Google Ban's auto blogs and blog dripping!

[warriortx]

Hi Warriors

I was told by a close friend of mine that has a friend that works for google
and he tells me that google is inches away of nailing auto blogs and dripping blogs which I think are the same and sending them to the sandbox which I believe because they can already nail most of the back linking software out there so beware.

My question is has anyone heard anything?

[visimedia]

if it's true, then I will hate this news... No google, don't do it... hehehe lol

[wordofmouthmagic]

Sandbox time might be interesting. Would they let them back out again? Hmm.

[Andyhenry]

It's not true.......

That's such a generic concept that millions of legitimate websites would get nailed to the wall for no real reason.

Most 'News' sites are automatically pulling their stories from other sources in exactly the same way that an auto-blog works.

Many drip-fed sites are just drip feeding legitimate content (lots of membership sites drip-feed content to their members).

It would be stupid to get say "let's get rid of drip-fed content sites", or "sites that only show content from other places".

After all - all Google does is spider other peoples content and show it to surfers. They're not in the business of showing original content unless it's an advert or business listing.

They love to show press releases above all the organic results and they don't have their own press release directory to drive that - so it's all other people's content.

I think your friend is a little paranoid and jumping on scare-mongering whispers.

Sure they'll want to get rid of as much crap as possible - who can blame them, but just lumping that into IM-unfriendly categories is not the way they do it. They know more than most how lots of legitimate sites offer value using tools and strategies that some abuse so I don't believe they're that ignorant of these things that they'd just use a sledgehammer to crack this nut.

Andy

[Andrea Wilson]

Very well said Andy. I cant agree more although at first when I read the title I was like "huh?!" bit of tensed and such. However Google, there are other search engines who wont ban auto blogs, there are MSN, Yahoo...so no worries at all.


Andrea

[fullmatrix]

I haven't heard anything.

If it's true, we can just posted the drip content from another software outside of the blog scheduled post, desktop or server side. No worries.

[warriortx]

ok then how are they nailing these back linking software packages. I myself have seen websites fall off of Google after using these kind of tactics.

[fullmatrix]

What kind of backlinking software package? Are you talking about profile backlinks?

[rapidscc]

Originally Posted by warriortx

ok then how are they nailing these back linking software packages. I myself have seen websites fall off of Google after using these kind of tactics.

You've got two things you want to point out here.

1. Auto-blogs will get nailed
2. Backlinking software packages are getting detected

For the first one, the auto-blogs - Andy's got a point. There are hundreds of news sites that works like an auto blog and I don't think these sites will come down soon.

For the second one, I personally haven't seen a site come down permanently after using software or backlinking packages.

I can observe the "Google Dance" but it's not something permanent.

I've seen sites permanently losing its position for lack of activity (no updates, etc.) but not because of excessive backlinks.

And if it were true, then it will be easy from now on to dethrone competitions, all we'll have to do is to run a backlinking software pointing to their sites and it's bye-bye birdie then?

As for Google tracking backlinking packages, being a programmer I can say that it's quite easy. Just get a hold of the most popular backlinking offers in Google's search results, buy those and get the sites it backlinks to, then for all new sites that gets spidered, check their backlinks to the list from the software packages, if all of the backlinks match and nothing else deviates then their busted.

That's how I would do it if I were backed up by a billion dollar company like Google.

~Omar

[tpw]

Originally Posted by warriortx

ok then how are they nailing these back linking software packages. I myself have seen websites fall off of Google after using these kind of tactics.

Follow the footprint.

All software leaves a footprint that can be easily traced.

The software maker is too egotistic not to tag the content with his business name, and the average user of the software cannot kill the footprint.

For example, that little cue at the bottom of most every website on the Internet, "Powered by" whatever...

If it says, "Powered by AutoDripFeed.com" or whatever, Google has the cue that this stuff is automated content. They do try to weed out any content not driven by human selection.

That happened with article directories to an extent. "Powered by ArticleDashboard.com" was an almost universal signal that "this website is crap!"

Although it should be noted that many Article Dashboard sites have risen to the challenge of getting their article directories crawled reliably from Google. The "Powered by" only served to inform Google that they should take a closer look at those sites, to see what patterns they should identify to eliminate the junk versions.

