Reported for selling links?

I don't know what the hell happened but I have a site that for the last 6 months held the number 4 spot in G for the search term "paid directory", now it is sitting at number 144
I did not change anything at all, why fix something that's not broken. I have this strange feeling that my competition or some body with a site that I rejected may have reported my directory for selling links, just a paranoid thought, I can't think of any other explanation??
If this is the case then I see a lot of crap coming to directory owners for rejecting a site or out ranking your competition for the same search term.
Does Google let webmasters know that their site has been reported for selling links?

I also noticed that the Yahoo directory is listed in the 14 spot for the search term "paid directory" and that keyword is no where to be found on that directory, this could be a sign??

 

A lot of paid directories have been hit recently. Google is looking for more natural links which it values more.

 

They did that with a few other sites already. One text link site was Pr 7 and now is now where to be found.

 

Best I can tell around 60-70 directories are being affected the same way.

 

That's shocking.

 

Google should have warned webmasters about selling links when they first started this PR crap, they don't like people making a profit off something they own, but to start penalizing directories a few years later for doing something they have done for 3 or 4 years with no bother from anyone is a big slap in the face.

 

So paid directories aren't doing well with Google anymore, aye? Then I guess I will stop wasting my money on them.

 

start creating websites in your own niche. If you started directories, it means you are not creative.

 

Why paid when you can get one for free? I wonder why people need to pay such services. I provide free directory services without any charge whatsoever and I do think that paid link is a scam.

Sorry for this comment. It comes straight from my heart.

 

Do you remove nofollow tag?
specially, google prefer to penalize who remove nofollow tag for money

 

I agree with you. There are many other ways to get links beside paid links. Only people with no creativity who depend on paid links.

 

Can you please explain what the heck paid links has to do with being non-creative?

 

I am wondering the same thing.

 

Like i posted on my blog a while back they are also punishing reciprical links. So if you pay a cheaper price for a link and place a reciprical, you can get hurt from that to.

 

My directory wasnt even paid it was free.. well a back link was required.. but now im droped way back in pr to nuthing and only 2 pages are indexed now on google out of hundreds were indexed before lol yup they are defently cracking down on directorys and not just paid ones aparently.. every day several people add their site and give me a back link but who cares its not doing me or them any good now .. *cries*

 

Yep reciprical links are being punished. Everyone jumped on top of me, condemming it when i wrote the article. But it was the truth. My blog has been constantly antagonised by people who know nothing about adsense when i type the truth, thats why you guys probably didn't find out.

Also your rankings will most likely jump again in the near to distant future, because nearly every directory is paid or requiring a reciprical link.

 

well that's pretty crap to hear After all, if there are sites about "paid directory" - google should put all of them to page 144 (and display white for the first 143...). If they are all dealing with paid stuff... why only pick yours?

I wonder that it might be just a hiccup (not sure when PR updates are on the way), and that they might recover your position if things go well - let's hope for the best..

 

I believe it's not just your directory and not just someone reporting you.
A lot of directories got penalized recently.

 

There should be some kind of direct email to the paid links sites webmaster as a warning first before take this kind of actions by Google.

 

it is possible that you could have been reported.