Dodgy directories

[Alski]

Hi guys,

I've been doing the whole search engine optimisation thing on a site of mine for quite some time and it's been going reasonably well. However, a recent backlinks check has shown lots of iffy looking links from similar looking "directories" (for want of a better term - they look closer to link farms tbh).

Now I have no memory of submitting the sites to them (I know enough about SEO to know what a massive no-no this is) and I don't think anyone else involved with our site has, so my only conclusion is they details must have been lifted or sold by another directory.

Anyway, my question is - is there any way out of these? My suspician is that the owner of an unethical directory is unlikely to be moved by me not wanting to be a part of their project. And what about search engines - will I be punished for this, or will they accept that such instances are beyond my control?

To give you an idea of the spammy looking directories in question (and how suspiciously similar they seem) here's a couple for your perusal:

softwareandbeyond.net/links/business_and_industry%5B39%5D.htm

ultimatetattoodesigns.com/directory/business_and_industry%5B3%5D.htm

ultimategolftips.com/directory/business_and_industry%5B3%5D.htm

Any help?

[jimbeetle]

Nope, not much you can do about it and really not much to worry about. The SEs know these folks are out there and don't (in most situations) penalize the linked to sites.

The good folks at G recently reiterated its position in this Google groups discussion (http://groups.google.com/group/Google_Webmaster_Help-Indexing/browse_thread/thread/98bbdcf6ace5d8e9/) (via sphinn via ser):\

[quote] I wouldn't really worry about spam sites hurting your
ranking by linking to you, as we understand that you can't (for the
most part) control who links to your sites.[/url]

[ContentProvider]

As long as you are not linking to them they are not doing any harm.

[Chris Boggs]

The good folks at G recently reiterated its position in this Google groups discussion (http://groups.google.com/group/Google_Webmaster_Help-Indexing/browse_thread/thread/98bbdcf6ace5d8e9/) (via sphinn via ser):\

[[/url]
I agree that Google is probably not going to ding you for SPAM linking, but on the other hand, they are also coming out against directories. How is Google to know if you have submitted to those directories or if they just used your site to build out their index?

I hope we can get more clarification on this important question you have posed, Alski. They may be discounting the link which is fine but if they levy some sort of penalty it would be worse. I hope Google can confirm they are not penalizing specifically around directories and that if such instances as above occur the link simply will not count?

[AussieWebmaster]

Chris - right as usual - what about the sites grabbed to do the initial back fill.... goes a long way to stop the penalty part for anyone except the publisher if need be.

I personally think Google should buy DMOZ are make it the resource of "credible sites" - temporarily ban sites from the directory when they have breached protocol and give them time to correct.... could be the advanced warning to sites about to be banned from the SERPs etc.

[jfj3rd]

Caught this on my feed reader...

I recently posed a question on Google Groups about a site I've never heard of taking up well over 75% - 80% of a clients back links.

Here is some food for thought...

http://groups.google.com/group/Google_Webmaster_Help-Indexing/browse_thread/thread/bc4c5a9e611a30ee/73661b5704a49c49#73661b5704a49c49

[Chris Boggs]

interesting jfj3rd, and welcome to the forums. having a way to tell G through Webmastertools that you have nothing to do with an inbound link - sort of a reverse <no follow> - would be a very cool feature indeed.

[jimbeetle]

Yeah, cool feature, but...I'm getting tired just thinking about all the work this would be. Besides paying link monkeys I'd now have to go out and find a reverse link monkey. ;-)

[AussieWebmaster]

You need to breed the link monkeys....

[jfj3rd]

Hi Chris,

Thanks for the welcome! I've been a stalker and once upon a time had a username and password. I couldn't figure it out of course so I've started fresh. No loss, I wasn't active anyways right?

jimbeetle,

I agree, it would be a lot more work but it sure would clean things up for awhile until someone figures a way to automate things.

AussieWebmaster,

I actually know a 'link monkey' ... he and his wife are both 'link monkeys', does that count as breading link monkeys? :-)

[Chris Boggs]

Hi Chris,

Thanks for the welcome! I've been a stalker and once upon a time had a username and password. I couldn't figure it out of course so I've started fresh. No loss, I wasn't active anyways right?
lol but imagine all the "trust" you could have built in your ID over that time.

I agree with you too Jim Beetle but I think it is one of those things where you have to decide what your traffic via the specific rankings is really worth to you. Eventually, hiring an additional reverse link ninja (should this ever become a real issue) could be worth its weight in gold. jeez SEO provides one of the biggest ROIs in marketing, a little ding wont hurt much, especially scaled...

[Chris Boggs]

You need to breed the link monkeys....
lol I am trying to figure out if my son will learn to read or link first...

[beu]

You need to breed the link monkeys....

Where do they sell those gosh darn link monkey trees?:)