Removing unnatural links

Michel Modo

14 years ago

I use Sitemap X to check dead links and unnatrual links.

Thanks
1 reply

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shakir 14 years ago

Originally Posted by Michel Modo

I use Sitemap X to check dead links and unnatrual links.

speaking about removing unnatural links and not about checking dead back links
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- katied772 14 years ago
  
  Most of these links came from two SO's that were highly rated.
  
  How would it work to change the urls on the linked to pages? I know I would lose any traffic from links coming to them but truthfully, most are coming from the bad links anyway. Does doing this have any other negative impact on the site? It really is a quality site and I hate to either change domain names and start over, or try to bury the links over time.
  
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retsek

14 years ago

Unnatural links are anything that can be purchased here on WF or at places like Fiverr, or those which can be created by automated software or even manually. Did you do any of those?

To find them, look in your Webmaster Tools > Go to "Traffic" > Then "Links to Your site". Under "Who Links the Most", click more. Click the "Download More Sample Links" button and you have a full, almost complete list that you won't get anywhere else.

Regardless of whether you created them or not, you've got a problem. Google will not take your excuse, so if you want to continue using the domain for Google traffic you'll need to make an effort to get at least a portion of the links removed, then file a reconsideration request. Alternatively, you can move your content to a new domain without a 301 redirect.

Thanks
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katied772

14 years ago

Originally Posted by retsek

Unnatural links are anything that can be purchased here on WF or at places like Fiverr, or those which can be created by automated software or even manually. Did you do any of those?

To find them, look in your Webmaster Tools > Go to "Traffic" > Then "Links to Your site". Under "Who Links the Most", click more. Click the "Download More Sample Links" button and you have a full, almost complete list that you won't get anywhere else.

Regardless of whether you created them or not, you've got a problem. Google will not take your excuse, so if you want to continue using the domain for Google traffic you'll need to make an effort to get at least a portion of the links removed, then file a reconsideration request. Alternatively, you can move your content to a new domain without a 301 redirect.

hanks, but how do I remove them when I did not put them there?

Thanks
2 replies

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BrightSpark SEO 14 years ago

How did you get your links, have you done any building yourself, hired a VA or bought one of the awful 'link building packages' from here or elsewhere?

Unnatural links usually means some kind of automation was involved, be it spinning sh*te onto blog networks, mass blog commenting or other such worthwhile tactics of yester-year. If this is your problem you'll have a massive issue trying to remove the links, as your only option is to email webmasters one-by-one asking them to take them down - which they may or may not choose to do.

I'm tempted to concur with Retsek on this one: starting again on a new domain and either moving your content (without redirecting) or writing new content is probably your best way forward, and almost certainly involves less of a headache.
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retsek 14 years ago

Originally Posted by katied772

hanks, but how do I remove them when I did not put them there?

So how were you promoting the site? How were you making it rank in the SERPs ?
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jasanr

13 years ago

Thank you for pointing this out. I was wondering how to view more than 1000 links. Great Tip!!!

Originally Posted by retsek

Unnatural links are anything that can be purchased here on WF or at places like Fiverr, or those which can be created by automated software or even manually. Did you do any of those?

To find them, look in your Webmaster Tools > Go to "Traffic" > Then "Links to Your site". Under "Who Links the Most", click more. Click the "Download More Sample Links" button and you have a full, almost complete list that you won't get anywhere else.

Regardless of whether you created them or not, you've got a problem. Google will not take your excuse, so if you want to continue using the domain for Google traffic you'll need to make an effort to get at least a portion of the links removed, then file a reconsideration request. Alternatively, you can move your content to a new domain without a 301 redirect.

Thanks

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rumi298

14 years ago

use Sitemap X to find out unnatural link for your site.

Thanks

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maxisxjay

14 years ago

This also happened to me after Penguin update. You can only remove links that you have control to. Example of a link that you can't remove is blog comments.