[J Bold]

Originally Posted by warriortx

ok then how are they nailing these back linking software packages. I myself have seen websites fall off of Google after using these kind of tactics.

That's a pretty ambiguous statement "these" back linking software packages. What "these" you talking about? What kind of tactics, exactly? There are so many different ways to get backlinks using different kinds of software, and besides no Google's not as smart as you think it is, many, many sites game the system every day and you see them at the top of the search results. But this kind of conversation could go on and on and on...

In any case, the best thing you can do if you are sandboxed is to make a sand castle.

[jasonmorgan]

ok then how are they nailing these back linking software packages. I myself have seen websites fall off of Google after using these kind of tactics.

But for every site the falls off supposedly because of these tactics, others are unaffected and even flourish.

It's a back and forth argument of do X and your site will be punished while somebody who does X claims the opposite.

We might as well argue tastes great or less filling because nobody really knows for sure and there is no conclusive evidence of certain packs and software really doing any damage.

There may be cases where abuse of certain tactics have landed certain sites in hot water but it's never clear if it was those tactics or something else the webmaster was doing.

[LetsGoViral]

I don't know what you are talking about guys. My autoblogs are fine and dandy so far. In fact they are earning Google money with the adsense ads. It would be stupid for Google to ban them.

[Quentin]

Who cares unless you are trying to get all your traffic through generic search through google.

Q

[Chris Kent]

None of this will happen.

Autoblogs are not exactly annoying people on a mass scale, I hardly ever see them. It's not like the days of directory generator - remember that?

As for Google starting to act on mass backlinking, I would LOVE to believe it. However, I don't. Google have not given 2 hoots about it for so long now that I don't believe they will suddenly start now.

I heard a rumour the other day that Youtube will soon ban article type videos. Again, I find this difficult to believe.

[markowe]

So wait, this news effectively came from a friend of a friend? Must be true then!

If G could 100% automatically identify autoblogs they probably would, but they can't, so the cat and mouse game will continue for now!

[Defunct]

Yeh, as stated, the problem with banning sites for links is you can just take out all your competitors with whatever link methods are bannable.

The best Google can do in regards to linking that anyone could be doing to a site is discount it.

Automated content on the internet has been around forever, I don't see it going anywhere either.

Google can still manually review sites which a low quality and delete them and also maybe look for footprints to common spammy type programs/scripts.

[BloggerHigh]

Originally Posted by Andyhenry

It's not true.......

That's such a generic concept that millions of legitimate websites would get nailed to the wall for no real reason.

Most 'News' sites are automatically pulling their stories from other sources in exactly the same way that an auto-blog works.

Many drip-fed sites are just drip feeding legitimate content (lots of membership sites drip-feed content to their members).

It would be stupid to get say "let's get rid of drip-fed content sites", or "sites that only show content from other places".

After all - all Google does is spider other peoples content and show it to surfers. They're not in the business of showing original content unless it's an advert or business listing.

They love to show press releases above all the organic results and they don't have their own press release directory to drive that - so it's all other people's content.

I think your friend is a little paranoid and jumping on scare-mongering whispers.

Sure they'll want to get rid of as much crap as possible - who can blame them, but just lumping that into IM-unfriendly categories is not the way they do it. They know more than most how lots of legitimate sites offer value using tools and strategies that some abuse so I don't believe they're that ignorant of these things that they'd just use a sledgehammer to crack this nut.

Andy

Andy is right. How do you 'prove' something is an autoblog? Lots of blogs are hand written with automated 'extras' thrown on.

[Rsberg]

Originally Posted by jasonmorgan

We might as well argue tastes great or less filling

Now thats funny right there....

Good stuff!

[Rsberg]

Im not sure Google would want to do away with auto blogs even if they could easily identify them...

Think about it...

Auto blogs might not contain "unique" content but a lot of the content that is used by auto bloggers comes from article directories and "authority" sources that Google absolutely LOVES...that content is shared by all, spread all around the net (even your aunt Jenny's healthy cooking blog that has no intention of making money) and all the while Google gets to show "relevant" search results to people looking for that great heart healthy recipe (you know..the one aunt Jenny drip fed into her blog from an article directory). That recipe wouldn't be so dang popular if it werent shared all over the net and Google knows it.

