Google Banned my site - need help - what to fix?

[mkoski]

Looking for some advice. Last Wed Google stopped sending any traffic to my site. I dropped from 200 visitors a day to 40. This website is important to me. It has been my baby, and has helped people around the world. I am willing to change anything to get it back.

I've tried "site:url.com" and it is not listed at all.

I've read through the their terms and guidelines and nothing jumps out at me, though I am sure the answer must be here?

I've checked the webmaster tools - and they give me no hint.

The url is: "atkinsforseizures.com" and it is built around my daughter's experience through Johns Hopkins.

I admit to using linking strategies, but didn't think that would get me banned? They were paid links, not extensive.

Yes I make a little money from the site - but willing to forgo the income in return for getting this site back up!

Any ideas? What should I change before asking Google to reconsider?

Thanks,

Michael

[wolfmmiii]

Probably due to perceived unsubstantiated medical claims. I'm not an expert so I don't know how accurate the info is but that's my best guess.

[mkoski]

Hmm. The information is very accurate with studies and research backed by Johns Hopkins - I will make sure to provide substantiating information when I ask them to reconsider in case that is the problem.

Thank you!

Michael

[debra]

Well...the good news. Your not banned. I had no problem going straight to your main site. I say main site because it appears that you have other web2.0 properties that you built going to your main site, which do show up when you search site:yoururl.com

I searched for your actual url (without "site:") and got right there. You may have been dropped from the serps, that different than being banned.

I really like your site and I think google probably is confused as far as your intent. Your about page is the only page that makes it clear that the site originates around your experiences with your daughter. Sparingly on some of the other pages do you mention the relationship.

The only major thing that poped at me is that you make no real effort to include any citations of where you gather your information as far as direct links. That would be an important issue. Including linked citations that support your experiences and conclusions would also set you aside from the pages that border the less scrupulous (I'm trying to be nice without pointing fingers).

1. Mention more about your relationship with the site and it's intent.
2. Add supporting citations that backup your conclusions.

P.S. Great site!

[wolfmmiii]

Originally Posted by debra

Well...the good news. Your not banned.

@Debra: The site is banned. Using the site: operator confirms it.

[debra]

Originally Posted by wolfmmiii

@Debra: The site is banned. Using the site: operator confirms it.

No it doesn't. It only confirms that it can't find it in the serps before timeout.

[debra]

If the site was banned from the google search engine then you would not be able to click this link to get there.

[theverysmartguy]

Originally Posted by debra

If the site was banned from the google search engine then you would not be able to click this link to get there.

Google DOES NOT HOST THE SITE. So saying that you can click a link to get to the site does not mean anything when it comes to the site being BANNED from the serps

Saying that the site does not show up in the serps at all even with the site: function means that google "Banned" the site from its results. Its as plain and simple as that.

-- Jeff

[theverysmartguy]

I went over your site and took a few notes. Your site is making lots of "claims" about being able to control seizures with a proper diet etc. This could be a very big reason why google knocked you out.

I noticed a disclaimer on your website. Technically you need an open disclaimer like that on each page. It doesn't have to be very long:

"Medical advice: Nothing on this website should be considered Medical Advice. We are not doctors or Neurologists. The intent and purpose of this site is to provide information to assist families who are using the Atkins or Ketogenic protocols - under the supervision of their doctors."

You can put that in the footer of the site to take care of that. Or maybe at the end of each article. It needs to be somewhere visible to anyone reading your pages and not on a separate page where the visitors would have to go.

Its honestly very hard to determine why google took you from their serps without a more detailed investigation. You can try to get an explanation from google themselves ( good luck with that BTW ).

-- Jeff

[debra]

Glad to hear that you know google is not hosting the site.

I put his site link "atkinsforseizures.com" into my google search toolbar and hit enter. Got right there. I've never seen a banned site that carries a PR3 like his does and pulling up similiar pages and backlinks through the PR checker.

