Webmaster Tools - Links to Your Site

 

Google has begun sending out “Unnatural links” notifications thru their Webmaster Tools Accounts and asking them to clean up their backlinks.

It’s time you know your website’s backlinks status. To start, you need to know what constitutes Bad backlinks. thats what we will cover in this Part 1 of 3 part series.

 

Bad backlinks – categorized
– these may not be bad websites, they are just not good to get backlinks from.

1. Generic link directories

Issues

  • Has no real purpose of existence
  • It’s sole purpose is to help you with Search Engine Optimization

 

solution

  • Niche business directories are OKAY.
  • stay away from MASS directory submission websites. its worthless.

 

2. Article directory/listing websites

Issues

  • Has no human interaction – accepts all articles
  • Has no one visiting except the search bots. check compete.com traffic.
  • Has too much monetization/banner Ads
  • Was penalized by Google Panda or Penguin in past 2 years.
    • You can check it by looking at its traffic on Compete.com
    • If their traffic dropped drastically, its a bad sign

 

solution

  • You should ONLY submit your unique content into top couple of sites.

 

3. Paid Text Backlinks

What is it

  • If you have 100s of one-way text links from one website, it’s probably a paid text backlink.

 

Issues

  • Paid text links are more for Search Engines and less for the user visiting the website.

 

Solution

  • use AD Banners rather than “Anchor text” links
  • If its really dual purpose – Search Engine & Visitors do come thru and buy your products. Yes, that does happen. I have proof. Limit the backlink to a couple of pages.
  • Sparingly, use sponsored posts that coincide with a Press release of some sort. If it’s Newsworthy, it’s okay!
  • Hundreds of backlinks from a website must have legitimate reasons
    • You own the other website
    • The other website owes you and they are paying you by linking to you. I still would not recommend text links everywhere. mix it up with logo images etc.

 

4. Blogs

Issues

  • Most of the generic blogs are specifically created for Search Engines
  • Stay away from any “mixed” blogs

 

solution

  • Blogs MUST be closely related to your industry/products
  • It should not dupe visitors into clicking on “Download” buttons.
  • It should not have a lot of Ads, there should be a balance.

 

5. Classified Ads websites

Issues

  • most of these are rundown “script-generated” websites
  • they try to game the AdSense system
  • useless to anyone looking to buy anything.

 

solution

  • hopefully none of your competitors will do mass submissions to Classified Ad websites pointing to your website. there is no solution to it. see our other Blog post about bringing down the competition

 

6. Backlinks from your Widgets

Issues

  • If you create a widget (such as a toolbar or a plugin for other people to download), do NOT put anchor text links into those widgets.

this gives you guideline on what to look for in your backlinks. you can download your backlinks from:

Google Webmaster Tools –> Traffic –> Links to your site –> Download latest links

 

Read more about the “Unnatural backlinks” emails sent out by Google here.
If you need help with your backlinks cleanup, we would be more than happy to help. checkout our seo marketing services.

COMING UP: Backlinks cleanup – How to do it – Part 2 of 3