One more obvious thing too.

Think about how much money Google would loose from Adsense Ads if Auto Blogs went away...

Things that make you go hmmmmm

Like others have said here....too many "other" sites are drip feeding content and auto posting...not to mention its not "unique". I highly doubt you will see the end of Auto Blogging anytime soon.

[Eric Lorence]

I thought this was an old thread dug up from 2008, and the spammers were at it again ...

As a matter of fact, I seen this topic dozens of times over the years now.

Also interesting to use "google ban's" in the search box as well ...

[aizaku]

good and good riddance. I can't stand those automated blogs that regurgitate trash content.

[Intrepreneur]

Google News results still littered with autoblogs so I doubt it very much. That is where they are most strict about what gets in and even there it is completely littered with autoblogs.

[sparckyz]

There are a lot of blogs and average/high profile-ish websites with unique and scrape'd content & also PLR content (that may or may not have an obvious footprint), doesn't necessarily mean they're crappy autoblogs!!

[celente]

I was warning of this many moons ago and people were telling me to go and hide in a hole.

The truth of the matter is that autoblogs were just the latest craze, the shiney metal object that just gets and pulls the wool over your eye.

Why not build a real business, a list of hot prospects, products with membership backend continuity programs. its how I earn money online. Many smart marketers in here, knows that works and will still work in 80 years from now.

I am just gunna shut up now, what would I know. *shruggs shoulders*

P.s. I wonder what the next shiney object to come out is. hmmmm The mind boggles.

[bgmacaw]

Originally Posted by warriortx

ok then how are they nailing these back linking software packages.

I explained this in this thread...

How Many Backlinks?

...it's basically statistical pattern matching. Remember also that the usual thing that is done is that the site with the outgoing links is devalued in some way, not the site being linked to. Otherwise it would be easy to screw over competitors with bogus links.

[Diana Lane]

Google can hardly shout too loudly about the practice of siphoning bits of content from other sites to display them on your own pages - it's all that their own SERPs content consists of. If users became conditioned to demand 100% unique every time they looked at a web page, then Google would have to have millions of underpaid little scribes rewriting all our description tags in their own words to display to the searching public.

As long as they are making money from 'sharing' our content I think there's a limit to how much they'll try to prohibit us sharing each other's.

What's important at the end of the day is providing genuinely useful content to the aforementioned surfing public, however you do it. There's syndicated gold out there amongst the syndicated scrap metal, just as there's plenty of unique and original crud. Build sites to please the surfers and you will probably please Google as well. If not, the reputation of quality content will eventually build via the social networks and Google can please themselves.

They're the biggest player in the game, but they're not the only player. They don't hold all the cards - much of their perceived power lies in encouraging you to think they do. It's not for nothing that the same baseless rumours of Google's next move never quite sink to the bottom of cyberspace and are repeated over and over again. Google could scotch most of them with a simple confirmation or denial, but it suits them to have the 'little' people constantly being seen to cower in dread at the prospect of their next policy change.

I'd just keep on providing stuff that's worthy of the eyeballs of the viewing public, by whatever means - Google are desperate to include it. Stop letting them play with you and just crack on with it.

[JohnMcCabe]

Originally Posted by Chris Kent

Autoblogs are not exactly annoying people on a mass scale, I hardly ever see them. It's not like the days of directory generator - remember that?

Shudder...

Actually, it's likely to be a two part process.

1. Identify the process (i.e., 'follow the footprint'). With the kind of power Google harnesses, pattern matching should be relatively easy.

2. Make a judgment of intent. Is the site a legitimate news aggregator, or are they simply trying to scam the search engine or visitors? That's a tougher call, and one reason some can say they're unaffected (yet) and others see their work spiraling around the porcelain..

[Bill Farnham]

Those of you who are using 'logic' as a reason Google may or may not do something are guilty of wishful thinking.

While the logical side of the arguement carries weight on an intellectual level it hardly carries any weight in the decisions that will be implemented by Google, the Gubberment, DWTS, or anything else.

