Steve's take on the whole Blog Network Panic of '12

[admin]

I hate "sky is falling" days. I should be happy that we haven't had one for a while. Not since Panda I guess...sigh...anyway...here's what I've put together to help people understand.


There has been much gnashing of teeth and panic in the streets with re: to blog networks over the last couple of days.

Google has "attacked" 2 large networks and at least one has gone out of business. People are getting emails from Google (those with analytics or webmaster tool accounts), the sky is falling, and life as we know it is about to end. Or…not.

Here is our take on the "facts" going around:

1. There is still ABSOLUTELY NO EVIDENCE that getting links from anywhere at anytime will actually PENALIZE your site. PLEASE PLEASE…think this through from a common sense perspective. If this were really the case, SEO would become one thing…and one thing only. Let's get the worst, most dangerous, most evil links to our competition. Easy and simple…I just get Google to "penalize" them for me. Job done. This is NOT happening at all, and Google realizes that they really can't do this as it will be a nightmare of sites trying to stab each other in the back and sites being penalized for doing nothing of their own accord. Believe me, you will know if this ever changes. How? Because, every single new SEO course will become about getting these bad links to your competition…and every single post on every single SEO forum will be all about that as well. What's happening here is very simple and we've seen it before. Google wants to leave you with the "illusion" that they're doing this. They are not. Plain and simple…because it is just not practical. ALL that is happening is Google is discounting the links it doesn't like, your site may possible be affected (and usually that's temporary), they yell at you…and you assume you've been penalized. all that's really happened, is that they've ignored the links they think are suspicious…they have not penalized your site.

2. Blog networks are being de-indexed. This is certainly true. But, really…this is just the age old arms race of SEO. We come up with stuff, Google tries to foil it…we adjust…they adjust. On and on. If you think this is new…or if you think this will ever change…you're in the wrong business. And, further…when this happens…you're not being "penalized", no matter what Google says. What's happening is that the links you had on those sites/networks are simply being ignored. Will that result in lower rankings? Sure, sometimes…and what do you need to get the rankings back. BACKLINKS…plain and simple. Getting rid of these "offensive" links that have been de-indexed will not help you at all. Google is already ignoring them and your site is not being hurt or blacklisted because of them.

3. Blog blueprint has been totally de-indexed. It's been attacked and destroyed by Google. Uhmm…no, it has not. Have some of the sites been de-indexed ? Of course. This happens with some regularity. PR changes, sites get de-indexed, sh$t happens :-) That's why we pay very close attention to BB and REGULARLY change out domains. The best thing you can do is just to keep using a tool like this , where people actually monitor and upgrade the network. Here's what's great about BB

A. It's a small, private network…we're not out there pushing it and selling it all the time. We hide under the radar
B. We constantly swap out domains, but leave the old ones
C. The old domains that have lost PR or been de-indexed…they COME BACK…REALLY…THEY DO…so, the links you build just keep accruing and looking more and more natural as they're found, discounted, recounted etc.
D. We're constantly experimenting and implementing new ideas to "hide" our sites. We've had MUCH success with some new ways we're doing this with our link juice product and we're implementing that with BB starting right now as we replace any of the sites that have been de-indexed.

4. Our link juice network has been unscathed by this…showing us that our new methods of protecting the network are very effective. As I said previously, we'll be implementing this right away with BB, and continuing to NOT grow the network and only add new members when existing ones leave.

In summary…if you panic and start yelling and screaming about removing your links etc. and stop using link building tools, you're doing exactly what Google wants you to do. You're responding to the fear, uncertainty, and doubt that they've created. They DO NOT want you to use things like blog networks. Why? Because they work.

[Matt Lake]

Thank you for addressing this Steve.

[milknhoney]

Thanks for posting this Steve. Their is a lot of assumptions and panicking going on right now. Their are a lot of scary words like "penalty" being thrown around. Rankings loss does not equal penalty. Link loss equals rankings loss.

Business as usual. Keep building links.

[rogerceo]

Thanks Steve,
Do you think we should still you Google analytic on on Ecommerce shits or something like piwik?

I do build some links with link building tools other then Blog blueprint however my articles are good, real and not spammy.

RG

[admin]

I don't think it matters much...I have no problem with Google analytics on there. Just ignore most of what they tell you.

[PhillH]

on Ecommerce shits or

RG

Roger, I have a couple of those as well

Sorry couldn't resist that one.

[Dwayne]

Roger, I have a couple of those as well

Sorry couldn't resist that one.

OUCH!

I don't want to have those!

[Dwayne]

on Ecommerce shits or

RG

Roger, I have a couple of those as well

Sorry couldn't resist that one.

OUCH!

I don't want to have those!

[mattb348]

Well said Steve. I agree with everything that you said

By the way, how are the domains in article blueprint holding out?

While that tool isn't as feature-friendly as I would like, I have always liked using it; I love how its mostly PR3 domains in article blueprint.

So how is article blueprint holding out? Is there still 500+ indexed domains in your private AB network?

[admin]

More than that I think...i'll have to get some updated data...we're completely redoing them right now too...the AB ones.

We focused on BB and Link Juice as far as looking at any de-indexing. With BB, we lost a good 30% or so...BUT...there is much good news.

with Link Juice...not a single one...hehe...in fact...about 20% of the retired domains that lost PR or were de-indexed...came back to being indexed and / or gained PR.

double hehe...

Link Juice members are the real winners here, but BB will be soon too...as the procedures we put into place with LJ (a whole new way of setting up domains)...are being put into place with BB.