2 replies to this topic

[snap]

Hi, i need some help.. I have a site (actually several) that was ranking well for all keywords and about 3-4 weeks ago they were sent to the 5th thru 7th pages. Even when you search for the domain name, it's on page 7. Every search shows on 5-7..
I'm not banned, but must have some type of penalty or filter issue.
Since then i have changed the content to be sure it's unique, removed links and getting ready to rebuild the whole thing over again.
Has anyone seen or heard of this before? Is there a certain time period i have to wait after changes are made?

Also - webmaster tools shows 'no problems to report'. And is still crawling the site maps daily..
any advice?

[keyon]

Yeah, I lost about 80 percent of my Google search traffic in one day. I think it happened around middle of September. This was a fairly established site with steady search traffic over the last three years, and then one day it was all over. I've kind of been going in circles trying to decipher what exactly happened -- whether the problem stems from a change in Google's algorithm filter or whether there was actually a manual intervention. I've asked a lot of people about how to determine the difference, and if that difference should dictate how I respond to the problem. Unfortunately, there's not much consensus on the issue. I get a different answer every time I ask.

The big question in all of this is whether it's prudent to submit a "request for reconsideration" in GWT. Most people tell me this is a bad idea -- that is, a bad idea IF your site lost traffic due an algorithm filter. The idea here is that you really don't want to bring your site to the attention of a real Google person if you can help it, for fear that Google might uncover something objectionable that they otherwise wouldn't have noticed.

However, if your site lost traffic because of a "manual penalty" -- meaning a real Google person has already looked at your site, then most people tell me the only way to remedy things is to correct whatever problem Google didn't like about your site (which is a guessing game at best), and then submit the request.

Some will tell you to look at the specific wording in Google's reply to that request (which can take 3-6 weeks), to help determine whether the problem is in fact a manual penalty or simply a loss due to Google's algorithm. I've sent two requests to Google so far, and the responses I've got back certainly do not help me determine which kind of penalty I've incurred.

[Mikl]

The big question in all of this is whether it's prudent to submit a "request for reconsideration" in GWT. Most people tell me this is a bad idea -- that is, a bad idea IF your site lost traffic due an algorithm filter. The idea here is that you really don't want to bring your site to the attention of a real Google person if you can help it, for fear that Google might uncover something objectionable that they otherwise wouldn't have noticed.

Provided you're not doing anything underhand or trying to deceive the search engines in some way, you should have nothing to fear from a real Google person looking at your site.

That said, my understanding is that any form of manual intervention won't nececessarily have an immediate effect on your site. Rather, it will provide Google with information that might help them tweak their algorithms.

My suggestion would be to first make completely sure that your site conforms to the Google guidelines, and then go ahead with the reconsideration request.