The site operator only shows if your indexed in googles serps or not. It doesn't determine if your site is banned or not.

[wolfmmiii]

Originally Posted by debra

If the site was banned from the google search engine then you would not be able to click this link to get there.

What are you talking about???

[wolfmmiii]

For reference:

https://www.google.com/support/webma...fb6sf&cbrank=4


...and a quote from that page:

• Do a site: search When a webmaster tells us that his or her site has fallen out of our search results, we often find that it's still included. To quickly determine whether your site is still in our index, just perform a Google site search for its entire URL. A search for site:google.com, for instance, returns the following results: http://www.google.com/search?num=100&q=site:google.com Note that you shouldn't include a space between the site: operator and your domain name.
  If your site is displayed as a result when you perform a Google site search for your URL, then it's included in our index.
  However, if your site used to be indexed and no longer is, it may have been removed for violations of our Webmaster Guidelines. Review the guidelines and then, once you've fixed any issues, submit a reconsideration request.

[rahmanpaidar]

Originally Posted by debra

Glad to hear that you know google is not hosting the site.

I put his site link "atkinsforseizures.com" into my google search toolbar and hit enter. Got right there. I've never seen a banned site that carries a PR3 like his does and pulling up similiar pages and backlinks through the PR checker.

The site operator only shows if your indexed in googles serps or not. It doesn't determine if your site is banned or not.

Doesn't show up in the google result even if you put the site link "atkinsforseizures.com" and hit the enter.

The pagerank 3 will also unfortunately be vanished after the next datacenters
update arrives.

One of the cause comes to my mind is someone has filed DMCA for copying contents. Just a guess.

[paulgl]

The book might be yours, but it's still a thin-affiliate-like-website
that peddles the ebook. No offense, but not much value.

If you turned the $23 ebook into a content website, you
might have something.

If you want to peddle a $23 ebook about claims like that,
well, don't rely on google.

That's all I'm going to add...but man there's plenty more to
be sure...I would certainly watch that adsense account.

Paul

[mkoski]

@smartguy - thank you. This seems to be the common thread people are saying. I appreciate you taking the time.

Michael

[paulgl]

Originally Posted by debra

I put his site link "atkinsforseizures.com" into my google search toolbar and hit enter. Got right there. I've never seen a banned site that carries a PR3 like his does and pulling up similiar pages and backlinks through the PR checker.

No offense, but PR and "quality" backlinks have nothing to do with getting de-indexed.

I'm sure many .co.cc pages were high PR...good backlinks...

Google indexes and de-indexes stuff on a regular basis. It may just go
in and out. I don't think any disclaimer will solve anything.

Paul

[mkoski]

@paulgl - well thanks. Stings a little, but I am looking for constructive criticism.

Maybe I need to up the quality of my disclaimers and citations, tone down the sales page? The book is good. Most customers have been referred by their neurologist to purchase and refund requests run about 1 in 200 sales.

Not sure what you mean by thin?

Anything else?

Thanks,

Michael

[rahmanpaidar]

Try to clean up your site as much as you can.
Put an informative paragraph about the reason for reinclusion
at the top of your site.

Then proceed for reinclusion or reconsideration request for your site.

[debra]

Originally Posted by wolfmmiii

For reference:

https://www.google.com/support/webma...fb6sf&cbrank=4


...and a quote from that page:

• Do a site: search When a webmaster tells us that his or her site has fallen out of our search results, we often find that it's still included. To quickly determine whether your site is still in our index, just perform a Google site search for its entire URL. A search for site:google.com, for instance, returns the following results: http://www.google.com/search?num=100&q=site:google.com Note that you shouldn't include a space between the site: operator and your domain name.
  If your site is displayed as a result when you perform a Google site search for your URL, then it's included in our index.
  However, if your site used to be indexed and no longer is, it may have been removed for violations of our Webmaster Guidelines. Review the guidelines and then, once you've fixed any issues, submit a reconsideration request.

