Google backlinks gone missng

[Lingua21]

Hi all,

As it has already been mentioned on here, getting Google backlinks isn't an exact science.

I also know that a fair percentage of people (who know what they are talking about) will say that trying to get Google backlinks on forums is a bit of a wasted effort and should focus on more trusted methods.

I'm now starting to think that link building on forums is a bit of a minefield!

Not that long ago I checked in Google Webmaster's Tools and discovered that I had 7 GBLs from this forum. Since then, I changed my signature from having just the one link to my website to having 3 links pointing to 3 different pages on my web site. This meant that all of my previous posts where updated.

Tonight, when I checked Google Webmaster's tools I found that I now only have one GBL from this forum. I don't think that this was a fluke as I foolishly did the same sort of thing on another forum and got the same result.

For the record Yahoo doesn't seem to give a monkeys.

I have now gone back to having one link in my sig and I will let you know how I get on. I suppose also that some of my old posts could still be affected by other people assigning new or extended link banks to their sigs.

My most reliable forum links have come from an SEO forum where you are only allowed one link per sig and one link per thread.

It would be interesting to know what other people's views are on this matter. BTW the main reason I come on here is to exchange knowledge and opinions as well as to stick my neck out on the block (from time to time).

Cheers - Mike Dove

[Eagle]

Interesting...

[RedEvo]

Try this instead.

d

[Lingua21]

Thanks Eagle,

Obviously, the vast majority of people like to put up links in their sig.s to advertise their products or services.

For forum link building, maybe the best solution is to have no link in your sig. at all, especially if you consider yourself to be a bit of an authority on the subject. Then you can use the tried and tested method of creating a bit of intrigue in your post and putting in a paragraph something like 'then read this anchor text article' surrounded by a few more juicy keywords.. Then the link can point to a related interesting article that you have created on your own website blog.

Another trick could be to produce a keyword stuffed boring thread that hardly anyone would want to reply to so that only a few links get generated on that page, but I don't really recommend this one.

Cheers - Mike Dove

(Now you see it, now you don't!)

[Lingua21]

Try this instead.

d

Thanks RedEvo,

You have kindly demonstrated that one to me on this forum before. A lot of links in that list are quite worthless in the eyes of Google, but then again some are worth more than others.

As you know, the only way to determine all of your actual Google backlinks is to get your website verified by Google in Google Webmasters Tools.

Cheers - Mike Dove

P.S. Maybe it would have been more worthwile using your site as a demonstration. It is far more interesting than mine by a long chalk! That's providing you have a couple of weeks to go through it all.

[wood1e]

I wouldn't worry about what links Google shows, they never show all of them. And they certainly don't tell anyone why/what or how they do such things.

One of the reasons for this is that, by showing all back links will give more clues as to how they operate, and they will never do that.

So even if they are not showing the back links, they could still have taken note of it.

[Lingua21]

I wouldn't worry about what links Google shows etc.

Thanks Wood1e.

That's an interesting take. I know this to be true when you use the link command.

Do you think that your idea also applies to what you see in Google Webmaster tools where you are supposed to get to feast your eyes on the full monty?

Cheers - Mike Dove

[LOS Design UK]

Try this instead.

d

Top banana...Love Site Exp and use it much more the the belly of the beasts WM tools.

Regards
Daren

PS, Dave, another gem on your blog mate...keep em coming ,make me laugh every time. Can't you write them more often

[Lingua21]

Top banana...Love Site Exp and use it much more the the belly of the beasts WM tools.

Thanks LOSdesignUK,

I agree that site explorer is neat for checking out your competitors' links but surely WM tools gives a better idea about your own Google situation or have I been misinformed?

I'm only an experimenting DYI enthusiast and would love to know more!

Cheers - Mike Dove

[wood1e]

Do you think that your idea also applies to what you see in Google Webmaster tools where you are supposed to get to feast your eyes on the full monty?

Cheers - Mike Dove

Yes

I always use Yahoo, for link looking. Google gives nothing.