request to remove links

[PJ White]

I just got an email from an organisation that says it's found links to it from a website I run and wants me to remove them.

"We’ve changed our approach with working with third party websites and we’re reviewing all of the sites that link to us externally. As a result, were hoping you might be able to remove the links to our MoneySuperMarket website as soon as possible?"

(I love that rising intonation)

Sorry to be so naive and clueless about this. But why does it matter to them? Why are they spending time writing to shoestring operations like mine? What's it all about?

PJ

[Ben Tudor]

I believe you are obliged, nay, *obligated* to have some fun with them.

I don't know what the current case law is on deep linking, but this sounds like somesort of optimisation work to raise their site's profile. Is this from a MoneySuperMarket employee, or an agency of theirs?

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[PJ White]

Yep, I was thinking along those lines...

Says he works "work for the web team at MoneySuperMarket.com." Email address ends @moneysupermarket.onmicrosoft.com

So having a link from a tinpot site like mine could damage their rankings in some way?

PJ

On 06/09/2013 11:38, Ben Tudor wrote:

I believe you are obliged, nay, *obligated* to have some fun with them.

I don't know what the current case law is on deep linking, but this sounds like somesort of optimisation work to raise their site's profile. Is this from a MoneySuperMarket employee, or an agency of theirs?

On 6 September 2013 11:31, PJ White <pjwhi...@gmail.com> wrote:

I just got an email from an organisation that says it's found links to it from a website I run and wants me to remove them.

"We�ve changed our approach with working with third party websites and we�re reviewing all of the sites that link to us externally. As a result, were hoping you might be able to remove the links to our MoneySuperMarket website as soon as possible?"

(I love that rising intonation)

Sorry to be so naive and clueless about this. But why does it matter to them? Why are they spending time writing to shoestring operations like mine? What's it all about?

PJ

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[John Thompson]

There is a high probability this is just spam. Sorry to disappoint.

On 6 Sep 2013, at 11:43, PJ White <pjwhi...@gmail.com> wrote:

Yep, I was thinking along those lines...

Says he works "work for the web team at MoneySuperMarket.com." Email address ends @moneysupermarket.onmicrosoft.com

So having a link from a tinpot site like mine could damage their rankings in some way?

PJ


On 06/09/2013 11:38, Ben Tudor wrote:

I believe you are obliged, nay, *obligated* to have some fun with them.

I don't know what the current case law is on deep linking, but this sounds like somesort of optimisation work to raise their site's profile. Is this from a MoneySuperMarket employee, or an agency of theirs?

On 6 September 2013 11:31, PJ White <pjwhi...@gmail.com> wrote:

I just got an email from an organisation that says it's found links to it from a website I run and wants me to remove them.

"We’ve changed our approach with working with third party websites and we’re reviewing all of the sites that link to us externally. As a result, were hoping you might be able to remove the links to our MoneySuperMarket website as soon as possible?"

John Thompson
Managing Director
Mousetrap Media Ltd
100 North Road
Brighton
East Sussex BN1 1YE
UNITED KINGDOM

Company registration no: 3998973
VAT no: 744 7604 19

tel: +44 (0)1273 384293

fax: +44 (0)1273 232179
mobile: +44 (0)7971 400236

Twitter: http://twitter.com/johncthompson

LinkedIn: http://uk.linkedin.com/in/johncthompson

http://www.journalism.co.uk

 

Download our free iPhone app for the latest journalism news, jobs and releases.

[PJ White]

On 06/09/2013 11:49, John Thompson wrote:

There is a high probability this is just spam. Sorry to disappoint.

You could be right. Depends on your definition of spam, though. It doesn't feel like mass-mailing random kind of spam. The sig is carefully done and correct. And they've taken trouble to give an example of the link and sought out my email address.

But I'd still ask, what's the point of it? Are they going to sucker me into handing over money? How?

PJ

[Ben Tudor]

419eater, maybe?

--

[Simone Castello]

From my experience of SEO, there are bad links out there which you need to remove or Google will penalise you. 

Maybe they have identified you as a bad link?

LOL

Simone Castello

http://www.simonecastello.co.uk/

@simonecas

http://www.linkedin.com/in/simonecastellodigitalwriter

---

From: ben....@gmail.com
Date: Fri, 6 Sep 2013 12:12:28 +0100
Subject: Re: [FleetStreet] request to remove links
To: fleet...@googlegroups.com

[PJ White]

On 06/09/2013 14:43, Simone Castello wrote:

From my experience of SEO, there are bad links out there which you need to remove or Google will penalise you. 

Maybe they have identified you as a bad link?

LOL

I do hope so. Mad, bad and dangerous to be linked from.

PJ

[PJ White]

Update on this.

The guy has been quite persistent, pressing me for a response to his
request to take down links. I said I needed to understand why first. His
reply:

> Obviously links are of value to us for SEO purposes because they are a
> important Google ranking factor
>
> However, we have recently performed analysis of all of our back-links
> and we are concerned that some of them may look un-natural or paid for
> in the eyes of Google. This unfortunately means that we have to take
> down a large number of our links, some of which were genuine and of
> use/interest to users of the sites on which they were posted
>
> It's a shame, but Google makes the rules as they see fit!

