All About Backlinks
Sometimes, whether through manual spam or algorithmic changes, a site will violate Google Quality Guidelines. If your site violates these guidelines and you’ve received a notification in Google Webmaster Tools, it’s time to go in and fix those backlink-related problems. Once you’ve done that, you need to file a reconsideration request. Here are some common questions and resources for reconsideration requests.
When Should I File?
You or the site owner will be notified of any issues in Google Webmaster tools, but you should only submit your reconsideration request after you have made sure that the site no longer violates the quality guidelines.
How Can I Tell if Backlinks are Good or Bad?
Go to Google Webmaster Tools, and find the Links to Your Site section. Spammy blog comments, automatically generated content, text advertisements, or forum posts are all usually going to be seen as unnatural links and would violate Google’s guidelines. Look for patterns in the sites that point to your site. If the content on the site is relevant to your site, has editorial value, and it’s from a reputable site, you can probably keep that link. If not, it’s time to get rid of it.
How do I Fix the Bad Backlinks?
Once you’ve identified the bad links, go ahead and try to get them either removed or nofollowed. Document the sites that you’ve contacted and what action you and the site owner have taken. You’ll use this information in your reconsideration request. Once you’ve contacted as many sites as you can, use the Disavow Links Tool for the remaining unnatural links.
What Happens Next?
Once you’ve filed your reconsideration request, you’ll be notified as to whether or not your site still violates the quality guidelines, or if it’s good to go. This may take a few days, depending on the volume of reconsideration requests that Google is currently handling.
If you need additional assistance cleaning up your link profile and filing a reconsideration request, contact SEO Inc. We are now offering a service to help you identify bad links, remove them, and submit your reconsideration request. Call us today!
