February 26th: PBN Apocalypse

[MoneyValue]

We are all aware of Google's frequent updates in the past few months, but I believe the update on Feb 26th deserves its own attention.

I've been in talks with several other SEOers that have experienced a manual penalty for "unnatural links" on Feb 26.

It's hard to know what sparked the mass penalties, but it is safe to say that Google has made a targeted effort to go after websites utilizing PBNs.

I have a website that is over 3 years old. Tons of content (very high quality), and had many great natural editorial links, but did also receive PBN links. The site was growing in traffic and revenue, month after month. We're talking about a site that makes $xx,xxx per month, so it wasn't set up to be a fly-by.

Either way, Google decided to bring it down due to use of PBNs, and has done the same to others in the forum.

I'm also not ignorant to the fact that not everyone who uses PBNs was hit. Heck, I have two other websites that have been using the same PBNs, and those are not penalized at the moment. Even more so, I know of two other websites, that pull in 500k+ organic visitors per month across their keywords, that are ranked solely due to the owner's own PBN.

If you've been hit on that day, please share what you think it may be.

I also don't believe any of us should mention any specific PBN sellers, since this seems to be a move by Google against the tactic as a whole, and ultimately, we all know the risks of using anyone's PBNs.

 

[jamie3000]

Out of interest what was the quality of the pbns like? As in content/design etc.

 

[Heiko]

Are you sure its Feb 26th? Big downfall on the 20th here
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KW 1 :

KW 2 :

KW 3 :

KW 4 :

 

[MoneyValue]

Out of interest what was the quality of the pbns like? As in content/design etc.

Over the years, it has been a mix & match in terms of quality.

I've had the chance to comb through ALL my backlinks (via GWT), in the last two days. For the most part, I've noticed that the only live PBN links I have are from early 2018 (about 40-50), which were of lower quality in terms of content and design. But then I did purchase a bunch recently, half of them being of great quality, where the sites look legitimate, and the content is unique, and the PBN provider attempts to intertwine the client post to the site's topic. And for the other half, it was also unique content, with a decent design.

Anyhow, I am currently getting ALL my links removed from the recent PBN providers. I have also disvowed the vast majority of the PBN links from early 2018 that are still standing. Particularly the ones where the domain has barely any strength, and ones that use keyword rich anchors.

I intend to submit for a re-consideration later tonight. From what I can gather, I have probably removed 90% of the PBNs linking to me.

Are you sure its Feb 26th? Big downfall on the 20th here

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Thanks for participating.

That's good that you noted the discrepancy in date. This could also very well mean that there are more mass penalties in store in the coming weeks.

Have you begun the steps to file for a re-consideration?

 

[Heiko]

Thanks for participating.

That's good that you noted the discrepancy in date. This could also very well mean that there are more mass penalties in store in the coming weeks.

Have you begun the steps to file for a re-consideration?

I haven't done anything yet but wait and monitor the rankings, yesterday 1 keyword jumped back to position #3 and then back up again to #70. So its pretty weird actually. Im not sure if its a penalty or just a strange Google dance

 

[MoneyValue]

I haven't done anything yet but wait and monitor the rankings, yesterday 1 keyword jumped back to position #3 and then back up again to #70. So its pretty weird actually. Im not sure if its a penalty or just a strange Google dance

So then I take it that you haven't received anything in your GWT?

 

[janist]

How's your anchor profile? Lots of exact match anchors in comparison to branded and branded + phrase/partial match anchors?

 

[MoneyValue]

How's your anchor profile? Lots of exact match anchors in comparison to branded and branded + phrase/partial match anchors?

50% is generic, brand and naked. 25% are page titles. 25% are partial match phrases (with each phrase being unique from the next)

 

[blinggam]

I had 2 sites hit, but neither has a manual penalty. They both dropped -20-30.

There is always risk involved with buying public networks. None of my PBN domains have been deindexed, so I don’t think this has anything to do with PBNs.

I’m not sure how long you’ve been into SEO, but when entire networks are penalized, Google nearly always sends unnatural links penalties automatically to people who had links from the penalized network.

This has been happening for many years, it’s nothing new. The odds of them manually reviewing every site on any given network is about 0%. You probably got an automated unnatural links penalty.