Babies get thrown out with the bath water all the time. You may or may not like the outcome of certain policies but one thing you can be sure of...logic plays a very small role in how things pan out. Internal politics rule the day in any organization. If mama ain't happy, nobody's happy...

~Bill

[Crew Chief]

Originally Posted by warriortx

I was told by a close friend of mine that has a friend that works for google and he tells me that google is inches away of nailing auto blogs and dripping blogs which I think are the same and sending them to the sandbox which I believe because they can already nail most of the back linking software out there so beware.My question is has anyone heard anything?

YES! I heard the exact same thing, and I also heard from a person who has a friend that sent me this video a while back ago about a Rouge Helicopter Pilot that was causing quite a stir from NY to LA and is in de facto a threat to National Security.

The guy who identified the rouge pilot speaks here... I wonder if his wife saw this.

YouTube - Paranoid schizo complains to city about...

Giles, the Crew Chief

[celente]

This is an important thread in my book. Please keep us updated....Cause i am yet to see anyone making a killing with autoblogs , fancy that.

I was yelled at in another thread today obviously by a warrior who has an autoblog product. surprise suprise. LOL *rolls eyes* he couldnt see the down side to this whole situation and google that will be now starting to really wake up to the autoblogs and their functions.

[Matt Maiden]

The problem with a lot of these arguments about what Google can and can't do based on what the major news and authority sites are doing is this assumption that Google views all of us equally.

While it may be true that the Washington Post and Joe's Emporium are using some of the same techniques and software to gather and post content, the major difference is the editing.

The editor of the Washington Post is doing his best to give us relevant, useful, and sometimes entertaining information while Joe Blow doesn't give a rat's a** about anything but keywords.

It doesn't matter if someone thinks that it's unfair for Google to treat these two differently.

Google is a private business that has the right to refuse service to Joe's Emporium while showing blatant favoritism to the Washington Post.

They also have the World's biggest, fastest, and baddest computers that probably have a better chance of figuring out some of these "how can they tell the difference...?" questions better than we can.

[Bill Farnham]

Originally Posted by Crew Chief

I also heard from a person who has a friend that sent me this video a while back ago about a Rouge Helicopter Pilot

Boy, I bet he was red in the face...

~Bill

[mikemeth]

It would be too big impact for online business, no way this is true, HOPE SO!

[oneplusone]

Originally Posted by Bill Farnham

Those of you who are using 'logic' as a reason Google may or may not do something are guilty of wishful thinking.

While the logical side of the arguement carries weight on an intellectual level it hardly carries any weight in the decisions that will be implemented by Google, the Gubberment, DWTS, or anything else.

Babies get thrown out with the bath water all the time. You may or may not like the outcome of certain policies but one thing you can be sure of...logic plays a very small role in how things pan out. Internal politics rule the day in any organization. If mama ain't happy, nobody's happy...

~Bill

Very true...

Nobody would have dreamed in their worst nightmare, the lengths Google went to with the Adwords bans etc

But the reality is, it happened.

[celente]

Originally Posted by oneplusone

Very true...

Nobody would have dreamed in their worst nightmare, the lengths Google went to with the Adwords bans etc

But the reality is, it happened.

Great point there! Good old reality! Yes I remember when people were in here fighting about it. I remember the days when adwords were 0.01 c a click...LOL

Those days have changed, and the internet changes quicker than we know it, that is for sure.

Google the ruler of the jungle. Go Google! *tongue in cheek*

[Teravel]

"They sky is falling!"
Ok, in all seriousness... Most people get their traffic from Article Directories (Which have built in search functions, or Mini-search engines), Video Directories (YouTube is a video search engine...), and various other sources. Are you really worried about what google has to say?

Do some research on your own websites and find out where your traffic is coming from. You may be surprised at the results. About 2% of my traffic comes from Google, another 1-3% from Yahoo and Bing. The other 95-97% comes from my promotional sources. Yes, that extra 3-5% of free traffic is nice. But is it really worth worrying about the smallest source of traffic that I receive? If google sandboxed my sites, I would still be getting 95%+ of my traffic.