It has already been determined that his site has fallen out of the serps. Falling out of the serps is not the same as being banned, it only feels like it at first.

In any case, the difference in opinion is not going to help him in any way. So on this point, I'm just going to agree to disagree because neither of us have enough time in the day defending what we feel we can prove. Besides that nobody cares one way or the other.

[theverysmartguy]

Originally Posted by mkoski

Not sure what you mean by thin?

When someone says you have a "thin" site they are talking about the content. On average you need to have about 500 or more words of unique content on each page. Not just that but small sites with only a few pages on it for content doesn't fly anymore. You need to think bigger, much bigger. Currently all the sites that I create have at least 80 - 100 pages of content, sometimes more. Google then sees some authority in the site ( does that help, so far so good ).

Another thing to add: If you are primarily trying to sell that e-book you have there then I would make another website focusing on that; a sales page for it if you will.

Then create a content rich site giving information to visitors and directing them to the sales page/information site on that e-book.

But yes, Paul is right, putting a disclaimer on each page is not going to make google like your website anymore, but it can help for any liabilities that may arise.

-- Jeff

[mkoski]

@smartguy

Thanks again! I guess I am not thin on pages (130+), but many of the recipe pages are short on words (250 ish).

Moving the ebook sales page offsite sounds like an easy and practical step. I think I will drastically reduce the links to the book. I have some planned new free content to help build the site. I've also watched Google's video on requesting reconsideration and it gave me a couple ideas. For example: I have listed on the bottom of several pages (including the index page) an RSS feed to pull the latest "news" on keywords I wanted to target. I did this to try and have "new" and "fresh" content for Google each time they spidered. This is probably against their policy? It may have also given me some links to websites they didn't like?

I appreciate your time!

Michael

[terrapurus]

Originally Posted by debra

If the site was banned from the google search engine then you would not be able to click this link to get there.

Unfortunately Debra you are completely wrong. Your browser bar has 2 functions - it can resolve URLs or it can act as a search bar.

Put in an address like the atkins site and your browser (i.e chrome, FF, IE etc) sends a request to your service provider (i.e. who you buy your internet access off) who then take that address, look up a DNS table and get the IP of where you want to go (well, that is a very simplified view of it). It has nothing to do with Google. This happened well before Google even existed as DNS was developed by Sun Microsystems back in the 1980's.

You can also use your browser as a search bar (my default search engine is Google so my results always show as Google). Type in site:atkinsforseizures.com into my browser and you will be asking Google (in my case) for all indexed pages on that atkins site. The request starts with site: so my browser knows this is not a site I want to go to but a search engine request.

Originally Posted by mkoski

Any ideas? What should I change before asking Google to reconsider?

Your chance of success is low. You would be better trying to take some of the better content and starting again.

I would also take adsense off your atkins site. If they booted it out of the index, then keeping adsense on it would not be a good move.

I am going to guess that you have an emotional attachment to the site. But let it go and move on to other projects. You might be a successful reconsideration, but it is not likely.

[mkoski]

@terrapurus - thank you for being frank. You are correct I have an emotional attachment. It is huge. I am going to make every effort for reconsideration - but I am also willing to completely start over.

Michael

[mkoski]

Follow up question: Is there an easy way to turn off my adsense as has been recommended? Or do I need to go in an delete code from each page?

thanks in advance,

Michael

[theverysmartguy]

If the adsense code was manually added to each page then yes, you will have to go to each page and delete it.

The lay out kind of suggests that it is a wordpress site, is that correct? If that is the case, I would advise you using a plugin to display your adsense ads on your website. Something like easy adsense ( do a search in the wordpress plugin directory and you will find it ).

I know that people say to not put all your eggs in one basket when it comes to making money with your websites. However, if you want the greatest benefit from any single way to make money from a site, just choose ONE for a SINGLE site at a time ( that of course doesn't mean that every site has to be the same way, mix it up of course). Since you are trying to focus on the ebook sales, just make that the way to monetize the website instead of both.

