Lost Page Rank from 3 to 0 - Not Sure Why

[Love2Blog]

Not sure if this is the right forum section, but seemed the most appropriate.

I have a very highly ranked site, ranks for many terms on page 1 as well as its main KW, which is pretty competitive, has 100% all natural links, absolutely no manual link building, except for some initial article promotion over a year ago, it's a blog in a very competitive niche.

The site had a homepage PR3 for many months with PR1-3 for many inner pages, and then suddenly went to PR0 sitewide and has stayed there for the last 3 updates. Rankings still in tact, and rising regularly, I can publish a post and it almost instantly after crawl goes to page 1 for the search term, but no PR change whatsoever.

What are the reasons this could happen? I have never sold links, and the blogroll is very small with all legite sites.

The blog is dofollow in comments, but I know that's not it, as I moderate comments and I have many friends that are dofollow comments as well with PR4 and PR5 sites.

A while back I did do some link exchanges, where I got a few links to my other sites in exchange for placing their links in existing inner posts on this site, a total of about 6 links on inner pages with PR. I suspect that Google may think I am selling links because these links popped up on existing pages as opposed to fresh content pages, but unsure if that is the reason?

Does Google think I am selling links, as that seems to be the main reason I have found in researching this topic for loss of PR?

Anyone have any wizdom to this issue?

I care more about the ranking overall, but I am really curious as to what is going on and how to possibly fix it?!?

[tedster]

You say your PR is "0" - is that a white toolbar (a true zero-to-one value) or a gray toolbar (which really means "data is n/a")

[dazzlindonna]

From what I've seen, there are 3 possibilities:

1. It's just a glitch and will correct itself.
2. You no longer have any backlinks pointing to your site.
3. Google believes you've engaged in link-selling.

Number 2 is the least likely, with numbers 1 and 3 being about equal in likelihood, imo. Of course, there may be other reasons that I'm not aware of or thinking of, but those are the top 3 in my experience.

[tedster]

Number 2 can also be modified to "Google has nullified the PR of pages that link to your site."

[Love2Blog]

No the toolbar is white, all pages are indexed and ranking.

Google shows in WT over 800 backlinks, the site has thousands of Yahoo links as well.

RE: Number 2 can also be modified to "Google has nullified the PR of pages that link to your site."

I checked that and many of the backlink pages actually have PR3+.

If it's a glitch, could it last for 3 PR updates? It's been like 8 months now.

I too think they think I am selling links, but I'm not and never have, is there any way to fix this, reconsideration request I suppose, or just leave it alone and wait for it to come back.

[tedster]

You are correct that a glitch is unlikely to last through 3 PR updates.

I would only consider a reconsideration request if your ranking and traffic are affected - not just for the toolbar PR. Traffic means real readers - that's why you do what you do, not for green pixels.

[tangor]

As long as your traffic holds, or increases, I wouldn't worry about PR. I don't worry about it anyway... it's a manufactured status which has little relevance.

[Love2Blog]

Thanks guys, I agree, and I know PR is just an ego thing, it's just really been bugging me, but the rankings are solid as well as traffic and subscribers which is all that really matters.

Thanks again!

[dazzlindonna]

I agree with all of the above, but it would bug me too, as it indicates that Google thinks your site is problematic for some reason - and that's just worrisome, even if it has no real impact yet. I would take a hard look at my outbound links. Why would they look like paid links? Could they look less like paid links with a minor change? Try to look at it with an objective eye if possible.

[Love2Blog]

@ dazzlinddonna

Will do, as I said, I think when I added those few text links to existing aged posts suddenly without changing the content that might have been the problem, but they are all relevant to the content and good sites.

I have heard though that adding text links to old content without changing any of the actual worded content can look suspicious, do you agree with that?

Any tips on what to look for other than that?

[mirrornl]

I have heard though that adding text links to old content without changing any of the actual worded content can look suspicious

thats's a good question.. i am curious also.

[tedster]

There have been some reports here of a rankings drop on the very keyword that was used as the new anchor text. I've never seen this happen myself, so I have no further details, I wonder, for example, if the new link was pointing to or from the page who lost rankings.

[Love2Blog]

@ Tedster
Interesting, I have no data on that, the warnings I heard about these linking patterns were that it looks suspicious to Google if new links suddenly pop onto old pages, and this may affect the site placing the links because it can be perceived as a paid link, but I do not know how it might affect the site getting the link.

I imagine that if it had an adverse affect on the site linking out, such as it being perceived as a paid link or some other link scheme, then the the site receiving the link might suffer as well being the recipient and the most obvious way would be to punish that anchor kw.

I for one will play it safe from now on and not place links in old pages anymore, as I suspect, (for lack of any other plausible explanation at this point) that that is what may have triggered my PR loss because G considered those as paid links. Though there were only a few of them on a fairly large site, the pages were really old.

In reality when you think about it, it makes sense, why would anyone add a link to an old page unless there is some not so kosher motivation.

[tangor]

I hate to say cr@p on the speculation, but if I find a new site with info that works with my old pages, I'll link to them and not pay a dime. If new sites link to me, great, I don't seek them out. I can say that few new sites/pages are actually found since most of the web these days is regurgitated slop. I don't worry about G as much these days. My traffic from Bing is growing daily. Bing, at least so far, is doing journeyman SE work. That's where my efforts are concentrated these days.

[FranticFish]

why would anyone add a link to an old page unless there is some not so kosher motivation

Because they found a new page that relates to that page and wanted to link to it!

- an update or further information
- to link to responses to the page or pages that cite that page
- because it contains a list of sites and a new site has been identified (members, useful sites, further reading, list of crooks - so many reasons)

Pure speculation, but perhaps your TBPR has been zeroed because Google might have an inkling that you are selling links? IOW they want to deter buyers?

I second those who say contact them. If you're squeaky clean then don't accept what looks like a threat at leastof a penalty. Silence = agreement?

[dazzlindonna]

Sounds like you might be on the right track. Of course, there aren't a lot of choices now. You could remove or nofollow the links if you want to test the theory, although the penalty may not be auto-removed (might need a reconsideration request to get someone to take another look at it). The only other alternative is leave things as they are, and do a reconsideration request, explaining that no links are paid, and hope that turns out in your favor. Or, you can just shrug it off and move on, letting everything stay as is.

None are optimal choices, but that is reality.

[Love2Blog]

@ Tangor

Makes sense the reasons you listed. And I too think they think Im selling links, and since I am not, and have nothing to hide it makes sense to ask for a reconsideration. I guess silence does equal agreement.

@ Donna
Thanks. It really annoys me to think that I may need to nofollow quality links that I believe in and want to link to just to bow down to G, but I do understand the realities, as frustrating as they are.

I think I will leave things as they are, since there is nothing bad going on and ask for reconsideration.

Thanks

[dazzlindonna]

Good luck. Let us know how it goes.

[Love2Blog]

@ Donna
I will, and thanks again.