Google’s John Mueller provided insightful guidance to web publishers on recovering from a manual penalty. He pointed out two common errors publishers make and shared how to submit a successful reconsideration request.
Two Reasons Why Reconsideration Requests Fail
John Mueller suggested two reasons why reconsideration requests fail:
- Inability to see the problem
- Failure to solve all problems
Takeaway 1: Inability to Identify Site Problems
It is often difficult to recognize issues with a site. Being deeply involved with a website makes it harder to pinpoint its flaws. It’s similar to selling your trusty car; the imperfections you downplay are obvious to potential buyers. The same applies when trying to fix site issues.
John Mueller’s Solution to Quality Issue Blindness
John Mueller recommends getting a second opinion. A site owner with a penalized site asked:
“My website has been penalized by Google and I requested a review a third time and still not recovered. I disallowed more than 90% of my website links. What else can I do?”
Google’s John Mueller answered:
“If you’ve already done three reconsideration requests and keep disavowing a bit more each time, there might be significant problems you’re not seeing yourself. I would definitely try to get advice from peers, those who’ve faced similar situations, to ensure your next reconsideration request is thoroughly covered.”
How to Ask for Help with Penalties
There are several good places to seek help with site issues. John Mueller suggests using their Webmaster Help Forums, though many top Internet Marketing experts frequent other forums and groups. Discretion is advised when asking questions, as publicly sharing problems could inform competitors. Instead, find private forums or engage professional services for a site audit.
Takeaway 2: Failure to Solve all Issues
Having conducted site audits for penalized sites since search engines began penalizing, it’s clear that resolving every issue, even minor ones, is crucial. A successful reconsideration request must be thorough, addressing both on-page and off-page factors for the best chance of penalty removal.
John Mueller stated:
“When the web spam team sees reconsideration requests for the same issue repeatedly, they might think you’re not willing to fully address the problem. It’s essential to avoid this. With manual actions from the web spam team, remember that someone will review it manually. They won’t be convinced by minor updates to a disavow file if significant issues persist.”
Seek advice from those with similar experiences, and ensure the next reconsideration request is comprehensive for the best chances of success.
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