Can this be brought back from the black depths of the void? Its hard to say to be honest; you might have better luck starting fresh with something else WHILE you try to get google to reconsider it.

-- Jeff

[mkoski]

@smartguy

I am humbled by your willingness to help me.

This is not a wordpress site. I will need to go in to each page and delete. I will work on this tomorrow.

My experience (that led to this website) changed my family's life. My daughter went from 100+ seizures a day and no hope for a normal life despite all meds to seizure free, top of her class and now health insurance and on track to a driver's license. We have connected with 1000's of people from this website. All over the world. This message needs to get out. I am guilty of some SEO attempted shortcuts - but i was naive. I will change anything. Shame on Google if they don't respect that.

I don't need to make money from this site (though god knows it has helped). This is personal. It is a mission. It gives me some purpose in life. yes I am emotionally attached. I can't imagine a senario where someone is more attached.

Sorry to rant. Thank you for your contribution.

Michael

[terrapurus]

Grab notepad ++

Open the first html file in your folder on your hard drive.

Use the find and replace function (replace the adsense code with a blank). You can also do this with dreamweaver if you have it.

By finding in files you can tell it to find all instances in a block of files. Will take just a few moments.

Reload your site via FTP (might want to load one file as index1.html and check that first to make sure you did not break anything). And back up your old files in case you get the reconsideration in your favor - it would be a pain to put it all back the same way by hand.

As far as getting a reconsideration. As you said you have a connection to the site so I can see you putting in a bit of work. For off page, what do you have access to that would not be a white hat link (did you buy any links to shape page rank). Undo some of those links if you can.

If they took exception to your onpage content, well, that's just a bit harder. How do you change the site without changing the message.

All is not lost though if you wanted to persist. Get active in forums and work the social media side (eg youtube vids). For example, do you have a facebook page? Twitter account? But if simply getting Google traffic is your primary goal, then start again.

TL;DR - learn social media and become a legend at it if this site means that much to you.

[karismasand]

I'm sorry but your site is banned from Google. I have a mesothelioma site and he does not appear anymore in search results. I think Google has a problem with medical site ...

[stevegilcrest]

Originally Posted by debra

If the site was banned from the google search engine then you would not be able to click this link to get there.

Absolutely YES!
If a website is banned by Google then, we can not view that website in Google. It will not redirect to the website. I completely agree with you.

[stevegilcrest]

There is a straightforward reason for being blacklisted: by Google

*"Don't create multiple pages, sub domains, or domains with
Substantially duplicate content."

Quality guidelines - specific guidelines (Webmaster Guidelines)
1 Avoid hidden text or hidden links.

2 Don't use cloaking or sneaky redirects.

3 Don't send automated queries to Google.

4 Don't load pages with irrelevant keywords.

5 Don't create multiple pages, subdomains, or domains with substantially duplicate content.

6 Don't create pages with malicious behavior, such as phishing or installing viruses, trojans, or other badware.

7 Avoid "doorway" pages created just for search engines, or other "cookie cutter" approaches such as affiliate programs with little or no original content.

8 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.

Note:
Get the Complete Guidelines here: http://www.google.com/support/webmas...y?answer=35769


There are various things you can do to get yourself banned by Google. Avoid the following at all costs: Blacklist Crimes...
1. Cloaking
2. Over-Enthusiastic Keyword Usage
3. Too Much, Too Fast
4. Duplicate Material
5. FFA Pages and Excessive Cross-Linking
6. Phishing
7. Doorway Pages
8. Repeatedly Submitting Your Site
9. Numerous Virtual Hostnames
10. Illegal Material

Get the inside scoop here at http://www.domainmonster.com/editori...gle_blacklist/

I hope this will help you a lot..!

[dagaul101]

You could always try to contact them through their Google Groups support forum, or join Google Webmaster Tools to see what the penalty on your site could be