We used to sell links ...

[VinceWicks]

We used to sell text links on our site WebDesign.org , I told about that via Twitter in public, Google penalized us and here’s the history of the issue in more detail. I write it here to ask if you guys know how to sort out this issue coz I’m not exactly sure at this point.

Before I tackle the issue itself, here's some background.

OUTBOUND LINKS ISSUE

Jun 22, 2013

We received an Unnatural outbound links penalty (Manual spam action message in our Google Webmaster Tools account) from Google

July 1, 2013

We nofollowed all homepage links and submitted a reconsideration request

July 10, 2013

Google replied that we still violate their quality guidelines

July 15, 2013

We removed links to low quality and irrelevant  sites (such as Chinese stores, etc) and submitted another reconsideration request

July 22, 2013

Manual Spam Action revoked

INBOUND LINKS ISSUE

November 8, 2013

We got a message from Google about Unnatural links to your site - impacts links (Message in our Google Webmaster Tools account)

November 27, 2013

We Submitted a Disavow file with Deadly Risky links (found via generating a LinkDetox report) and submitted a reconsideration request

December 15, 2013

Manual Action revoked (main keyword ranking got from 41 to 4)

February  6, 014

And here's the actual issue:

OUTBOUND LINKS ISSUE (Again)

I told via Twitter in public that our site sells links. Matt Cutts noticed that and we got another Unnatural outbound links penalty (Manual action). Main keyword ranking decreased from 9 to 65. We removed all outbound links on the homepage and submitted a reconsideration request.

April 15, 2014

Google replied that we still violate their quality guidelines. We nofollowd all outbound links with JavaScript (wrong move because Google did not take it as nofollowed) and submitted another reconsideration request.

April 19, 2014

Google rejected our reconsideration request and said that we still violate their quality guidelines.

April 23, 2014

We nofollowed properly this time (with PHP) and submitted another reconsideration request.

May 4, 2014

Google replies that we still violate their quality guidelines.

So, at this point I’m kinda lost in terms of what to do next because we've nofollowed all our outbound links (both paid and natural ones).

What would you recommend?

[Andy.Drinkwater]

Hey Vince,

I remember reading that when it was posted.

Do you have an example if a page with an outbound link that has been nofollowed? I would like to take a look at this myself. Do you have a rel=nofollow tag on the outbound links at all?

-Andy

[VinceWicks]

Sure, here's one of my pages:

http://www.webdesign.org/web-design-fails.22423.html

Yes, it has the rel="nofollow" attribute and you can see is as red in seo-browser.com:

http://seo-browser.com/index.php?address=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.webdesign.org%2Fweb-design-fails.22423.html&button0.x=47&button0.y=0&button0=Simple

[Andy.Drinkwater]

I wonder if this could be the page layout algorithm? You can read more about that here. This effectively goes after sites / pages and "downgrades the ranking of a web page with too many ads at the top or if the ads are deemed too distracting for users."

The problem might now not be to do with links, but could be something else - or a combination. The Wix banner doesn't appears to be no-followed either.

Bluehost at the bottom left (image link) also doesn't appear to be no-followed.

-Andy

[VinceWicks]

Thanks for your assistance Andy.

Do you mean to say that even if links are nofollow, the page layout can still impact us?

I'm not exactly sure what you by by a wix banner, but the "Get Domain!" button is nofollow. At least, that's what I can see in my browser. Please see for yourself.

[Andy.Drinkwater]

Hi Vince,

The page layout algorithm is more about ads and placement than no-following of links. The first thing someone sees when this come to your page, is an ad for someone else.

Also, I think we are looking at different pages - the example you gave me was this page:
http://www.webdesign.org/web-design-fails.22423.html

On this page, there is a Wix banner at the top. This could be the problem from an algorithm point. However, there is definitely no nofollow attached to this.

The second is the Bluehost banner on the left of the page at the bottom. This is another ad that is has no no-follow.

-Andy

[JaneCopland]

Hi Vince,

Being publicly outed for selling links (or buying them) can result in harsh sanctions that seem to go above and beyond fair, although every case of this happening is anecdotal. Google has been known to suspend or ban people's entire networks for publicly flouting their guidelines. They're certainly not above making an example, and being publicly noticed on Twitter is a tough way to go.

If all outbound links that could be considered commercial have been nofollowed, I see no reason why you need to worry about outbound linking anymore. Andy may have a good point about ads on the page, but the ads I see are fairly nonintrusive. You may want to try serving them as banner ads with JavaScript, like the "links" created by ad networks (was this how you did it before, when it wasn't good enough for Google?).

[MarieHaynes]

I'm still seeing followed links coming from your author bios in guest posts.  For example:

http://www.webdesign.org/5-web-design-trends-to-remember-fall-winter-2013.22364.html

http://www.webdesign.org/the-most-popular-psd-to-html-services.22404.html

[VinceWicks]

Thanks Marie, I can't believe that I overlooked it Taking care of tht now

[VinceWicks]

Thanks a lot you guys. We've have it revoked !!!

[JaneCopland]

Brilliant, glad to hear it!

[MarieHaynes]

Woot!  Congrats!  And thanks for letting us know.