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Yesterday, Google posted a stern warning on the German Google Webmaster blog telling webmasters that you will be penalized for unnatural links.
Matt Cutts then Tweeted the same warning saying "A reminder (in German) that paid links that pass PageRank violate our guidelines." This comes the week after Google took action on a French link network, where Matt also dropped a hint on German link networks getting hit as well.
The question is when will German SEOs take notice of this? Which networks will this impact exactly? How much of an impact will this have on SEOs?
Former Googler, Pedro Dias tweeted that he thinks this is going to target "German Newspapers that sell links." But I am hearing from others that these are much larger than just newspapers, but massive link networks in Germany.
Anyway, as I said before, Google likes to issue warning after warning and then issue notices and then ranking impacts - why? To break their spirits.
Forum discussion at Twitter & Google+.
Image credit to BigStockPhoto for sledgehammer man
Comments:
PIero
02/04/2014 02:32 pm
What ist if i buy an article about my product in a blog with a nofollow link. The webmaster, after reading informations about my product, think "wow, that product is awesome, he pay for a article with nofollow link, but i like his product so much , so he become a dofollow link. It's natural?
Alexander Hemedinger
02/04/2014 02:42 pm
Why stop in the United States right? Make it fair game for everyone. =)
barbua
02/04/2014 03:14 pm
nothing is natural for google. even google unnatural themself!
Durant Imboden
02/04/2014 03:34 pm
No, it's a miracle. Still, if it happens, don't waste time: Ask for a refund before the Webmaster comes to his senses!
Spam Cutts
02/04/2014 04:10 pm
I can picture the phone call to Matt Cutts from G CEO each month, "Matt, SHOW ME THE MONEY!!" Best quote from Mr Cutts ever "Google Didn't Make Panda & Penguin to Force People to Buy Ads" http://searchenginewatch.com/article/2272712/Matt-Cutts-Google-Didnt-Make-Panda-Penguin-to-Force-People-to-Buy-Ads its just happened naturally lol
PIero
02/04/2014 04:35 pm
Ok, it was an extreme example.
Jithin.C
02/04/2014 04:50 pm
This guy Matt is really crazy.. He is gonna clean the whole internet!!!!
PM Fiorini
02/04/2014 06:26 pm
There goes GestapoLink...Bummer...
Juggernart
02/04/2014 06:30 pm
I frequently get requests from german SEO companies (some of them are big), if they can buy article links for their clients (some are big brands!) in one of my blogs. Each time I wonder if those guys are blind? It seems the more Google takes action the more those SEOs buy links.
Yo Mamma
02/04/2014 06:31 pm
Cutts (god bless the fool) should focus on India, China, Russia and Pakistan, where most spam comes from. But I know he won't do anything about India because most of his staff are living there with names like, Jim, Bob, MAry....
Yo Mamma
02/04/2014 06:33 pm
I guess the Jewishness of Google founders haven't yet forgiven those Germans.
Yo Mamma
02/04/2014 06:37 pm
Google Pay Per Click is the biggest joke. It has no intelligence what so ever. Say you want a hairless dog. Google Ads will list a dog business. No daymn it. I want a hairless dog. The dog business just lost $7 on a worthless click
James R. Halloran
02/05/2014 02:23 am
I like how Google is acting like the gas bill. First warning, second warning -- knock, knock -- we're here to shut it down. Sorry, we warned you.
lee
02/05/2014 03:23 am
your are 100% right just look at 2013 last Q Quarterly Earnings Summary and you will see how much money they make , so please don eny body think they "clean" the internet for surfers they clean us form our money so they will have it all Net cash provided by operating activities $5.239 Billion yes with a B for a full report check this link: http://investor.google.com/pdf/2013Q4_google_earnings_slides.pdf
Roman M
02/05/2014 12:30 pm
welt-der-links.de - hopefully a goner! Noticed that a lot of German SEOs still used to brag up until now how link schemes and networks would still work in German SERPs. And guess what, it really did...so hopefully now Google clears out these things of the past!
Andy
02/05/2014 04:50 pm
And Google made money, that's why they do it :)
barbua
02/05/2014 06:30 pm
when it will penalize spammers from google inc? such as matt cutts & co? google chrome, youtube, google own sites, sites of internet coalition spam, etc...
barbua
02/05/2014 06:32 pm
they need to target usa spammers.
barbua
02/05/2014 06:33 pm
they turned most of white haters into spammers. and i think it not will end.
barbua
02/05/2014 06:34 pm
looks him forgetting to take his vitamins to prevent such strange ideas what branding is cool and all world dreaming about it. Also strange ideas what site visitors care about backlinks.
barbua
02/05/2014 06:37 pm
panda and penguin was created to destroy lifes of small webmasters (who not understand what is happen) and to get their earning to google huge pockets. It real purpose of google pets.
SAM
02/10/2014 11:14 pm
Perhaps, day will come when somebody will develop plugin which will block google adwords/adesense advertisement with firefox and i.e. What we will call that update?