My suggestion... Stop putting your eggs in one basket. Or, find out where your real traffic is coming from.

[Crew Chief]

Originally Posted by Bill Farnham

Boy, I bet he was red in the face...

~Bill

Bill, I tried to slip that one by, honestly, you surprised the heck out of me when you caught it! Sharp eyes!

A White helicopter with a Rogue pilot...

I guess paranoia knows no end.

If anybody else is interested, here are a few other things I heard recently from good sources who heard it directly from the horse's mouth...

• Google will be cutting off access to MAC users on January 31st, 2011
• By January 31st, 2012 Google will only be allowing blogs in its Main Index and Cached indexes, All other publishing platforms will be relegated to the "Supplemental Index"
• CPA is dead
• Adsense is dead
• Clickbank is dead
• Hub Pages is dead
• All .info domain names will be shuttered on January 1st, 2011
• Squidoo is dead
• Backlinking is dead
• Google will no longer accept XSitePro sites as of February 29th, 2011
• WSO's are dead
• Blogs are dead
• PPC is dead
• Blogging is dead
• Press Releases are dead
• ScrapeBox is dead
• Traffic Travis is dead
• Article marketing is dead
• Classified Ads are dead
• The Internet is dead
• Market Samurai is dead
• Google is purging all Web 2.0 properties from their Cached Index
• Social bookmarking is dead
• Link networks are dead
• SEO SpyGlass is dead
• Blogger accounts are dead
• WordPress accounts are dead
• Video marketing is dead
• RSS Feeds are dead
• TBS is dead
• Meta Search Engines are dead
• Open Office is dead
• Microsoft Office is dead
• All .net domain names will be shuttered on January 1st, 2012
• Web Directories are dead
• Free Web Hosting is dead
• Podcasts are dead
• Hostgator is dead
• The Internet will be dead on January 1st 2013
• JustHost is dead
• Profiles are dead...

Oh, and the big one... on April 1st, 2011, Google will be de-indexing all forums because of Matt Cutts feels the signature links allowed are not genuinely natural back links and he and the Big G only want organically natural backlinks in which the recipient does absolutely nothing to get said link except put out literary award winning content that must pass the scrutiny of Harvard MBAs and be approved by Yale Emeritus Faculty ...

Giles, the Crew Chief

[Rsberg]

Originally Posted by celente

This is an important thread in my book. Please keep us updated....Cause i am yet to see anyone making a killing with autoblogs , fancy that.

I was yelled at in another thread today obviously by a warrior who has an autoblog product. surprise suprise. LOL *rolls eyes* he couldnt see the down side to this whole situation and google that will be now starting to really wake up to the autoblogs and their functions.

I didn't "yell" at you, I asked you why you always show up in threads bashing autoblogging, it doesn't suprise me that you are here as you obviously support the concept of auto blogging going by the way side.

As for my having an auto blog product, that has nothing to do with why I didn't like your posts in that thread. Like I told you, everyone is entitled to their own opinion but you have certianly gone out of your way to post in several threads pertaining to auto blogging talking trash about it. In fact I just read another of your posts in an auto blog thread that was started by someone who is quite successful with it....which you said never happens and practically begged me to point someone out to you that was successful with it. You have posted in threads writtne by successful auto bloggers...you should know who they are!

Are you starting to see why I "yelled" at you (as you called it)? You talk trash about it, tell me no one makes money with it (serious money that is) yet I find you posting your anti auto blogging rants in other threads (written by people who are successful with it) that are only trying to help others succeed with it.

I personally don't care if you like auto blogging or not..that's your choice, but when you make the kinds of posts you do it isn't good for the forum as a whole and it certainly isn't fostering a good environment for those who really want to learn and succeed.

I actually came to this thread hoping to read some valid points, which there are some here...but as usual I find your comments as well, mostly just trash talk without offering anything real to the conversation.

[patricialin]

Nope, I haven't heard of it. Also, I'm not sure how they are going to track every single link that is coming from a backlinking software. I mean, is it virtually possible? Such software usually mimic actual user activity, making it difficult to detect. So, how do they know?

All I know is that posting/scheduling unique content periodically into autoblogs does help in one way or another to avoid Google penalizing the site in any way.

