Google Filters and Avoiding their Screens - What are Some of the Alleged Filters?
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There are a number of filters and dampening effects that are noticeable by SEOs. They range from the well-known sandbox effect to the so-called over optimization filter. The following list is by no means comprehensive and doesn't include every alleged filter. Note as well, that the alleged filters mentioned are purely speculative. Our main purpose is to show the widespread possibility of filtering and dampening that may result in penalties.
While many SEO experts disagree as to whether any, some, or all of the alleged filter actually exist, it makes good sense to be aware of them. Avoidance of their potential triggers goes a long way toward prevention of possible problems. In fact, many of the techniques that avoid being trapped by a filter, are also good methods of gaining higher search engine rankings. They provide what amounts to a double benefit.
Let's consider some of the alleged filters, one at a time, along with some possible methods of avoiding them.
Possible Link Related Filters
One fairly well-documented filter involves the use of identical link anchor text on all of your site's incoming links. Many SEO professionals have noticed that the use of the same anchor text raises some red flags, that all of the links are not naturally created. The same link text might be signs of link manipulation for the purposes of higher Google PageRank and link popularity.
An easy solution, to the possible identical anchor text filter is to mix up your link text wording. The use of somewhat different keywords, and perhaps even your site title, will bypass that problem entirely. By using no more than a maximum 80% of your regular link text, and at least 20% alternative text, the filter will be avoided.
Potentially, the variety of anchor text wording could provide benefits. The different texts will show a wider range of incoming links, and that could show up well in your backlink totals and search rankings.
There is some evidence that links.htm pages -- which place virtually all of a site's outgoing links on a page labeled in that manner -- triggers a filter. Many website owners have seen their links.htm pages not given credit either for their own PageRank, or PageRank and backlink credit for their linking partners. Other webmasters have seen no such lack of link credit.
To overcome even the possibility of being caught by a links.htm filter, simply name your links something else entirely. In fact, don't use the word links at all. Another idea that might work for you is to split links up by themes and place them over several pages. Writing a brief description of each link and how it is themed to your site might also prevent tripping off the possible filter.
There is concern that reciprocal links may invite a Google filter. There is some evidence that reciprocal link pages may be discounted, but that may be a side effect of the possible links.htm filter as well. Blogs contain many reciprocal links, but seem to have suffered no ill effects, either in backlink totals or in PageRank loss.
One method to combat the possible reciprocal link filter may be to maintain a positive ratio of incoming one-way links. Blogs use that technique without thinking about their heavy tendency to link to one another constantly.
Many observers have noticed a cross linking filter resulting from cross linking together too many sites from the same server and especially from the same c level block. A c level block is the part of a website address in the third section. Example: 123.123.xxx.123 xxx = c level There is some belief that the threshold trigger for that filter is about 20 linked sites.
To avoid this potential filter, it is a good idea to avoid reciprocal cross linking of many of the same hosted websites. A good method is to triangular link them A to B and B to C with C back to A. Do not use any other combinations as they could trip off a filter in the algorithm. Being careful with cross linking should avoid any such problems.
Next: Potential Multiple Cause Filters >>
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