Link Vault Banned by Google - Coop going the same way?

[Big Richard]

I have just noticed that the www.link-vault.com website has been dumped (or atleast heavily penilised) in the google search results. I think this is pretty conclusive proof that Google is not clamping down on link schemes such as this with a sledge hammer approach.

I wonder if the www.link-vault.com website has had a manual penalty applied to it or it is the actual alogrithm that has caused LV to drop from the rankings. In the first of the URL's below, you will notice that google reports no backlinks to the site, but the http://www.link-vault.com/about.php, does show in the search results (although pretty far down).

From this it seems that it may be the alogrithm that has been applied and all the LV links to its own homepage, that it got through its own network have blown it out the search results.

To me this puts huge red warning flags about using LV (and the coop), as it appear that it is very possible to destroy a sites ranking purely by masses of incoming links from link networks - even if the site in question is not linking out to the link network ( www.link-vault.com does not have external links to the network).

Seems very scarey indeed, and a big warning to all those in LV and the COOP.


Check these URL's
- http://www.google.com/search?q=www.l...G=Search&meta=

- http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&q=link+vault

[Nintendo]

Newsflash: Try looking at other datacenters.

[mad4]

There are clearly some DC's that index link-vault.com fine and some that don't.

The real issue it the fact they don't rank for the main keywords.

[MattUK]

Has any clients of Link Valult noticed a drop in rankings, or is it just the site itself?

[Big Richard]

Originally Posted by mad4

There are clearly some DC's that index link-vault.com fine and some that don't.

The real issue it the fact they don't rank for the main keywords.

Exactly

Has any clients of Link Valult noticed a drop in rankings, or is it just the site itself?

I believe there are plenty - and there is very strong evidence from some people that it has caused there pages to go supplimental - this is down to pages with LV links on and pages with LV links not on, on the same site.

The point is - would you use a system, that knocks its own website out the search results? - not exactly confidence building is it!!

Originally Posted by Nintendo

Newsflash: Try looking at other datacenters.

Your link also just proves the point very nicely - where excatly is the homepage ( the page with all the LV links pointing to it ), in those results?

Of course you would expect it to be top - but it is not - hence my point.

[mad4]

Originally Posted by MattUK

Has any clients of Link Valult noticed a drop in rankings, or is it just the site itself?

I joined last week after my coop weight went down loads. Will be interesting to see the results. The site I am promoting has so many links its hard to see that it will get any penalty.

[MattUK]

I joined last week after my coop weight went down loads. Will be interesting to see the results. The site I am promoting has so many links its hard to see that it will get any penalty.

I think that may be the point, as with anything in SEO, do it in moderation so it doesn't stick out like a sore thumb.

[eduardomaio]

It's quite easy... Don't place lv/coop on the website you are pointing links at, otherwise you could have your pages removed from Google index. Also, display at maximum 3 links on your website so you don't get Google suspicious...

Also, limit the number of links to your websites and add them slowly to ensure the best results...

It's hard to do this, but i've learned the worst way possible!

[Phynder]

Originally Posted by Big Richard

I have just noticed that the www.link-vault.com website has been dumped (or atleast heavily penilised) in the google search results.

How is this any different than the problems many other websites are having related to Google's index being totally screwed up?

[Toopac]

I think Google has wised up to these networks

[Dominic]

After the coop did an experiment with the 'charity' search phrase, some senior members of link vault quietly did a similar test (privately under the radar). The site backed by Link Vault is still outranking the coop backed site.

I use both networks for various purposes for various sites, alongside other diversified link building stategies for my own sites. My point is not that one is better than the other (these experiments are never perfect)... and it doesn't prove anything between the two.

Just want to make the point that sites with healthy link profiles that use Link Vault are still cashing in on all search engines (all data centers) despite whatever is or isn't going on with the link vault site itself.

[Big Richard]

Originally Posted by Phynder

How is this any different than the problems many other websites are having related to Google's index being totally screwed up?

What I believe you are talking about is pages going supplimental - this is totally different. Here is the scenario:

1/. www.link-vault.com has hundreds/thousands of different pages - especially when you consider their forums.

2/. Link Vault does not have outgoing links (ie LV network outgoing links) on its website (although I believe they used to have them on their forums, but these seem to have been pulled - another big hint! ).

3/. Link Vault put a huge number of links across the network which pointed to www.link-vault.com hompage - I don't believe they pointed any links to their subpages or forums.

4/. The www.link-vault.com homepage does not seem to appear in googles results, whereas all the other pages still appear.

5/. The highest ranking page for http://www.google.com/search?q=link+vault is the /about.php page - whereas you would expect the homepage to come top by a mile - even the /about.php comes well below other pages on other sites that mention link vault (including DP!).

Conclusion. Link vault has got its homepage a heavy penalty/ban by pointing links in its own network to its homepage - It now ranks nowhere for its key term: http://www.google.com/search?q=link+vault or its URL: http://www.google.com/search?q=www.link-vault.com . All other pages on the site where not affected (or not affected as heavily), because no linkvault networks links where pointed at them.

Of most concern is that it would appear that this is an alogrithm penalty, rather than a manual penalty (as the /about.php page still shows up in the search results for http://www.google.com/search?q=link+vault). Therefore this seems futher proof of google bowling - i.e Link Vault has gone and bowled its homepage out of the google search results by using its own system! Therefore it appears that LV can be used as a SEO tool, but probably better for purposes not for what it was originally intended, - i.e. it is probably better for use to knock competitors out the rankings, than for boosting your own SERP's!

I am not saying the COOP is bad or LV is bad - but you have to ask serious questions when a tool designed to help SERP's goes and uses it on itself and has the complete opposite effect.

[MattUK]

It could be a penalty for just pointing too many links, we've seen that before with Co-Op and would be nothing new.

[Shoemoney]

Shawn has always said the COOP was a advertising network not a link network. its never been sold as a PR BOOSTING network.

(unless I am mistaken).

Link Vault on the other hand has sold themselves on a way around googles algo so I can see why google hates them.

[Nintendo]

Originally Posted by Shoemoney

the COOP was a advertising network not a link network. its never been sold as a PR BOOSTING network.

Yes, they say that, just like we all know Bill Clinton never inhaled Marijuana or had sexual relations with that women!!!

Every one knows it's a link network!!!! (For those of you in Rio Linda, the co-op is used to get back-links, PR, and good listings in search engines...and make some money using ugly affiliate landing pages...when you got some fat!!! )

[Big Richard]

Originally Posted by Shoemoney

Shawn has always said the COOP was a advertising network not a link network. its never been sold as a PR BOOSTING network.

(unless I am mistaken).

Link Vault on the other hand has sold themselves on a way around googles algo so I can see why google hates them.

If it looks like a duck, quacks like a duck, and flies like a duck - call it whatever you want its still a duck. Wake up and smell the coffee.

[Phynder]

Originally Posted by Big Richard

If it looks like a duck, quacks like a duck, and flies like a duck - call it whatever you want its still a duck. Wake up and smell the coffee.

Okay, fine. Why do you care? Why all the argumentative verbose posts?

[Big Richard]

Originally Posted by Phynder

Okay, fine. Why do you care? Why all the argumentative verbose posts?

Not argumentative at all, I just get get a bit short with really dumb statements, and saying COOP is not a link network is 11/10 on dumb scale!!

[fryman]

The really stupid action here is starting a dumb thread saying that linkvault is banned when it is clear that they are not and that they are just caught in the recent Google glitch like many of us

[Phynder]

Originally Posted by Big Richard

...and saying COOP is not a link network is 11/10 on dumb scale!!

Again, why do you care?