The link he refers to from my site is ages old - 2008 - and the domain
name now points to the updated site. (Unfortunately for him I'm such an
incompetent I don't know that I'll be able to edit or delete the earlier
material...)

Anyway, what's interesting to me from all this is that the company is
serious and determined. Some journalist should write about this....

PJ

[John Thompson]

Quite depressing really, and anti-internet.

I have never had any requests like this, and the Journalism.co.uk archive is presumably more extensive than yours.

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[Charles Arthur]

This has become quite common recently because google walloped a lot of
companies for having paid links. (Some are, some aren't, but they may
often be spammy.)

If you accepted money for their use then take them down. But if they
were placed there by the company without your invitation, I'd say let
them stew. It was their action which led to this. You don't have to do
anything- or at least only as much as you did before, is nothing.

best
Charles
(written while mobile. May contain errors.)

> tel: +44 (0)1273 384293
> fax: +44 (0)1273 232179
> mobile: +44 (0)7971 400236
> Twitter: http://twitter.com/johncthompson
> LinkedIn: http://uk.linkedin.com/in/johncthompson
>
> http://www.journalism.co.uk
>
>
>

> Download our free iPhone app for the latest journalism news, jobs and releases.
>

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> <sitelogo.png>
> <jcoukiphoneappsmall.png>

[Chris Wheal]

I get them. I tell them to eff off. The attest was from a company representing Swintons Insurance. The links is not even on a page with a negative mention of the firm.

A forum I moderate gets requests all the time  and worse - for negative threads to be removed. We always resist.

I assume these people are pushy because they have some success. It's the lilly-livered cowards out there that are ruining it for everyone.

Chris Wheal
t: +44 20 8694 9412
m: +44 7831 268261

[Chris Wheal]

That's interesting, Charles. So if I write a story about where you can buy motorbike insurance and I include a link to every company I mention (maybe  a dozen), Google thinks they are paid-for links, even though I refuse any payments and do not accept advertising.

Chris Wheal
t: +44 20 8694 9412
m: +44 7831 268261

[Charles Arthur]

Not necessarily, no. Nobody is quite sure how it works as I recall -
they just know that google wallops them from time to time.

best
Charles
(written while mobile. May contain errors.)

[Steve Gold]

It will become more common - the progressive updating of Google Webmaster Tools over the last 18 months has been mirrored by massive changes with Google's search and spidering algorithms.

As a result, pay-for clients of Google are getting a lot more `assistance' on their links and what is best for Google (and them).

I've been on a couple of Business Social Media courses with the Uni this last few months and it's been a real eye opener what Google is doing to the Net.

+Steve

[Charles Arthur]

Come on, then, spill the beans.

best
Charles
(written while mobile. May contain errors.)

On 10 Sep 2013, at 11:08, Steve Gold <s...@mail.com> wrote:

> It will become more common - the progressive updating of Google

> Webmaster Tools over the last 18 months has been mirrored by *massive*

[Simone Castello]

I have quite a few links on my site and my five blogs, nobody has asked to remove, but have noticed an increase of people wanting to link up to me, I rank quite well and I always say now because a bad link (in the eyes of Google) will de-rank a blog or website. So be careful. 

When I was working as marketing executive we linked to various sites and was asked to click the No-Follow option all the time, for SEO reason. However if you don't have a content management system, it's up to you to either enter the html code for it or hunt for bad links. There was an article recently of the DIY variety:

http://www.searchenginejournal.com/how-to-guide-on-identifying-bad-links-and-pruning-them-using-googles-disavow-tool-by-navneet-kaushal/51372/

Simone Castello

http://www.simonecastello.co.uk/

@simonecas

http://www.linkedin.com/in/simonecastellodigitalwriter

> From: charles...@gmail.com
> Date: Tue, 10 Sep 2013 11:09:00 +0100
> Subject: Re: [FleetStreet] request to remove links

[PJ White]

Ha!

I explained that I was having trouble removing the link because I don't
know how to get into the back-end of an old site whose address now
points to my current one.

He said not to worry about - "It was a decent enough link".

How nice. The human touch.

Interesting that those here familiar with this tend to be writing about
money. Those who've not come across it aren't. Don't know what
conclusion to draw from that. Or even if it's a fair assumption.

PJ

[PJ White]

Thanks Simone, useful article. Or what I can understand of it is. Clearly explains what the company were about  - this strange phrase "unnatural links".

Thanks too for the nofollow tip.

What with this and Ben's optimism last week I feel slightly cheered. If SEO shenanigans aren't ruling the world any more, does that mean a comeback for quality editorial? I might not be facing old age penury after all.

PJ

On 10/09/2013 14:13, Simone Castello wrote:

[Simone Castello]

SEO is part of content marketing and apparently content is king, but in practice people still skimp on copywriters, which is very frustrating!

