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We have noticed some strange rankings for a while that do not make any type of logical sense from an SEO standpoint. After an SEO review, it is found that these sites rank for top terms in very competitive markets for no clear reason. To demonstrate, here is research for one of the categories where this is taking place. Google for "Phoenix Computer Repair" Rank #1: www.datafast.net/phoenix-computer-repair.html Rank #2: www.mobiletechsupport.com Rank #4: www.mypctechs.com Linkscape Visualization and Comparison Report The first thing we run is a linkscape visualization and comparison report. Compare site #1 to #4 or site #2 to #4. In all instances, site #1 and site #2 are completely dominated by site #4. Visualizer stats, with higher ranking site #1 on the left. Lower ranking site #4 on right: | Overall Score | 29% | 53% |
| Page mozRank | 3.72 37% | 5.66 57% |
| Page mozTrust | 5.41 54% | 6.09 61% |
| External mozRank | 3.38 34% | 5.62 56% |
| Subdomain mozRank | 3.91 39% | 5.70 57% |
| Domains Linking | 11 12% | 74 29% |
| External Links | 10 0% | 17461 60% | ********Linkscape Report Next, running a linkscape report to evaluate inbound links for site #1 shows a collection of cheap profile spam links. There actually appear to be no high quality inbound links: ****http://fastw3b.net/forum/index.php?action=profile;u=3432;sa=summary TARGET: www.datafast.net/phoenix-computer-repair.html TITLE: View the profile of Phoenix12****Anchor Text: Computer Repair Phoenix URL Metrics mozRank: 0.00 mozTrust: 0.00 Passing: 1.59 domain Metrics (fastw3b.net) mozRank: 5.19 mozTrust: 5.05 http://djdriblemouth.com/Simple Machines Forum 1.1.11 blog/index.php?action=profile;u=1897;sa=summary TARGET: www.datafast.net/phoenix-computer-repair.html TITLE: View the profile of Phoenix59****Anchor Text: Computer Repair Phoenix URL Metrics mozRank: 0.00 mozTrust: 0.00 Passing: 1.56 domain Metrics (djdriblemouth.com) mozRank: 2.38 mozTrust: 2.59 http://www.bettingfc.com/forum/index.php?action=profile;u=1990;sa=summary TARGET: www.datafast.net/phoenix-computer-repair.html TITLE: View the profile of Phoenix59 ********Checking Page Text and Content Full evaluation of the top site #1 shows there's not much relevant content on the pages to warrant rank 1. Just a few bare pages with very little text. Site #2 does have a lot of on-page information, but still not enough useful information to justify rank #2 in this market. ********So, what's going on? How is site #1 without any good inbound link and very little page content and site #2 with little inbound links and low trust ranking above sites with tens of thousands more inbound links, sites with more content, and sites that dominate in every way with MOZRank. Is this some kind of black-hat SEO that is exploiting an unpublished weakness in Google? If so, what method is being used? Spammy profile links? The current site ranked #1 has been reported to Google as SPAM 3 times in the past. Every time it disappears from the top ranking for a few weeks, but is back again a short time later.