What to Do When You Are Given a Google Penalty?

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Previously, I defined Google Penalty. This time, I will take to the steps on what to do when received a penalty from Google. The important thing is here is that you will be able to correctly address the issue at hand. So, continue reading if you wish to know the about most common problems when it comes to Google penalties.

red stop sign

What to Do Now? 

First, check your Google Search Console account and see you have gotten a manual penalty. If you have, then start the resolution process immediately. Once you have dealt with it, you can now ask Google to re-index your website. Hopefully, resolving the problem can reverse the damage.

In this process of finding a fix, it is crucial to address the correctly. Pretty sure that there are comprehensive guides you can read online. Below, I have only listed the typical problems that a website encounters.

What are the common causes?

  • Inferior Content:
    • The most common would probably be content issues. If you want this resolved, then get rid of any content that has NO value. Always asses if your content is useful to the users. Google values value. For your website to have better rankings, fix your content and provide a more helpful information to your audience.
  • Free Hosting:
    • The thing with subscribing to a free host is that you are exposing your website to a lot of unwanted ads. Rather than risking your website to advertisements you have no control of, I think it is wiser to go for a paid hosting service. For sure, it will save you from all the trouble.
  • Keyword Stuffing:
    • If you mention specific keywords too many times, this will not give you higher rankings because Google can clearly tell that this is a blatant attempt of keyword stuffing. Keywords are supposed to be a natural part of your article, and you should NOT just add them to boost your rankings.
  • Virus Spreading:
    • If your website spreads any malware or spyware viruses, then Google will do something about it. It’s always a huge NO to be infecting your web visitors with unwanted files and viruses on their computers. If you suspect your website is infected, clean it up immediately.
  • Content Plagiarism:
    • If you plan to copy someone else’s work, do not. If you are guilty of outright copying a copyrighted material, expect a penalty from Google. There are content duplication tools you can use like Copyscape. So, remember to write your own thoughts and never copy because Google is always ready to strike.

Remember: You CANNOT always blame the Google penalties for any decrease in rankings. 

If your website plunges in the SERPs, it could be possible that it’s NOT because of any penalties from Google. There is also a huge chance that your competitors are developing better SEO efforts. You know, their content could be new and updated. Perhaps, they also were able to catch up with the latest algorithm updates while you haven’t yet.

So, always aim to create and publish the best content you can. Of course, promoting it also needs to be part of the plan. This way, you are definitely sure that you will maintain your current standings. If you notice any decline, always go back to the basics. Carefully take a step back and analyze where it all went wrong. Most of all, let the Google’s Webmasters Guidelines be your guide.