Google ranks websites based on various components such as content quality, backlinks, and user experience. However, if you are receiving a google penalty, your website can take a massive hit in terms of traffic, visibility, and revenue. Google penalties come in two different forms: manual and algorithmic.
Manual Penalty
A manual penalty is issued when Google’s team determines that your website has violated its quality guidelines. This type of penalty requires direct intervention from Google staff, who manually investigate a website and determine if it is spammy or engages in questionable practices. When a manual penalty is levied, you will receive a direct notification via Google search console, outlining the reasoning behind the sentence and the steps required to fix the problem. Examples of puzzling practices resulting in manual forfeiture include link schemes, paid links, or thin and low-quality content.
Algorithmic Penalty
On the other hand, an algorithmic penalty is triggered by Google’s automated algorithms that continuously crawl and analyze the quality of websites and rank them accordingly. This type of penalty is triggered when a site fails to comply with one or more of Google’s algorithms. The algorithmic penalty is more challenging to diagnose and track because Google does not notify website owners of liability. A marketer must assess the website’s analytics data to identify where the sentence comes from.
Examples Of Manual And Algorithmic Penalties Specific To Google
Manual penalty examples in Google
- duplicate content
- cloaking
- hidden text
- link schemes
- keyword stuffing
- unnatural links
Algorithmic penalty examples in Google
- panda algorithm penalty
- penguin algorithm penalty
- hummingbird algorithm penalty
- top heavy algorithm penalty
- payday loan algorithm penalty
Manual Vs Algorithmic: Which Is Worse?
Both manual and algorithmic penalties can nuke your website’s visibility, and recovering from one or the other can take an immense amount of time and effort. Manual penalties are a little more severe because if you receive one, it indicates something dishonest or spammy with your website that Google has detected. Besides, manual penalties require time, resources, and a fair amount of hard work to recover from. An algorithmic penalty, on the other hand, results from the website failing to comply with Google’s algorithm requirements and does not indicate a case of deliberate spamming. Though algorithmic penalties are easier to recover from than manual penalties, they can do more damage with time.
How To Identify And Diagnose A Manual Or Algorithmic Penalty
If your website experiences a dramatic drop in traffic or search engine rankings, there’s a high chance penalty has hit you. Here are some ways to diagnose and determine the type of penalty that has impacted your website:
Manual penalty diagnosis
- check the Google search console for manual action messages
- check google analytics for a traffic drop
- manual review of the website and content reveals practices that violate Google quality guidelines
- drop in keyword positions
Algorithmic penalty diagnosis
- check google analytics for a traffic drop
- check the SERP ranking of essential keywords
- determine the date of drop
- check algorithm updates of Google at the time of decreasing traffic
Manual Penalty Recovery: Step-By-Step Guide On How To Reconsideration Request
Google penalizes websites for different reasons. When Google penalizes you with a manual penalty, there is still hope. The action required after a manual penalty is to send in a reconsideration request. Here are the steps you can follow to ensure your reconsideration request goes smoothly:
Step 1: identify the problem
You need to identify what went wrong to turn things around and reclaim your website’s visibility. Thoroughly analyze your website to determine what strategies go against Google’s policies.
Step 2: fix the problem
After identifying what went wrong, the next step is fixing the issues that caused the penalty. Remove all unwanted links and spammy content from your website.
Step3: prove you have fixed the issue
Update your website with high-quality and relevant content. Reassure Google that it will be worth reconsidering your website for indexing. You can provide evidence like the links and content you have removed or updated.
step 4: request reconsideration
Finally, with all the changes made to your website, you can put in your reconsideration request. If Google finds your reconsideration request satisfactory, you will receive a response indicating that the penalty has been lifted.
Algorithmic Penalty Recovery: How To Fix And Recover Rankings
Algorithmic penalties are a little more complicated to identify and recover from than manual penalties due to a lack of notification and clarity regarding the punishment. To recover from an algorithmic penalty, you should consider the following steps:
Step 1: identify the cause
The first step in recovering from an algorithmic penalty is identifying the reason for the correction. Knowing the reason for the sentence is crucial in being able to take specific corrective measures.
Step 2: make changes to your website
Once the reason for the penalty has been identified, you can begin to make the required changes to your website to rectify the problem.
Step 3: analyze and continuously monitor
Analyze your website to ensure the changes you have made are effective. Pay attention to any traffic and ranking changes. Continue to monitor your website to ensure similarly aligned issues do not arise in future.
step 4: request reconsideration
Unlike manual penalties, you do not need to file a reconsideration request if an algorithmic penalty has hit you. Instead, you must ensure that your website complies with Google’s guidelines and wait until the next search algorithm update.
Tools And Resources For Identifying And Recovering From Penalties
Several tools and resources are available to identify and recover from Google penalties. Some of these tools include:
- Google search console: provides a complete understanding of your website’s performance.
- ahrefs: helps to track and analyze your website’s link profile.
- semrush: helps track backlinks and the health of your website.
- Google analytics: tracks visitor data and provides insight into website traffic.
- Moz is a tool that offers a range of features for SEO and link building.
Preventing Penalties: Best Practices And Strategies
Preventing google penalties from occurring is the best approach to take when working with your website. Here are some best practices and strategies to stay on gGoogle’ssafe side: Follow Google’s guidelines consistently. Optimize your website for mobile devices. Regularly update your website content. Focus on creating high-quality and engaging content. Improve website load time. Keep an eye on your backlink profile. Avoid excessive usage of anchor text. Avoid hidden links and paid links. Remove duplicate or low-quality content.
Staying Ahead Of Google Penalties And Maintaining A Healthy Website
Google penalties can be frustrating, and the recovery process can be long and expensive. Both manual and algorithmic penalties can harm your website’s traffic and ranking. Knowing the difference between manual and algorithmic penalties can help you determine the best approach. Preventing penalties through best practices and strategies is one step towards maintaining a healthy website. If your website experiences a penalty, diagnosing and identifying the penalty is the first step towards recovery. You can use the resources and tools available to diagnose and recover your website from any penalty. Ensure you adhere to Google’s guidelines and regularly monitor your website to avoid google penalties.