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Eric Riltz

14 years ago

An advice: you should NOT remove those links.

If you do this is a clear signal that you were trying to cheat Google.

Ask yourself this question: since they know about those links, why do they ask you and thousands of other webmasters to remove them. Couldn't they just stop taking them into account?

The reason they ask you do this is because links are STILL one of the best ways to increase your rankings...

Of course if your links come from forum profiles and xrumber blasts, that is not going to help a lot...

Thanks

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Eric Riltz

14 years ago

Thanks Tommo for explaining your method but it's not the only one. I have also recovered my rankings for some keywords without removing any link.

Furthermore I'm not the only one saying this, for example Jerry West says the same thing. I doubt you would tell someone seeking SEO tips to ignore what Jerry is saying...

UPDATE: Something else Tommo, if you remove the links your clients are going to lose their rankings - because those links were making them rank in the first place. So that's definitely not my preferred method.

Thanks

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TommoBedhair

14 years ago

[DELETED]

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katied772

14 years ago

Originally Posted by TommoBedhair

If Google have contacted you saying that you have unnatural links, and using the process I've mentioned identify links as bad - you have no choice but to remove them.

Sure, once they were what assisted your rank - but you just build quality links in their place once the penalty has been lifted.

I would LOVE to see some proof that you've lifted an unnatural link penalty without removing links.

If I change the url to the page the links are pointing to, is that not removing the link? It is not going to any pages on my site anymore.

Google did not actually send me an email. I verified the site in webmaster tools for the first time and noticed the message on there.

Thanks

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DizenSounds

14 years ago

Originally Posted by TommoBedhair

I would LOVE to see some proof that you've lifted an unnatural link penalty without removing links.

exactly, not gonna happen!

the only way i removed the penalty was by removing the links, or as many as possible. Google knows you can't remove all of them, but you need to get some removed and show that you are doing all you can to get all negative links removed.

this is exactly how i lifted my penalty. but i had to hire someone off odesk and manage the whole process. a huge pain and really expensive. this was before linkdelete.com and linkremval services existed.

Thanks
1 reply

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Trabalhodigital

14 years ago

Originally Posted by DizenSounds

exactly, not gonna happen!

the only way i removed the penalty was by removing the links, or as many as possible. Google knows you can't remove all of them, but you need to get some removed and show that you are doing all you can to get all negative links removed.

this is exactly how i lifted my penalty. but i had to hire someone off odesk and manage the whole process. a huge pain and really expensive. this was before linkdelete.com and linkremval services existed.

I know what you mean Dizensounds
I am doing that work myself
Its damn complex and long work, and some blogs ( mostly from blogsppot/wordpress.com) have no way to get in contact with the blog owner.

It already started to lift my old rankings, very slow, but its going.

Thanks
1 reply

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DizenSounds

14 years ago

Originally Posted by Trabalhodigital

I know what you mean Dizensounds
I am doing that work myself
Its damn complex and long work, and some blogs ( mostly from blogsppot/wordpress.com) have no way to get in contact with the blog owner.

It already started to lift my old rankings, very slow, but its going.

ya so long, and so boring. i tried to do it myself in the beginning, but that didn't work at all you know how long it takes. then i outsourced, but that took forever and ever and i spent literally thousands of dollars.

freaking linkdelete is a dang bargain compared to how much i paid. wish they were around back when i got my notice months ago.

how many links did you have to remove man?

Thanks
1 reply

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Trabalhodigital

14 years ago

Originally Posted by DizenSounds

ya so long, and so boring. i tried to do it myself in the beginning, but that didn't work at all you know how long it takes. then i outsourced, but that took forever and ever and i spent literally thousands of dollars.

freaking linkdelete is a dang bargain compared to how much i paid. wish they were around back when i got my notice months ago.

how many links did you have to remove man?

well, in total WMT shows more than 1500 links.
from wordpress.com / blogspot / "poor directories" may be around 800
I already contacted more than 200.
Of course not all of them responded me,
and of course again there might be the ones who deleted my links and didnt tell me they did.

