For some months now we have been hounded, pestered and abused by a Paolo representing ALPINE-CONNECTION.COM, requesting a link removal from one of our publications.
The first very noticeable feature of his email is the title:
Google Penalty: urgent action requested
Yes, it is quite alarming and suggests that the receiver will be penalized by Google unless action is taken. Nothing could be further from the truth.
Link Removal
Firstly, yes we will remove links from our publications, but we charge to do so.
As we explain on the Link Removal page: When we are asked why is there a ‘cost’ to remove a listing? we explain… the listing removal fee covers the costs incurred by the listing which include application review time, server costs, approval activation and emails and finally, removal time costs.
Our operating terms for over 15 years have been to offer a free listing in return for a back-link. While hundreds have never returned the favour (back-link) we have happily listed and linked to them. When Google introduced PENGUIN, and penalized web sites for many reasons including bad backlinks, many webmasters immediately panicked and requested the removal of ALL backlinks.
Sadly, that was their second big mistake. Not all back-links were bad, in fact many of their back-links were the reason they had enjoyed ranking success up until then, but no, because they had read that some back-links were bad and affecting their search engine rankings, the dumb ones (like Paolo) went on a crusade to have all their back-links removed.
Not that we need to justify our costs, if we are going to spend time (removing the link), then we should be compensated for the time. We are positive, you do not work for nothing, so please do not expect us to!
Having said that, if the company did not want to pay for the link removal, then the alternate method was to use Google Disavow Tool which does not cost anything.
But not Paolo, no, he maintained an email crusade.
Below, I have included two of the typical emails they send.
- What is interesting is they never respond or reply to any of our emails.
- They have even sent emails to our data-centre*
* We lease our own server, so we are self-hosted. If anyone complains about us to our host, we are the host so they are complaining direct to us. Innocently, Paolo’s email spooked our data centre who subsequently emailed us requesting we remove the link. They apologized after I explained the situation.
Subject: Google Penalty: urgent action requested
Name: Paolo
Email: info@alpine-connection.com
Hi, I work for the company: ALPINE-CONNECTION.COMOur site has been penalized by Google because of a handful of backlinkspointing to our site (we have lost 80% of our traffic). I have opened aline of communication with their WebSpam team and am working to clear thepenalty.HOW THIS AFFECTS YOU?We have isolated the backlinks causing the penalty which we need to haveremoved, ONE is from your site and I need to get that link taken down assoon as possible.Heres the thing…In order to get out of the penalty they have asked me to submit to them allthe paid or unnatural links which are currently pointing to our site and inthe next 5 days I will be submitting to them this list and unfortunatelyyour site is included. HOW TO AVOID NEGATIVE ACTION FROM GOOGLEIf you can take the links down to WWW.ALPINE-CONNECTION.COM then of courseI will be able to leave your site off that list. I really don’t want to be the cause of a penalty to you, nor report anyoneelse’s website to Google hence I’m reaching
out to you now, and if you canget that link taken down as soon as possible then of course I won’t includeyour site when I report back to them!Where Exactly Are These Links Which Need Removing?The links on the page that link back to us arehttp://www.spiderfruit.com.au/travel/Hotels/ I hope you understand the position we find ourselves in, we trulyappreciate your assistance in the past for including the link to us andwould really appreciate it now if you can take the link down!If you want to talk this through please get in touch. Kindest RegardsPaolohttp://www.ALPINE-CONNECTION.COMinfo@alpine-connection.com
Subject: Google Penalty: urgent action requested
Hi,
I work for the company: ALPINE-CONNECTION.COM
Our site has been penalized by Google because of a handful of back links
pointing to our site (we have lost 80% of our traffic). I have opened a
line of communication with their WebSpam team and am working to clear the
penalty.
HOW THIS AFFECTS YOU?
We have isolated the back links causing our penalty which we need to have
removed, ONE is from your site and I need to get that link taken down asap.
Heres the thing…
In order to get out of the penalty they have asked me to submit to them all
the paid or unnatural links which are currently pointing to our site and in
the next 5 days I will be submitting to them this list and unfortunately
your site is included.
HOW TO AVOID NEGATIVE ACTION FROM GOOGLE
If you can take the links down to: WWW.ALPINE-CONNECTION.COM then of course
I will be able to leave your site off that list.
I really don’t want to be the cause of a penalty to you, nor report anyone
else’s website to Google
hence I’m reaching out to you now, and if you can
get that link taken down ASAP then of course I won’t include your site when
I report back to them!
Where Exactly Are These Links Which Need Removing?
Specifically the links on the following page which link back to us are
located here:
I really hope you understand the position we find ourselves in, we truly
appreciate your assistance in the past for including the link to us and
would really appreciate it now if you can take the link down!
If you want to chat this through please get in touch.
Kindest Regards
Paolo
http://www.ALPINE-CONNECTION.COM
Solution
Simple Paolo, go to our Link Removal page, pay and it will be removed within 24 hours.
Other Link Removal Requests
- Ian Jones – parking4less.co.uk
- Alban Loriot – globalsurance.com
- Tom Williams – mascus.co.uk
- linkremovalhelp.com – watergallery.net
- Office Reality – officereality.co.uk
- Andrew – carparts-uk.com
- Dave Davies – dtstone.co.uk
- London Moves – london-moves.co.uk
- 4CS Diamonds – 4csdiamonds.com
After-Thought
In reality, what I didn’t say above is that all of these companies who have requested a link removal but not prepared to pay for it are TIGHT WADS.
They enjoyed a free listing! In some cases for over 10 years of free back-linking, free real-time traffic and free content updates. Even if one of our sites has been devalued by Google, and that the link was affecting a sites ranking, that still does not justify free.
Our directories are edited by humans, quality content, quality links and quality traffic. In one particular web site, highly ranked by Google as an authority web site and yet, webmasters requested their links be removed believing ALL links are bad. Why should we do it for free?
Many of the replies we sent advising about the Link Removal cost were replied to with disbelief that we would charge a fee. Some replied quite incredulously, asking if we were joking.
Here Come to Whingers
Yes, I highly expect there to be people sympathetic for the TIGHT WADS.. all I will say is, if you don’t want to pay, then use the Disavow Tool