NOT the way to ask for link removal

I know this link removal thing is all the rage right now, but there's definately a right and a wrong way of doing it.

I got this email this morning

Dear Fellow Site Owner:

It has come to our attention that a number of links exist on your domain which are directed to our websitexxxxxxxxxx.com. We have determined that these links may be harmful either to the future marketing and reputation of xxxxxxxxxx.com, or to our users.

Accordingly, we request that you (A) remove all existing links to xxxxxxxxxx.com from your domain, including, but not limited to the following URLs:

http://www.YYYYYYYYY.com/blog/tag/xxxxxxx/
http://www.YYYYYYYY.com/blog/tag/gggggggg/
http://www.YYYYYYYYY.com/blog/tag/kkkkkkk/

(B) Cease creation of any additional links to xxxxxxxxxx.com

(C) provide us with prompt notification once links to xxxxxxxxxx.com have been removed either by return email, or using the link below.

This request is being made because your domain may fit within one or more of the following categories: infected with malware; low quality site; paid link provider; manipulative link activity; link exchange networks; or simply not a good fit for xxxxxxxxxx.com.

Please note, we are currently penalized by Google for manipulative linking. If you do not remove these links, or at least add the "nofollow" tag to them, you may be penalized for linking to us. Removing these links helps your site and ours.


Sincerely,

XXXXX



Sending a request like this, trying to resemble a legal threat, and suggesting that I placed the links there of my own accord will get you nowhere. I'll simply ignore it. Or if you catch me in a real shitty mood I may even fire up XR or SB and throw a few hundred thousand more at you.

But if they ask nicely, use lots of pleases and thankyou's I'll probably take the 2 or 3 minutes to help a stranger.

it's not a threat in any way... it looks like an automated message to me

m4dm4n said:

it's not a threat in any way... it looks like an automated message to me

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I said resembling a legal threat it's the use of the words "cease" as in "cease and desist", "accordingly" "including, but not limited to" and "prompt notification" sound too much like legalese to me.

All I want is a couple of "please's" and "thankyou's" (and "please note" doesn't count)

Where are peoples manners these days - or am I just a cranky old fart ?

Ask them to provide the rules, esp the Law code, or else sue them for threatening unnecessarily. Linking isn't a crime. You are not even trespassing IMO. Btw, what does your lawyer friends say about it?

Does anyone else find it kind of disturbing that this is how Google thinks webmasters should spend their time?

letter looks tame if you ask me, not threatening at all. the alternative is they use googles new disavow and put ur site on google's radar. just take the links off and keep trucking

So they state may be one or more of these things:
infected with malware; low quality site; paid link provider; manipulative link activity; link exchange networks; or simply not a good fit for xxxxxxxxxx.com.

I would take offense too.
A simple "Hi could you remove these links please" sounds so much nicer. Their way is kind of insulting.

Amsterdammer said:

So they state may be one or more of these things:
infected with malware; low quality site; paid link provider; manipulative link activity; link exchange networks; or simply not a good fit for xxxxxxxxxx.com.

I would take offense too.
A simple "Hi could you remove these links please" sounds so much nicer. Their way is kind of insulting.

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I definitely agree.

No I don't think its a good way. No one is going to read it and removing the links after reading is quite impossible.

This is a total form letter. Someone got hit via panda/penguin and is now scrambling to get ride of all the links they blasted out. They website owner probably did a scrapebox blast or something like that and they don't have the time to email each site they threw a link on SO.....they blast out a form letter.

Thats my guess.

Expertpeon said:

Does anyone else find it kind of disturbing that this is how Google thinks webmasters should spend their time?

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I was thinking the same thing.^^^

i provide link removal and i might use this template, of course wit a few more please and thank yous

The guy probably haven't heard about the link disavow tool. If he does, he wouldn't even bother emailing you.

its not sounding threatening its just trying to sound threatening - this may work with fearful grannies :scared:

Thats a perfectly legitimate request.

Just like charging for your time to remove them is pefectly legitimate.

If someone has put links on my site, they have to pay if they want me to do the work to remove them.

Time is money.

MatthewWoodward said:

Thats a perfectly legitimate request.

Just like charging for your time to remove them is pefectly legitimate.

If someone has put links on my site, they have to pay if they want me to do the work to remove them.

Time is money.

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That sounds like a good business plan (if payment is a must).

Put up a company, surround it with awesome but fake reviews -- get a lot of clients. They all get hit. Put up another link deletion company and earn money (AGAIN).

I absolute agree with Matthew, as an Administrator of your website, you have every legal right to charge for services to remove said link.

It is not illegal in any way shape or form to post someone else's URL on your website; you may be violating their terms of conditions of their website by linking to them without permission (if it is specified) but all they can do is refuse service to you on their website, which isn't a big deal.

Just word them a letter as follows:

"Hello xxxxx,

The sharing of external URLs on my website is part of our User Terms & Conditions in which our Users may publish links via the Web 2.0 experience. This is important to our valued users and we choose to protect this right. If a link to your domain has been placed on our website unsolicited, it will have to be manually removed by the development team and website administrators. This is a physical cost, so we will have to bill you $xxx for the billable hours undertaken by our team members. According to your website's Terms of Use, I see no statement in legal context prohibiting users of your website from sharing URLs of your website onto Thirds party platforms or on platforms of ownership. This would mean that the user who shared the URL you have referenced was compliant with both of Website terms and conditions.*

Please let me know if you are willing to accept these charges for manual removal."

* Only include this if they actually have nothing in their ToS about URL sharing. Typically they would go similar to this:

"Our site must not be framed on any other site, nor may you create a link to any part of our site other than the home page. We reserve the right to withdraw linking permission without notice. The website from which you are linking must comply in all respects with the standards set out in these terms and conditions."

But yeah, there is nothing they can do unless you are violating some form of libel, breaking a contract etc in linking their external website. Unless your a Politician or Journalist where there are specific laws in regards to the Internet and what you can infer on others you can pretty much do whatever the fuck you want.

yep I agree with OP!! Fire up xrumer and give him hell!!! Or send him an email back saying its gonna cost ya Oooof!!!

did i read that right? they asked u to change to no follow ahahahah

It looks like some smart ass thought a mail like this would make you take action to remove those shitty links. And also wanna project that it's not their fault and is actually yours for having those links(treasure??). It may be a automated message, but it could've been a lot better.

partymarty4870 said:

or simply not a good fit for xxxxxxxxxx.com.

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And just for this particular statement you should gift them a nice SB or Senuke Blast.

OK - I've done a bit of research (and had 2 or 7 friday arvo beers) and now know that the sender of this email is from here. (or at least someone semi responsible for it is)


My blog in question was only ever part of the VIP network (remember the VIP network - thanks Schwagoo - was great until the idiots started selling it on fiverr)

Anyway thats the only way that anyone else ever got to post on it. It wasn't a comment. The links were in an article.