[JohnMcCabe]

Giles, I even heard from a reputable source that Elvis is dead.

[Teravel]

Originally Posted by Crew Chief

If anybody else is interested, here are a few other things I heard recently from good sources who heard it directly from the horse's mouth...

• Google will be cutting off access to MAC users on January 31st, 2011
• By January 31st, 2012 Google will only be allowing blogs in its Main Index and Cached indexes, All other publishing platforms will be relegated to the "Supplemental Index"
• CPA is dead
• Adsense is dead
• Clickbank is dead
• Hub Pages is dead
• All .info domain names will be shuttered on January 1st, 2011
• Squidoo is dead
• Backlinking is dead
• Google will no longer accept XSitePro sites as of February 29th, 2011
• WSO's are dead
• Blogs are dead
• PPC is dead
• Blogging is dead
• Press Releases are dead
• ScrapeBox is dead
• Traffic Travis is dead
• Article marketing is dead
• Classified Ads are dead
• The Internet is dead
• Market Samurai is dead
• Google is purging all Web 2.0 properties from their Cached Index
• Social bookmarking is dead
• Link networks are dead
• SEO SpyGlass is dead
• Blogger accounts are dead
• WordPress accounts are dead
• Video marketing is dead
• RSS Feeds are dead
• TBS is dead
• Meta Search Engines are dead
• Open Office is dead
• Microsoft Office is dead
• All .net domain names will be shuttered on January 1st, 2012
• Web Directories are dead
• Free Web Hosting is dead
• Podcasts are dead
• Hostgator is dead
• The Internet will be dead on January 1st 2013
• JustHost is dead
• Profiles are dead...

Oh, and the big one... on April 1st, 2011, Google will be de-indexing all forums because of Matt Cutts feels the signature links allowed are not genuinely natural back links and he and the Big G only want organically natural backlinks in which the recipient does absolutely nothing to get said link except put out literary award winning content that must pass the scrutiny of Harvard MBAs and be approved by Yale Emeritus Faculty ...

Giles, the Crew Chief

And shortly after...

• Google is Dead

[Rsberg]

Originally Posted by patricialin

All I know is that posting/scheduling unique content periodically into autoblogs does help in one way or another to avoid Google penalizing the site in any way.

This is a great point, just a sprinkle here and there of "unique" content can and does make all the difference in the world!

I initially started doing this as a way to test different keywords but found it really did help my sites overall performance. I don't flood them with unique content but occasionally drop an article in here and there and it works like a charm. It may not be 100% "auto" but compared to the upkeep and daily maintenance of a regular blog it sure feels like it.

[JohnMcCabe]

Originally Posted by patricialin

Nope, I haven't heard of it. Also, I'm not sure how they are going to track every single link that is coming from a backlinking software. I mean, is it virtually possible? Such software usually mimic actual user activity, making it difficult to detect. So, how do they know?

All I know is that posting/scheduling unique content periodically into autoblogs does help in one way or another to avoid Google penalizing the site in any way.

Patricia, they don't have to track every single link. All they have to do is find a pattern that unnaturally repeats itself across many sites. If they can link that pattern to undesirable behavior, they can tweak the ranking algorithm to devalue sites that fit the pattern.

There was a counterfeiting outfit in the local news recently. They were taking the corners from $20 bills and pasting them to $1 bills. You would think it would be obvious, but many store clerks, etc. were so accustomed to looking only at the number that they didn't notice that the face on the bill wasn't right. Once alerted, the counterfeiters were quickly identified and caught.

I'm not into autoblogging, but it's pretty obvious that the 'trick' to it is to make the blog look more like a legitimate news site and less like a scammer or splogger.

[coluden]

The sooner the rest of us can live and work effectively online in spite of anything Google does, the better it will be for all of us. I'll be the first one to ignore anything they say. I hear FB has now passed Google as having the most traffic online. Good for them. I'm for anything that DOES NOT PAY HOMAGE to Google.

[cashcow]

How would google know if a blog was an autoblog or a drip fed blog?

Don't a lot of people who publish unique content drip feed it into their blog?

If google is punishing sites that use backlink packages then what is to stop me from pointing one at my competitor?

