Forum Moderators: Robert Charlton & goodroi
I want to know if anyone has real experience in removing old links and replacing them with new higher quality, authority links and having better success in their rankings.
Another words, if I slowly remove the older non-related links (i'll keep the related ones), and replace them with higher quality related (non-purchased, non-reciprocated links), will Google recognize that change? (The approach we're using to acquire these non-reciprocal, non-purchased links is very legimate but takes alot of time).
From what i've heard, Google does figure in the age links etc. Would the removing and adding of links actually have a detrimental short term affect but a positive long term affect? or vice versa?
I'd like to know if anyone has a response to this.....
If Google does anything at all with off-topic backlinks, I think it's just to ignore them - weight them at zero. So time spent removing those links would not be likely to bring a positive result and could potentially hurt you.
I helped bring a significant site back into Google's good graces with this kind of approach. We also used GWT to let Google know that there were guidleine abuses by a previous "SEO" company and that there was a new kid in town. We did not try to remove "bad" backlinks at all, except to take down some splogs the previous handlers had built. So there may be some really manipulative backlinks you can/should deal with, but as a general rule, I'd say just move on.
If Google does anything at all with off-topic backlinks, I think it's just to ignore them - weight them at zero.
In addition to the time spent, what was the most effective way to achieve this?
The spam blogs were on domains the client controlled. We just took them offline.
i do agree the removal of aged links may have a negative affect but the association alone could also be negative.
since this is a teacher tool, the new links being acquired are primarily from .edu's so i'm hoping for a turnaround.
i know there's been some discussion about .edu links and whether they have more weight than large .com/.net's. does anyone know for certain if google assigns a bigger weight in this case?
I wouldnt worry about the past - as tedster posted "Move on"
Almost all sites on the net will attract some links that are off topic that you cant do much about anyway. Also, you could argue that directory sites, forums, blogs etc, etc in the majority of cases may feature links to sites that are off topic but that may be of interest to some of their visitors and a lot of sites atract these without you asking!.
Its also unlikely to have a site that had Just links from on topic sites, in fact if i found one it would raise a red flag with me that it was un-natural, so i would think google would think the same!
I wouldnt worry about the old links you have but going forwards i would be trying to get some sites from within your sector to link to you if you can.
So if your sites education related you could do with more links from sites about education. Not so much .edu sites (although helpful) but sites that may be about aspects of eduction that your site features.
The fact that you are on page three means that google hasnt banned you or dropped you into the 950 bin so I dont think you have any OOP applicable! so its sounds like if you attract some good quality sites in your sector on topic that over period your positioning is likely to improve.
Good luck.
