Should we remove a link from a high page ranked site?

[PrintEZ]

This post is deleted!

[KempRugeLawGroup]

What date (roughly) did you put the link up? Have you cross-referenced that date with Moz's Google Algorithm History http://moz.com/google-algorithm-change#2013? I would first look at your drop in rankings compared to the algorithm updates to see if there is any correlation there. That seems more likely to me.

Also, you could consider running http://www.styleshout.com/ through OSE to see if it has any dubious back links. From my understanding, certain pages can have a high page rank, but still have a dangerous links that could hurt you.

[JMacSupply]

I would take it down immediately.

This is so obviously like a paid link under "site partners."

[eyepaq]

Hi,

If it's due to the link and the link is ok then you should't take it down. Google has an algo, the "the spammer hook" when they will drop you if they see some very good links to see if you will take action (drop the links etc). Theer was a good article&video about it by Wil Reynolds when they've manage to get some very good links from major high autority sites like the NY Times and so and rankings drooped... after some time they've spiked up better then before as those links started to "matter".

Now the site you mention has a decent visibility: http://screencast.com/t/sEoLUrQD  but is not NY times or a very high trusted source - so I would say your "issue" is not due to this link.

Your visibility ( http://screencast.com/t/ufoKKBnLBdQ )on the other hand has drooped but it looks is not correlated with links (this one or any other from your link profile).

Hope it helps.

[PrintEZ]

the link was put up on may 21 2013

[PrintEZ]

its a paid link

[Nick_Ker]

When you say "we have put up a link..." I assume that means it was not entirely editorial on the part of styleshout, right?

While it may not have immediately hurt your rankings, if this link is something you paid for, then you should probably remove it or ask styleshout to nofollow it.

Google's reactions to paid and other "unnatural" links are usually not so quick, so I would recommend that you take a good look at what kind of links you have been getting over the last few months, years... And check Webmaster Tools' new Manual Actions viewer to see if there has been any action taken due to links. That won't show you if you have an algorithmic problem like Penguin, but will show manual penalties.

And PageRank doesn't mean much when it comes to paid or otherwise unnatural link issues. It's about the link, not the site or page.

And Miki is very correct. That link is a fine example of what NOT to do. Keyword anchor text link that is obviously paid. By doing that, it is almost as if you would rather not rank for "business forms" at all.

[JMacSupply]

Very interesting... do you have a link to the articles/video on "the spammer hook" in google's algo?

Thanks!

[eyepaq]

Sorry i don't have a link to the article or video - it's within moz though .. somewhere

Anyway - there is also a patent from Google with this approach - demoting rankings based on good / any seo tactic to spot natural links / changes and over optimized SEO techniques (so i won't call those spam techniques

[PrintEZ]

yes it was put up on may 21 2013 as a paid link

and i check in Webmaster Tools' Manual Actions No manual webspam actions found.