But this was the first update in years than has affected my 2 sites.

I’ve looked through a ton of data and I see nothing besides brands got a boost and PMDs were impacted the most.

 

[itz_styx]

you probably just bought PBN services which arent real PBNs but link farms and google already hated those +15 years ago..
just dont take the easy way out and be lazy, but build your own PBNs then you wont get panalties for "unnatural links". i never got that message and i promote sites with xrumer lol
its only when you buy links that you get this msg it seems.

 

[MoneyValue]

I had 2 sites hit, but neither has a manual penalty. They both dropped -20-30.

There is always risk involved with buying public networks. None of my PBN domains have been deindexed, so I don’t think this has anything to do with PBNs.

I’m not sure how long you’ve been into SEO, but when entire networks are penalized, Google nearly always sends unnatural links penalties automatically to people who had links from the penalized network.

This has been happening for many years, it’s nothing new. The odds of them manually reviewing every site on any given network is about 0%. You probably got an automated unnatural links penalty.

But this was the first update in years than has affected my 2 sites.

I’ve looked through a ton of data and I see nothing besides brands got a boost and PMDs were impacted the most.

Over the years, I've seen PBNs that I am part of, go through mass-deindexation. But this is the first time that I've received a manual penalty along with it. In addition, this wasn't a matter of a single network getting flagged, but multiple networks being flagged since I've spoken with people who have brought from all different sellers.

 

[blinggam]

Over the years, I've seen PBNs that I am part of, go through mass-deindexation. But this is the first time that I've received a manual penalty along with it. In addition, this wasn't a matter of a single network getting flagged, but multiple networks being flagged since I've spoken with people who have brought from all different sellers.

I mean you can say that, but you have provided no evidence of that being the case.

And what do you mean by “flagged”? Networks were deindexed? Or not?

If this was a PBN update, I would expect my networks to be deindexed, or flagged. I have sites with links from the same domains on my network that didn’t drop at all.

This is why it’s never a good idea to buy public networks.

FYI - Google doesn’t always do automated manual penalties with network deindexing. Except in cases where they’re really pissed off at a particular network. So... it looks like whoever you purchased from really pissed off Google.

 

[lifehero]

i got hit pretty hard around the 15th and around the 20th of feb. lots of my pages flew back to 8th and 9th pages. High quality pbns mixed with high quality links

 

[blinggam]

you probably just bought PBN services which arent real PBNs but link farms and google already hated those +15 years ago..
just dont take the easy way out and be lazy, but build your own PBNs then you wont get panalties for "unnatural links". i never got that message and i promote sites with xrumer lol
its only when you buy links that you get this msg it seems.

Yea pretty much... I haven’t gotten a manual penalty in 6 years, even my cloaked spam sites don’t get manual penalties.

Google really doesn’t even hand out manual penalties anymore. That’s why I’m 90% sure this guy got hit with an automated network flag penalty. When Google gets really pissed off at a network, they have in the past sent manual actions to all sites with links from that network.

 

[Webbers UX]

And if you're thinking of creating your own PBN, might want to spend that money on some fresh chocolate milk instead - found this gem today

 

[mhtro]

And if you're thinking of creating your own PBN, might want to spend that money on some fresh chocolate milk instead - found this gem today

https://imageshack.com/i/pljLfKa5p

They better provide some high class blowjobs with those

 

[terrycody]

Im not sure if its a penalty or just a strange Google dance

What's your sites language btw? English or Germany?

 

[patriotnews]

They better provide some high class blowjobs with those

Shoot, I charge just about that much to set-up 2 PBN sites, but I also find the domain AND put up a bit more content, but for a decent PBN that is 100% untraceable it is worth it.

 

[Ali008]

Shoot, I charge just about that much to set-up 2 PBN sites, but I also find the domain AND put up a bit more content, but for a decent PBN that is 100% untraceable it is worth it.

You must be in a competitive niche.

Interesting thread, I'm just now setting up some PBNs so good tips!

 

[patriotnews]

You must be in a competitive niche.

Interesting thread, I'm just now setting up some PBNs so good tips!

I am not currently using PBN links for my own sites, I build PBNs for others and charge that amount.
I am in competitive niches, but handle things differently for my own sites at this point.