Of course, google wants to provide the best user experience in their search results and a lot of people that use autoblogging (and some of the automated linking packages) don't provide valuable sites.

So, it makes sense that Goog would look for patterns of such sites.

Like, maybe, sites that consist solely of duplicate Amazon products .... or sites that only have RSS feeds as their content .... or sites whose backlinks consist only of profile links. IMHO, this is more likely what they are up to.

Lee

[Matt Maiden]

Google has been making this statement for years yet people complain about it after they have already been told not to do it.

"...if you're scraping content from other sites and republishing it, or if you republish content without adding any additional value. These tactics are clearly outlined (and discouraged)..."

You can also read their Quality Guidelines below:

Quality guidelines - basic principles

• Make pages primarily for users, not for search engines. Don't deceive your users or present different content to search engines than you display to users, which is commonly referred to as "cloaking."
• Avoid tricks intended to improve search engine rankings. A good rule of thumb is whether you'd feel comfortable explaining what you've done to a website that competes with you. Another useful test is to ask, "Does this help my users? Would I do this if search engines didn't exist?"
• Don't participate in link schemes designed to increase your site's ranking or PageRank. In particular, avoid links to web spammers or "bad neighborhoods" on the web, as your own ranking may be affected adversely by those links.
• Don't use unauthorized computer programs to submit pages, check rankings, etc. Such programs consume computing resources and violate our Terms of Service. Google does not recommend the use of products such as WebPosition Gold™ that send automatic or programmatic queries to Google.

Quality guidelines - specific guidelines

• Avoid hidden text or hidden links.
• Don't use cloaking or sneaky redirects.
• Don't send automated queries to Google.
• Don't load pages with irrelevant keywords.
• Don't create multiple pages, subdomains, or domains with substantially duplicate content.
• Don't create pages with malicious behavior, such as phishing or installing viruses, trojans, or other badware.
• Avoid "doorway" pages created just for search engines, or other "cookie cutter" approaches such as affiliate programs with little or no original content.
• If your site participates in an affiliate program, make sure that your site adds value. Provide unique and relevant content that gives users a reason to visit your site first.

The above quotes from Google Webmaster Central

From the "Provide unique and relevant content link:

"If your site has been removed from our search results, review our Webmaster Guidelines for more information. Once you've made your changes and are confident that your site no longer violates our guidelines, submit your site for reconsideration."

"If your site has been removed from our search results..."
"...confident that your site no longer violates our guidelines,"

I don't know why people are so surprised at the idea of this happening.

[Crew Chief]

I'm quite perplexed as to how so many IMers can be so easily bamboozled into believing such a paranoia based rumor that has about as much factual traction to it as the sightings of UFOs, Bigfoot and the Lochness monster.

If we are going to have a serious remonstration about auto-blogging being nixed by Google, why not have a indepth discussion about the impeding Alien attack against Southern California. Both discussions would be on the same level.

Man alive, look at all these rumors.

The truth is; Auto blogging rocks when you've got the right software and learn the nuances of using said software properly. AND, auto blogging is here to stay!

Originally Posted by JohnMcCabe

Giles, I even heard from a reputable source that Elvis is dead.

P.S. John, Elvis is very much ALIVE! We've got PROOF!

YouTube - 1/5 Elvis. Is he Alive? Shocking...

Giles, the Crew Chief

[Jacob Martus]

Originally Posted by JohnMcCabe

There was a counterfeiting outfit in the local news recently. They were taking the corners from $20 bills and pasting them to $1 bills.

You just gave me my new business plan.... :P

[Intrepreneur]

Originally Posted by Matt Maiden

Google has been making this statement for years yet people complain about it after they have already been told not to do it.

"...if you're scraping content from other sites and republishing it, or if you republish content without adding any additional value. These tactics are clearly outlined (and discouraged)..."

Have you used Google lately?

It seems they are fully rewarding the autoblog news sites out there. Every time I've clicked (for the past week or more) on a "news result" when searching, I have landed on an autoblog.

They obviously have some sort of favoritism factor in their guidelines too because I and many others tried to get an autoblog through the G News approval yet it wasn't accepted.