Google’s John Mueller addressed a query in a Webmaster Hangout regarding why websites involved in bad link building still manage to rank well. He clarified Google’s approach to handling such links and discussed the ranking factors that contribute to these sites achieving top positions.
Why Reporting Bad Links Doesn’t Always Yield Results
A web publisher questioned the rankings of sites with questionable links, noting they had reported these but observed no change in the rankings.
The question was posed as follows:
"I observe numerous link networks and dubious link-building tactics in use… I’ve reported these as advised, but is there anything else we can do? It’s quite frustrating."
John Mueller’s response highlighted that the spam report form is effective but may not always produce the expected outcomes:
"Reporting through the search console, the spam report form, and the link spam report form is a good approach. This helps us understand which pages require a manual web spam review."
Mueller tempered expectations regarding spam reporting:
"There’s no guarantee that those pages will be removed entirely."
He explained why using the spam report form does not automatically result in penalties:
"In competitive fields, we often see some sites excel in certain areas while underperforming in others. We consider the overall picture for ranking."
John explained that poor links are disregarded and that those sites rank well because they perform certain aspects exceptionally.
Ranking Factors Supporting Sites with Spammy Links
John Mueller mentioned the ranking factors that allow sites using link spamming to rank well:
"For example, a site might engage in egregious keyword stuffing, but their business is outstanding, and people enjoy visiting it. They receive a lot of positive signals, justifying their top position despite the keyword stuffing."
- The business quality is exceptional
- Data indicates users like visiting the site
- Users respond positively to the site ranking highly in search results
- There are numerous positive signals
These signals, which influence rankings, relate to user interactions with search results and user expectations. Mueller suggests that users themselves contribute some of the ranking signals for sites engaged in spammy link building.
Mueller explained Google’s method for disregarding bad links:
"Our algorithms often identify and ignore problematic links. We particularly do this concerning links where, if we recognize something odd, we focus instead on positive signals for ranking."
"…we aim to view the broader context in search to better assess relevance."
Bad Links and Competitor Research
The key takeaway is that backlinks are not always the reason for a site’s ranking. Some believe in mimicking competitor link-building strategies to compete, but that isn’t always necessary, especially if those links are spammy.
Such misleading evidence is known as a Red Herring, a device used to mislead by creating a false culprit which diverts attention from the real cause.
This situation is common in competitive research. It’s advisable not to halt competitor analysis at spammy backlinks; instead, delve deeper to uncover the true reason behind a site’s ranking.
Understanding why a competitor ranks well is the essence of competitor research, after all.
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