That's why I now do SEO, PR and copywriting, copywriting alone is too depressing to consider - plenty of young people willing to work for peanuts. Same story in subbing and journalism. I wish I had a technical background but then I wonder if those writers are screwed too.

I feel old and grumpy and I'm only in my 40s.

Simone Castello

http://www.simonecastello.co.uk/

@simonecas

http://www.linkedin.com/in/simonecastellodigitalwriter

---

Date: Tue, 10 Sep 2013 15:35:33 +0100
From: pjwhi...@gmail.com
To: fleet...@googlegroups.com

Subject: Re: [FleetStreet] request to remove links

[PJ White]

It's a wacky, fast-moving world. Did you watch University Challenge last evening? The superbrains, average age 20/21, did badly when asked what is meant by html terms <p>, <br> and <hr>.

Oddly satisfying to think that basic vocabulary that was cutting edge only two minutes ago (it seems) is now gouped with pica ems and hot metal as mysteries known only to old folk.

Such fun
PJ

On 10/09/2013 15:52, Simone Castello wrote:

[Simone Castello]

I missed that, pity. But then that's a question for a red-brick university... 

I live in Cambridge and see smug graduates going around in their ermines and behaving like the world is for their taking and think:enjoy it today because you are going to be unemployed tomorrow.

Maybe I should join Wicca and become an old witch, because there are plenty of people in SEO spouting hocus pocus theories. Will they regulate it or not? That's what I'm waiting to see.

Simone Castello

http://www.simonecastello.co.uk/

@simonecas

http://www.linkedin.com/in/simonecastellodigitalwriter

---

Date: Tue, 10 Sep 2013 16:13:41 +0100

From: pjwhi...@gmail.com
To: fleet...@googlegroups.com
Subject: Re: [FleetStreet] request to remove links

[Manek Dubash]

Trouble is, those that aren't unemployed will be in the next government but one.

Manek
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Editorial & Communication Services

Manek Dubash, Managing Director

M: +447788 923557

Site: www.manekdubash.com Blog: Big Tin

Manek Dubash Associates. Registered in England & Wales. Company number: 4731413.

[Martin Cloake]

Frightening, especially when you think where the people we knew at college ended up ;-)

Martin Cloake
Blog: www.blog.martincloake.com
Web: www.martincloake.com
www.amazon.com/author/martincloake

--

<MD-logo-email-2.png>

Editorial & Communication Services

Manek Dubash, Managing Director

M: +447788 923557

Site: www.manekdubash.com Blog: Big Tin

Manek Dubash Associates. Registered in England & Wales. Company number: 4731413.

[Ben Tudor]

Yeah, then I sobered up.

Actually, I'm still all optimistic over here. I just don't understand the rate of change. And everyone knows the William Gibson quote, right? The one about the future already being here, just unevenly distributed?

[Simone Castello]

"Frightening, especially when you think where the people we knew at college ended up"

My partner went to Oxford and then Cambridge. He knows quite a few people who are prominent, one particular chap at the BBC. I won't dish the gossip as I'm worried about libel.

Let's say that he is quite shocked about where some individuals have ended up - they didn't show such potential back then.

I have come to the conclusion that the business world is highly irrational, they hire people they like or feel comfortable with rather than judge on ability. I sometimes take the trouble to check up on people who got a job/contract I applied for and it has been an eye opener. 

Superior candidate closely matching the skills set my arse. 

Where's that broom now?

Simone Castello

http://www.simonecastello.co.uk/

@simonecas

http://www.linkedin.com/in/simonecastellodigitalwriter

---

To: fleet...@googlegroups.com
From: martin...@mac.com

Subject: Re: [FleetStreet] request to remove links

Date: Tue, 10 Sep 2013 15:44:12 +0000

--

<MD-logo-email-2.png>

Editorial & Communication ServicesManek Dubash, Managing Director

M: +447788 923557
Site: www.manekdubash.com Blog: Big Tin
Manek Dubash Associates. Registered in England & Wales. Company number: 4731413.

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[Martin Cloake]

Yesterday's performance at the PAC was a revealing view into the workings of the management class. No one knew anything, and no one was responsible for anything. Mind you, I've been in other organisations that behaved in a similar fashion. ;-)

Martin Cloake
Blog: www.blog.martincloake.com
Web: www.martincloake.com
www.amazon.com/author/martincloake

[Kris Sangani]

It's simple. Google depends on quality content reaching the top of its search results and not all those 'content sites' populated by poor copy produced by the content mills. This means the business model of sites like Copify (a content mill) is breaking.

If I want top engineering content, I'm most likely to get it from E&T Magazine (my title); if I want top medical content, I'm most likely to get it from The Lancet; and so forth...

We pay decent rates and we expect decent copy. If you pay peanuts, you get crap content. Hooray for Google Penguin and stuff the keyword stuffers!

Kris.

Kris Sangani

www.twitter.com/kris_sangani

www.kris-sangani.com

+44 (0) 7976 177195