt you even read my original post. And, as usual, you have nothing helpful to contribute because you're nothing but a flaming troll who thinks his sarcasm is actually funny. Only your mother living upstairs above you thinks your sarcastic "jokes" are funny, Pauly. They're utterly aPAULing.

      This ghost ain't so friendly, little Pauly.
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      • Profile picture of the author paulgl
        Originally Posted by SEOGhost View Post

        As usual, Paul, you're putting words in my mouth.
        Nope. Read your post.

        You talk about PA.

        You talk about some anchor text penalty.

        You think that just getting some links is just going to put you over the top and you can't figure out why google has not done that yet.

        So it must be some penalty because you can't fathom why google just does not take a webpage to the top by following some list.

        Or was the post just a BS question?

        And then you seriously say you did not know that google will not show all backlinks...

        Holy SEOGhost!

        We now have the invisible SEO.

        You rock Casper!


        Paul
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        If you were disappointed in your results today, lower your standards tomorrow.

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  • Profile picture of the author yukon
    Banned
    Originally Posted by SEOGhost View Post

    Most of the webpages on my new website have been indexed by Google. One of my webpages is an article I wrote that is highly relevant to my niche, and optimized to target a search term that is searched between 15,000 to 50,000 times per month. While Google was indexing my webpages right after I launched the website, I bought four backlinks on four different web directories with the anchor text for the search term I am targeting and each page that the link is on is between 20 and 40 PA. Google hasn't shown that they've indexed those bascklinks yet since they're not listed in the links to my site section in my Google Search Console.

    Google will never show you 100% of your link profile.

    All you have to do is look at the Google Cache (text version) of each backlink page, there's your proof Google indexed your links. Either the links are cached/indexed or they're not.
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    • Profile picture of the author SEOGhost
      [DELETED]
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      • Profile picture of the author paulgl
        Originally Posted by SEOGhost View Post

        Thanks for the info. I'll check that out.
        Hmmmm. Let me guess. The"SEO" in SEOGhost does not stand for S E O as we know it.

        I keep saying this....you people are just bound and determined to fail...

        Paul
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        If you were disappointed in your results today, lower your standards tomorrow.

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        • Profile picture of the author SEOGhost
          Originally Posted by paulgl View Post

          Hmmmm. Let me guess. The"SEO" in SEOGhost does not stand for S E O as we know it.

          I keep saying this....you people are just bound and determined to fail...

          Paul
          And, you're not a real pirate, Paul. Well, maybe you are one kind of pirate, if you know what I mean. And, I think you do, Pauly boy! Paul is always on the lookout for another pirate's booty so he can bury his sword.
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  • Profile picture of the author SEOGhost


    Look, everybody, it's Paul and his "crew"!
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  • Profile picture of the author SEOGhost
    By the way, Paul. I'm so sorry to hear about the death of your father. Although, to be completely honest, I think it is really amusing that all those people in Little Cuba, down there in Florida, are celebrating the death of your father, Fidel.

    Will you and the other pirates be sailing to Cuba to attend the funeral?
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