Google has recently introduced a new system to its Google Webmaster Tools panel, which allows you to see whether or not you have been flagged for using SEO techniques which are considered to be outside of Google's guidelines. One of the thinks that this system gives you is an unnatural links warning. If Google thinks that you have an unnatural link profile, you will be warned and told to remove the links if possible.

The search giant is penalizing webmasters who have a lot of duplicate content on their websites, and websites which have an unnatural link profile. During the early stages of the Penguin and Panda updates, many webmasters found their sites vanished out of the search results with no explanation. Even honest webmasters found themselves struggling in the SERPs. The good news is that Google is trying to be more transparent about what is, and is not, considered a violation of their policies.

Google has started warning webmasters if it detects that a website has an unnatural link profile. If you see one of those warnings in your dashboard, you should not panic. Consider the warning a blessing, an important piece of information that will help you to fix your website and get your site to re-appear near the top of the SERPS.

It is important to understand why you got this warning. If you email Google, they may even give you some more information. But do not expect them to hold your hand to try and get the penalty lifted.

Google understands that a lot of incoming links will be on websites that you do not control, and it has made provisions for this.

If you cannot remove all of the links that have been flagged as unnatural, then you can disavow those links. This means that the links will not be considered by Google's algorithm. You won't get any benefit from the links, but you won't get any penalties either. Once you have disavowed the bad links, you can submit a reconsideration request, and hopefully have your site reappear in a good position in the search results.