Thing is the links deleted are not showing in WMT ( not updating ) - So I guess I'll have to continue 'till google penguin new update, ( THATS WHAT I THINK )

Thanks
1 reply

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Mikeys

14 years ago

Originally Posted by Trabalhodigital

well, in total WMT shows more than 1500 links.
from wordpress.com / blogspot / "poor directories" may be around 800
I already contacted more than 200.
Of course not all of them responded me,
and of course again there might be the ones who deleted my links and didnt tell me they did.

Thing is the links deleted are not showing in WMT ( not updating ) - So I guess I'll have to continue 'till google penguin new update, ( THATS WHAT I THINK )

Did you try some other tools besides WMT? You could use ahrefs.com or opensite explorer to see some of the other links that WMT might not show you.

Thanks
1 reply

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Trabalhodigital 14 years ago

Originally Posted by Mikeys

Did you try some other tools besides WMT? You could use ahrefs.com or opensite explorer to see some of the other links that WMT might not show you.

You re right Mikeys

I can see some small difference on what open site explorer shows.
Can't completely see, because i havent signep up as a member, 'cause I dont have credit card.
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Eric Riltz

14 years ago

Something else Tommo, if you remove the links your clients are going to lose their rankings - because those links were making them rank in the first place.

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Mikeys

14 years ago

I had a lot of success with Linkdelete.com. Just wrote about it on this post: http://www.warriorforum.com/adsense-...r-penguin.html

Thanks

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DizenSounds

14 years ago

Ya i was gonna suggest linkdelete too

i used them bc of the banner ad on this site and they seem very legit. they basically review all your links for you, find the bad ones, and then contact and get them removed however possible.

the thing is that google wants to see that you are trying to get your links cleaned up. they dont care who created them but that you are doing everything you can to get them fixed, you know?

Ld will give you a fully detailed report at the end that you submit to google. thats the key. google knows you cant get all links removed but if you prove to them you are doing everything physically possible to clean up the actions of your bad seo company, they will be helpful!

Thanks

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Theeban

14 years ago

I think you can report such unnatural links to Google. I heard Google has a reporting system.

I am sure you can find more relevant info on below thread as well :
http://www.warriorforum.com/adsense-...-possible.html

Hope it helps,

Thanks

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GeraldNitram

14 years ago

Has anyone considered the possibility that your competitor made those links and that you don't have control over those links, thus not being able to delete them at all? If I were you, I'd just focus on making those good links after I've deleted those which I have control on. If you worry too much on those bad links, you're going to lose time to actually create content and good links coming from good sources.

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kense 14 years ago

One of my handled website also received same letter from Google. I decided to remove all links from directory sites. I used my seoelite tool for searching all my links. Test all the links if its relevant and requested to delete all irrelevant links. Fortunately, were lucky to save the website.
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- katied772 14 years ago
  
  Some of the links are going to sites that are nothing but 404 pages and "sites not found." I can find no one to contact for those.
  
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Mikeys

14 years ago

Originally Posted by GeraldNitram

Has anyone considered the possibility that your competitor made those links and that you don't have control over those links, thus not being able to delete them at all? If I were you, I'd just focus on making those good links after I've deleted those which I have control on. If you worry too much on those bad links, you're going to lose time to actually create content and good links coming from good sources.

Thats the thing though, what if you were in my clients' shoes where they received a WMT warning message? Even though my clients got the links on their own, even if it was a competitor of theirs they still would be in the same boat. No matter who did it, if you get the WMT message, you need to attempt to remove them so that you can take PROOF too google that you are trying to clean up the link portfolio.

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robertwilston

Banned 14 years ago

If you made unnatural links then you have to remove all those links as soon as possible otherwise google will panelize your site.

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Removing unnatural links

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