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If you’ve worked with an SEO Company, you’ve probably heard the term “Google penalty” thrown around. But what exactly is a Google penalty? We’re about to provide a firm understanding of Google penalties and how to avoid them.

All about a Google Penalty

A Google penalty is an adverse action taken by Google against a website that violates the Google Search Essentials (Formerly Google’s Webmaster Guidelines). Violations can include anything from thin or duplicate content to artificial link building or participating in link schemes. If your website is penalized by Google, it can significantly drop traffic and visibility.

Manual vs. Algorithmic Penalty

There are two types of Google penalties – manual and algorithmic. 

Manual Penalty

Manual penalties are usually the result of someone at Google manually reviewing your website and deciding that it has violated one of their guidelines. These types of penalties will usually come with a message from Google telling you what the problem is and how to fix it.

Algorithmic Penalty

An algorithmic penalty is when your website is automatically bumped down in the rankings because Google’s algorithm has determined that it doesn’t deserve to be as high as it was. This type of penalty is often less severe than a manual one and can be fixed by simply making changes to your website. 

3 Penalty Types – How Will Your Website Be Impacted

There are three types of penalties – partial, sitewide, and backlink. 

  • Partial – A partial penalty only affects your website’s specific section or page. 
  • Sitewide – A sitewide penalty affects your entire website. That may lead to Google removing your website from Google’s search results entirely. 
  • Backlinks -A backlink penalty only affects the links pointing to your website from other websites. Backlink penalties are usually caused by participating in link schemes or buying links. 

How To Avoid Google Penalty

Understanding the Google Search Essentials Guidelines and avoiding spam is the best way to avoid receiving a manual or algorithmic Google penalty. Here is a list of common issues that will trigger a Google penalty.

  • AI Written Content
  • Keyword Stuffing
  • Link Schemes
  • Link Manipulation (including buying links)
  • Cloaking
  • Pages with malware, viruses, etc.
  • Doorway Pages
  • Hidden Links or Text
  • Improper Redirects

Recovering from a Penalty 

Suppose Google may have hit your website with a penalty. In that case, you should first check Google Search Console to see if you’ve received any messages from Google about your website being penalized. If you have received such a message, follow the instructions to fix the problem so that you can submit a reconsideration request to Google. 

Suppose you have yet to receive any messages from Google. In that case, they have likely hit you with an algorithmic penalty, and you’ll need to do some detective work to figure out the problem. Once you’ve figured out the problem, please take steps to fix it and submit a reconsideration request to Google. 

What To Do If You Think You’ve Received a Google Penalty

Google penalties can be serious business, and you should avoid them at all costs. Suppose your website was penalized. In that case, it’s vital to immediately correct the violation and submit a reconsideration request to Google. 

If you doubt or want to learn more about Google penalties, it is best to consult a trusted SEO Agency. At SEO Cherry, we understand the importance of avoiding black hat SEO services to avoid Google penalties. Our experienced SEO experts can help you create a customized strategy that will give you the best chance of success. Visit us online today to learn more about our services and how we can help you!