Unnatural links from your site

TL;DR

Unnatural links can harm your site's trust but are fixable.

Transcript

Matt: Hey everybody. This is Matt Cutts. >>Sandy: And I'm Sandy. >>Matt: And today we wanted to talk to you a little bit about if you've gotten the message that you have unnatural links from your site. So, this is something where because of the links that you are, the places that you are linking to, it's affecting our trust in your site. And so l... Read More

Key Insights

• Unnatural links can decrease Google's trust in your site, often due to link selling or excessive link exchanges.
• Natural links are editorial choices based on the merit and usefulness of the linked content, not influenced by compensation.
• Unnatural links often result from compensations like money or gifts, which violate Google's quality guidelines.
• To fix unnatural links, site owners can remove them or ensure they don't pass PageRank using 'nofollow' attributes or redirects.
• Google prefers removing paid links that pass PageRank as it provides a clear resolution to the issue.
• A reconsideration request should be submitted after resolving the issue, detailing actions taken to avoid future violations.
• Providing context and transparency in reconsideration requests can help Google understand and trust your corrective actions.
• Receiving a message about unnatural links can be frustrating, but addressing the issue is straightforward and manageable.

Questions & Answers

Q: What is an unnatural link?

An unnatural link is typically a link that is created not through editorial choice but through compensations such as money, gifts, or other material benefits. These links often violate Google's quality guidelines as they can manipulate PageRank and search engine rankings unfairly.

Q: How can unnatural links affect my site?

Unnatural links can decrease Google's trust in your site, potentially leading to a manual action against your site. This can result in lower search engine rankings and reduced visibility, ultimately impacting your site's traffic and reputation.

Q: What is a natural link?

A natural link is an editorial choice made by a site owner to link to another site based on the content's merit and usefulness. It is not influenced by any form of compensation and reflects genuine interest or endorsement of the linked content.

Q: What steps can I take to fix unnatural links?

To fix unnatural links, you can remove them entirely or ensure they don't pass PageRank by using the 'nofollow' attribute or redirecting through an intermediate URL blocked by your robots.txt file. These actions help align with Google's quality guidelines.

Q: What is a reconsideration request?

A reconsideration request is a formal appeal to Google after addressing issues with unnatural links. It should include details of the corrective actions taken and assurance that such violations will not recur. Providing context about the issue and resolution can enhance trust.

Q: Why is it important to provide context in a reconsideration request?

Providing context in a reconsideration request helps Google understand the circumstances that led to the issue and the steps taken to resolve it. Transparency and detailed explanations can demonstrate good faith and commitment to following Google's guidelines, facilitating reinstatement.

Q: What are the benefits of removing paid links that pass PageRank?

Removing paid links that pass PageRank offers a clear and definitive resolution to the issue of unnatural links. It aligns with Google's emphasis on fair competition and ensures that your site complies with quality guidelines, helping restore trust and search visibility.

Q: How can I prevent future violations related to unnatural links?

To prevent future violations, ensure that all links on your site are based on editorial choices without compensation. Regularly audit your site's links, educate your team about Google's guidelines, and avoid participating in link schemes or networks that violate these standards.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Matt Cutts and Sandy discuss the issue of unnatural links from your site, which can reduce Google's trust in your site. They explain that unnatural links often stem from link selling or excessive link exchanges, and emphasize the importance of editorial choices in linking.

• To resolve issues with unnatural links, site owners can remove them or ensure they don't pass PageRank by using 'nofollow' attributes or redirects. Google favors removing paid links that pass PageRank for a clear resolution. A detailed reconsideration request helps regain trust.

• Site owners are encouraged to provide context and transparency in their reconsideration requests, detailing the actions taken to prevent future violations. Although receiving a message about unnatural links can be frustrating, the issue is relatively easy to fix with the right approach.