In the last few weeks, Google’s been on a rampage again trying to take down blog networks and clean up the search results. The last few weeks have been unique to say the least. Some of the biggest blog networks in existence have been hit hard, some de-indexed completely and others losing thousands of their high Page Rank domains.

So What Are Blog Networks?

Blog networks are as the name suggests, networks of blogs that are used to manipulate search engine rankings. Usually, each network consists of several hundred or thousand high Page Rank domains. As a member/subscriber of a network, you’re allowed to submit spun articles into the system for distribution.

Once you submit a spun article, “unique” variations are then distributed to dozens or even hundreds of blogs in the network. And of course, in each article that gets published, you get a link to your website.

Blog networks have been around for a long time and Google’s sudden actions may put an end to them once and for all.

People use blog networks because they’ve always been a sure fire way to gain top search engine rankings. The problem is most blog networks are barely monitored. Which means they accept spun garbage that makes no sense at all. So when the spun garbage that gets submitted ends up on page 1 of Google, the problem starts.

Google has been fighting off blog networks for a long time. You have to remember Google doesn’t want any unnatural link building full stop. If you do any SEO at all, you may have noticed a warning in Google Webmaster Tools about “unnatural links”.

Anyway, many webmasters rely on blog networks to get their top search engine rankings. Google just doesn’t want them around anymore and unfortunately, they are very easy to spot. Most blog networks are exactly the same. They have a wide set of categories, badly spun content and lots of the blogs are hosted on the same IP addresses.

So Who’s Been Affected?

First and foremost I’ll talk about Build My Rank. Build My Rank was always looked at as the premier blog network. The one blog network that would never get de-indexed because they didn’t accept spun content. BMR if you didn’t know, was a blog network that only accepted 100% unique content.

Every unique article you’d submit into their network would be published on just one of their high page rank domains. Just days ago they announced they were shutting down and refunding all members subscriptions because Google de-indexed a huge percentage of their network.

Another big network to be affected was Authority Link Network. ALN was another highly regarded network to lose several thousand domains overnight. Others…

1. ELN is gone.
2. Linkvana (Elite/SEOLinkvine, too)
4. I hear Blog Blueprint is gone.
5. High PR Society.
6. SEO Nitro gone.
7. Backlink Buddy gone.
8. SEO Link Monster gone.

What This Means?

It means Google is putting a stop to Black Hat SEO, or at least trying to. Blog networks were literally the go to source for link building for most SEO’s. Google’s deindexation rampage has caused many users to lose their rankings. It’s simple. When a backlink gets de-indexed, it no longer holds any value.

So if 5000 of your backlinks get de-indexed overnight, your rankings will tank. It’s already happened to countless people around the world and will continue to happen as more networks get de-indexed.

What To Do?

Honestly, I think black hat SEO is screwed. It’s always been screwed and anyone who tells you differently is just ignorant. The new SEO’s will see this as a slight hick up and continue to use blog networks. However after a while of being shat on by master Google, you’ll realise that its just not worth it.

You are in fact much better off sticking to the rules, being Google’s bitch and doing white hat SEO. As Google won’t stop fighting black hatters. Sure, you can continue to adapt to new changes and alter your black hat tactics. But ultimately Google wins and what Google says goes.

So here is my practical advice…

If you’ve been using blog networks, continue to use them. Keep using more of them. As one gets de-indexed, use another. If the blog networks you’ve been using have been de-indexed, consider removing your backlinks from the de-indexed pages and getting back your submitted content.

If Google keeps de-indexing blog networks, you may want to consider not using them. But let’s hope it doesn’t get to that point.

Next focus on more white hat SEO. Manually build web2.0 properties with 100% unique content, manually submit articles to high Page Rank article directories. Manually write and submit guest posts to the relevant blogs in your niche.

While at the same time, improve your spins. Write unique articles, manually spin them, make sure the variations read well and then mass distribute them… but slowly. That’s the way forward.

In Prosperity,

David Wood

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