Questions to guys that have experience with Private Blog Network

grax1

Hi, I know it's forum dedicated to SER but it has become SEO forum as well so I thought it isn't so bad to ask a couple of pbn-related questions here. I'm building private blog network and since I'm not so experienced in this area, I'd like to ask some more advanced guys, so: 

1. If I find a dropped domain with existing backlink profile - mainly directories - that isn't indexed in Google, does that mean that the domain has been deindexed or are there chance that the site is ok in G's database ? I've found a few nice sites but after site:domain.com it isn't in G so not quite sure what to do.

2. Do you go for domains that have backlinks from directories when the anchor text is ok, I mean not ideal, but no hardly spammed, but the backlinks are from directories and lists where there is a page and each site gets a link and short description - domains aren't related.

3. Do you think a site that has contextual link from nytimes.com, PA 50+ and 1 other link and no other backlinks is valuable ? I'm not sure if it's worth to grab this one for registration fees or is this 1 backlinks not enough to make it at least good domain for pbn ? I know it's nytimes but it has 2 backlinks and that's it. What would you do ?

4. Do you buy domains for pbn that has side bar backlinks ? I'm not sure it it's ok, I know G said it's not good backlink, but it's tier 2 and I'm not quite sure if it's ok to grab that kind of sites or do you guys buy only ones that have contextual backlinks ?

gooner

Hi @grax1,

I'm just heading out, so let me try and answer briefly.

1) Don't buy it, if it's de-indexed it's worthless

2, 3 and 4) You have to make an overall judgement based on the backlink profile. Check link loss. If the still live links are responsible for the PA/DA then all good. But if it seems that some now lost links are responsible then better to avoid. It's a judgement call. It's not always easy to get right, but remember if you buy the site and it loses some authority you can build links with SER and boost it back up.

grax1

Thanks for answers @gooner !by the way, how do you deal with dead pages that expired domain has and if those pages has some backlinks, I mean the dropped domain had some deep links when it was life and if the dead pages has some backlinks and it won't be 301 to homepage or some live page then it's wasted link. I was looking for some ways to 301 all dead pages to homepage but can't find any appropriate plugin/way. I'm curios, how do you deal with this issue?

gooner

No probs mate. I use digi link doctor plugin.
I think i had to buy it, but if you search around you'll probably find a free alternative.

grax1

I'll definitely take a look at this plugin!

By the way @gooner and other guys as well, do you protect your PBN's from competitors that could see them using opensiteexplorer, agres, majesticseo and other similar services?

I have a niche I would like to rank a few sites in using PBN but I'd like to keep all the PBN domains hiden so that competitors couldn't see them - I just know they could use it in way I don't want them to.

Now, there are 2 sides of doing this - from the one point of view this could be helpful to always stay ahead of competition and don't let them know what the exact method I use to get that top1 spot. From another point of view, this could leave a big footprint - but now, I don't know if there is a way the algorithm could detect that all backlinks pointing to my m$ block bots from services mentioned above and penalize me for this. Because if it would be possible only be human review then I wouldn't be afraid at all - this is too low comp to bother G's guys.

I would also need a way to block those bots on that PBN in an easy and quick way. I've found a paid solution - spyderspanker.com - does anyone of you guys know this plugin and uses it successfully ?

Also, what is your experience in hiding links from your own blog network?

grax1

@deNiro72 do you hide htaccess on all your PBN sites ? How about footprint if the answer is yes, do you think this can be somehow dangerous for PBN or only open blog networks that G really want to destroy should care