1. What is a Pure Spam Manual Action?
Google defines “Pure Spam” as egregious manipulation of its search index. This involves practices that are deliberately harmful or deceptive to users and are in direct violation of Google’s Webmaster Guidelines. Unlike algorithmic penalties that are applied automatically based on Google’s algorithms, a manual action is applied by a human reviewer at Google. It signifies that the website has been reviewed and found to violate guidelines, warranting direct intervention.
2. What Are Some Reasons For a Pure Spam Manual Action?
Automatically Generated Content: Websites that produce content programmatically without human oversight or additional value can be penalized. This content often makes no sense to the reader and is solely created to manipulate search rankings.
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Link Schemes: Participating in schemes designed to increase a site’s ranking or PageRank artificially, including buying or selling links, is a common reason for penalization.
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Cloaking and Sneaky Redirects: Showing different content to search engines than you show to human visitors is deceptive and against guidelines. This can include redirecting visitors to a different page than search engines see.
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Scraped Content: Using content from other sites without adding significant value or originality can lead to a penalty. This includes sites that republish content without permission or attribution and without enhancing it for the user.
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Hosting Malware: Sites that unintentionally or intentionally host malware will be penalized to protect users from harm.
3. Why Does Google Impose Manual Actions On Websites?
The ultimate goal of Google is to provide a safe, relevant, and valuable search experience for its users. Manual actions serve as a corrective measure against sites that degrade this experience by violating established guidelines. This ensures that high-quality, relevant content is prioritized in search results, maintaining the credibility and usefulness of Google’s search engine.
4. How to Identify If My Site Has Been Penalized?
Google communicates manual actions through the Google Search Console (previously Webmaster Tools). Website administrators should regularly check their Search Console messages for notifications of manual actions. These messages will not only alert you to the presence of a penalty but also specify the reason for the penalty, which is crucial for taking corrective action.
5. Quick Steps to Fix a Pure Spam Manual Action
First, Understand the Violation:
It’s crucial to read Google’s message carefully to understand which guidelines have been violated. Sometimes, the message includes examples of offending content or practices, which can be invaluable for diagnosing and fixing the underlying issues.
Audit Your Website:
A thorough audit should cover content quality, backlink profiles, technical SEO, and user experience. Tools like Google Analytics, Google Search Console, and third-party SEO tools can help identify problematic areas.
Perform the Required Changes:
Based on your audit, make necessary changes. This might include removing or rewriting low-quality content, disavowing toxic backlinks, fixing technical SEO issues, and improving the overall user experience of your site.
Request a Review from Google:
After making the necessary changes, you can request a reconsideration from Google via the Search Console. This request should detail the specific actions taken to address the violation. Be honest and comprehensive in your explanation.
6. Key Points To Remember While Submitting Requests
Being transparent and detailed in your reconsideration request is crucial. Google values efforts to comply with its guidelines and appreciates detailed documentation of the changes made. Avoid resubmitting too quickly; ensure that all issues have been addressed thoroughly before requesting a review.
7. Important Considerations to Understand
The focus should always be on providing a high-quality, valuable experience to users. Short-term manipulative tactics can lead to penalties and long-term damage to your site’s reputation and rankings. Regularly reviewing and adhering to Google’s guidelines can help you maintain a favorable standing.
8. Google Pure Spam Manual Action FAQs
Does fixing just one page result in the removal of the manual action?
Fixing just one page is unlikely to be sufficient unless the manual action was specifically applied to that single page. Typically, the issues are site-wide and require comprehensive correction.
Do I need to remove the rel=canonical tag not to conflict with Google’s canonical chosen for spam pages?
No, the rel=canonical tag should be used to help Google understand your preferred URL for content that appears in multiple places. It should not be removed unless it’s being used incorrectly.
What if I made the corrections but my site is still not ranking well?
Improvements in rankings can take time after corrections are made and a manual penalty is lifted. Continue focusing on improving your site, and ensure you’re offering valuable content and a good user experience.
Is my domain lost? Should I start from scratch?
Starting over with a new domain is a drastic step and usually not necessary. Most sites can recover from penalties by addressing the issues and demonstrating to Google that they have corrected the violations.
If my site was deindexed for spam, why are there still other spammy sites ranking?
Google’s detection and penalization processes are ongoing, and not all spammy sites are caught immediately. If you notice spam, Google encourages reporting it through the Search Console.
What to do if my site lost a lot of its traffic but hasn’t received a manual penalty?
Traffic losses not associated with a manual action may be due to algorithmic changes, technical issues, or lost backlinks. Conduct a thorough audit to identify potential issues and address them systematically.
Recovering from a Pure Spam manual action requires understanding the violations, taking comprehensive corrective action, and focusing on a long-term strategy for success. Adherence to Google’s guidelines is crucial for maintaining and improving your site’s search visibility and avoiding future penalties.
Source – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zmc9KTY8LXs