How to treat low-value and automated links during the link pruning process?

[tomypro]

This post is deleted!

[TomRayner]

Hi there

I often find that it is easier to take value out of the equation when looking to removing/disavowing links, and focus more on how that link got there.

Your first example, the link may not be doing any good or harm and it might look out of place, but there's no doubt the link is a "natural" recommendation, in a sense that it hasn't been deliberately built by the company it links to.  Such links wouldn't be a problem at all, in my opinion.

For the second example, again while this looks like an odd link, I believe it is clear to see that a webmaster has not gone out and built that link deliberately.  That is what Google is ultimately looking for.  Automatic crawlers, particular statlog and others that will be well known to Google, won't need removing or disavowing - as I'm pretty sure the algorithm (plus manual reviewers) just discounts them anyway.

If a link looks deliberately placed or produced by someone with a vested interest, automated or otherwise, that's where I think the alarm bells start ringing for quality checks etc.  I believe it's why terms like "link earning" - getting people to link to you purely on the strength of the content and assets you produce - has proven to be so popular recently.  Google will reward those kind of links all day.  Your first example is an example of that, albeit a small one.  Links like in your second example will just be discounted, but not actively penalised.

It's interesting to consider that, once you see links as being "earned" or "natural", such as the client recommendation in the first example, this is where some SEOs have manipulated the algorithm and done so quite well.  They replicate these "natural" looking links.  Where most slip up is that they leave a footprint or visible clues that they're doing it deliberately.  I don't advocate you do that at all - earn those links by being an awesome company - but it's always good to know how things can work and/or be exploited, as you can learn to avoid pitfalls that way.

Hope this helps!