Manual actions can have a profound effect on how your site looks on Google.
It has the ability to demote site content in search results and completely remove content from the search index.
Does this make manual actions a ranking factor?
No, not exactly.
Ranking factors are signals that Google uses to evaluate where and how a web page ranks in search results.
These signals are via Google crawling regularly network of.
Manual action does not meet this definition because it is implemented by Google itself.
It’s fair to say that manual action overrides all other ranking factors, as it instantly removes the site from Google’s presence.
Google’s algorithm automatically filters out content that may cause problems in search results.
Every now and then Google runs into a problem where it has to manually step in and take urgent action.
Here’s more about manual actions and how they affect search rankings.
Disclaimer: Manual action is a ranking factor
Manual action is classified as a ranking factor because it refers to adjusting a site’s visibility in search results.
More specifically, the action involves demoting or removing a website or specific page from Google Search.
Calling a manual action a “ranking factor” is misleading because it gives the impression that it is part of, or at least considered by, the algorithm, which it definitely isn’t.
In fact, this is the worst penalty Google can issue to a website.
The next section details the types of violations that lead to manual Google action, which can help you avoid your own violations.
Manual action is a penalty, not a ranking factor
Google has clear documentation About what manual actions are, how to know if your site is affected, and how to recover after a release.
From the file:
“Google issues manual actions on sites when Google’s human reviewers determine that a page on a site does not meet Google’s webmaster quality guidelines. Most manual actions address attempts to manipulate our search index.”
In addition to taking action against the website Manipulative SEO policy, Google reserves the right to remove content if required by law.
This is all explained in detail in a Video with ex-Googler Matt Cutts It’s as relevant today as it was when it was first released in 2012.
Type of manual operation
The violations that lead to manual action by Google are listed below.
- third-party spam: The site contains a lot of spam generated by third parties.
- User Generated Spam: The site contains spam submitted by visitors.
- structured data: The site uses structured data in a manipulative way.
- Unnatural inbound links: There is a pattern of manually placed links to websites.
- unnatural external links: There is a pattern of artificially placed links pointing outward from the site.
- thin content: The site contains low-quality pages with little added value.
- Camouflage and sneaky redirects: The site displays a different page to the user than it displays to Google, or redirects the user to a different page than what Google sees.
- pure spam: The site is using aggressive spam techniques and/or other repeated or severe violations of Google’s quality guidelines.
- invisible image: Images from some sites may appear differently in Google search results than when viewed on the site.
- Hidden text and keyword stuffing: Some pages of the site may contain hidden text or keyword stuffing, a technique not permitted by Google’s Webmaster Guidelines.
- AMP content mismatch: The AMP version differs from the content of its canonical pages.
- sneaky mobile redirect: Certain pages on a website redirect mobile device users to content that search engine crawlers cannot access.
- News and Discovery Policy: The site violates the Google News and/or Discovered Content Policy.
How to know if your site is affected by manual actions
Unlike algorithmically adjusting search rankings, Google provides clear communication to sites when they are affected by manual actions.
You may be notified before manual actions begin, as Google sometimes offers an opportunity to correct issues before penalties.
All these exchanges are through google search consolemaking it an essential SEO tool.
If a site is affected by manual action, Google will send a direct message through Search Console.
The message will include information on why the action was taken, which pages were affected to what extent, and how to regain Google’s favor.
you can Search Console manual actions report.
How to recover from manual action
You can recover from all manual actions as long as the necessary steps are taken.
Google Never permanently deindex a site from its search results. Some punishments may be harder to recover than others, but it can always be done.
Recovering from manual action requires fixing all the issues Google found on all offending pages. Once the issue is resolved, the site owner must submit a reconsideration request.
The reconsideration request is exactly what it sounds like – asking Google to reconsider the penalties it issues to sites.
If the issue is found to be resolved, Google will review the request and revoke the manual action.
Note that a site’s ranking may not immediately go back to where it was, but there’s nothing stopping the site from boosting the SERPs again.
For more information on this process, see the section on reconsideration requests.
Manual Actions as Ranking Factors: Our Verdict
While manual action can cause a page or site to rank lower or be ignored in search results, it’s not technically a ranking factor.
Manual operation is google finewhich is the most severe punishment and should be avoided at all costs.
Featured image: Paulo Bobita/Search Engine Magazine
