does new google like links pages?

[ubonline]

I have a links page on my site with a bunch of reciprocal links on it, and was wondering if this might be one of the "over-optimized" features the new google algo does not like.

I know that it seems that too many "non expert" backlinks and the accompanying "over optimized" anchor text either are penalized or just not given any relevance, but I'm wodnering if the links page iteself with lots of outbound links to the "non expert" pages might in itself be a red flag.

Anyone else notice this happen?

Kris

[Dan0]

Welcome to the forums, Kris! :hi:

I think Google still looks at pages individually, not entire sites at once. Those overloaded incoming links may not be helping you like they used to, but you're probably not suffering from linking out to other sites.

[ubonline]

Thanks, that's what I would assume, but I'm looking for any way to get back my ranking, mine dropped significantly, so there must be some reason - guess I'll keep looking.

Kris

[g1smd]

Sites that dropped mainly seem to have a lot of incoming links that all have the same keyword loaded anchor text.

[Johan]

No one can hurt your ranking linking from somewhere outside of your domain.

[ihelpyou]

Welcome to the forums ubonline! :hi:

You are no different than millions of us who lost ranks on main keyphrases. We have lots of posts in here regarding all of this.

Thanks, that's what I would assume, but I'm looking for any way to get back my ranking, mine dropped significantly, so there must be some reason - guess I'll keep looking.
We all are looking. :)

Anchor text on other sites has zero to do with it IMO.

[Dan0]

Originally posted by Johan
No one can hurt your ranking linking from somewhere outside of your domain.
That's certainly true, if you don't link back. If you link back, that might not be the case. Search engines sort of have to assume you had nothing to do with a one-way link, but with a link swap that's no longer true.

[Johan]

Yes thats true if YOU link to a band link farm site then its YOUR fault and you may loose out.

Anchor text on other sites has zero to do with it IMO. This should not be confused if taken out of context. You should hope that Anchor text on other sites will have a positive effect on ranking of the text contained in the anchor. But SE are getting even more clever - I see Inktomi is gathering information not from Anchor text but the BOLD text contained in the page of the referring site and I expect Google will do the same. So make your links from RELEVENT sites for future ranking.

[robertskelton]

Anchor text, surrounding text and even ALT tags of internal links are all being targeted. While it is true that you have no control over who links to your site, there are two factors that probably indicate you have caused the links to be there:

1) reciprocal link back to their site
2) the same anchor text happening repeatedly