Why Do Some Say It Is Not Real? Have you been "Sandboxed"? My Story.

[Latsyrc]

I know this has been discussed repeatedly, so here I go again starting another thread (yes I read most of all the threads I could find about this).

I noticed a general theme. People that say there is no such thing as the Google sandbox and it hasn't happened to them and because Matt Cutts stated there is no sandbox. And then there are the people who say there is a sandbox because it happened to them. So for the people who didn't believe it, but then it happened to them, did you find out what caused the "SERP" movement?

Here's my story. Both involved backlinking services on WF with awesome stars and ratings.

Site number 1- Purchased in August/September this year. Signed up for a popular backlinking service. Had a great increase in traffic, and then the site disappeared. Yes, I'm indexed; however, I'm off the radar. If you Google my site name, it originally showed in the top 10 (it was a unique domain name, so it would normally be in the top 10 regardless). However, I can't find myself in the top 10 now. As other stories go, I normally had 100 visits a day, now down to 1-5 visits a day. Of course some people will ask what did you change, quality of content, etc. I changed nothing except added content that is unique. No change in theme, etc. It's like I let the site sit there with no changes except added content while it was backlinked.

Site number 2- Same story as above, different backlinking service. The site has tons of unique informational content but it is an older site, but under a year. Same story. Can't find my unique domain name in top 10 or 100 for the matter.

What do both sites have in common? On BOTH sites, I do not post daily. Sometimes days will go by before I post. Could THIS be a cause?

I'm confused reading all of the debates on the sandbox. Let's say there is no such thing as a sandbox. Then wth is it? Obviously tons of people have this issue when they rank a site, then choose a backlinking service, and the site goes off the map. I highly doubt that EVERY single one of those people had thin affiliate sites (that some people like to point to). There is obviously a correlation with backlinking and a domain that loses SERP for almost any keyword. I'm not getting long tailed searches at all for the first site.

So if you have been "sandboxed", how did you get out of it? What caused it? For those of you who don't believe it, then what do you think is the cause of this phenomenon?

[John Romaine]

There is no such thing as sandboxing.

There is however cheap and nasty backlinking services.

Quit wasting your time with garbage services and learn how to do proper SEO.

[Latsyrc]

Do you have any recommendations on resources that teach you how to do proper SEO? I am familiar with on page, not an expert. I have difficulty with backlinking.

Originally Posted by ramone_johnny

There is no such thing as sandboxing.

There is however cheap and nasty backlinking services.

Quit wasting your time with garbage services and learn how to do proper SEO.

[rooze]

Don't confuse 'sandboxed' with a drop in SERP's. Whether or not Google sandbox exists is irrelevant, your site has dropped down in SERP's.
Why? - well probably because you've been flagged for having an 'unnatural' link building pattern.
In most cases, for a 'real' backlink to have been placed to your website, a 'real' person must first have visited your site to record its URL. If your monthly site hits are around 3000 and you suddenly develop 5000 (or 2000, 1000 or whatever) backlinks, then that's a red flag - your backlink acquisition rate, or 'velocity' is not proportional to the amount of visits to your site.
Then of course the quality of the links - I'm guessing they're mostly crappy links. So you're leaving a big footprint and Google has now devalued your content and your SERP's have suffered.
Now those who believe in the sandbox theory will say to you "just wait a while it will bounce back".
I doubt it will bounce back on its own. You need to start developing some backlinks from authority sites manually, sites in your own niche. Do it naturally and select from a broad/diverse range of websites and link types. Keep adding content. At some point the ratio of links to visitors and crap links to good links will tip you back into favor and you'll start to see your site again.

[John Romaine]

Originally Posted by Latsyrc

Do you have any recommendations on resources that teach you how to do proper SEO?

Thats a MUCH better question!

This is an SEO training course that I highly recommend.

Search Engine Optimization | InlineSEO

[Latsyrc]

Thanks for the recommendation. I am going to check it out. I definitely want to learn the proper way to do things. I assumed some of those backlinking services were the proper way to do things, that would take care of it for me. Now I need to figure out what the right way is. Thanks!

Originally Posted by ramone_johnny

Thats a MUCH better question!

This is an SEO training course that I highly recommend.

Search Engine Optimization | InlineSEO

[John Romaine]

Originally Posted by rooze

...your backlink acquisition rate, or 'velocity' is not proportional to the amount of visits to your site.

As with sandboxing, this is another classic myth.

This has been discussed repeatedly here and dismissed as total BS. Have you heard of press releases?????

One press release can bring in THOUSANDS of backlinks in a matter of 24-48 hours. Has absolutely NOTHING to do with visitor data.

And yes, its white hat and totally ethical.

[Latsyrc]

Thanks! This makes sense. Never thought of it this way. <sigh> I have a feeling I have a lot of backlinks to outweigh.

Originally Posted by rooze

Don't confuse 'sandboxed' with a drop in SERP's. Whether or not Google sandbox exists is irrelevant, your site has dropped down in SERP's.
Why? - well probably because you've been flagged for having an 'unnatural' link building pattern.
In most cases, for a 'real' backlink to have been placed to your website, a 'real' person must first have visited your site to record its URL. If your monthly site hits are around 3000 and you suddenly develop 5000 (or 2000, 1000 or whatever) backlinks, then that's a red flag - your backlink acquisition rate, or 'velocity' is not proportional to the amount of visits to your site.
Then of course the quality of the links - I'm guessing they're mostly crappy links. So you're leaving a big footprint and Google has now devalued your content and your SERP's have suffered.
Now those who believe in the sandbox theory will say to you "just wait a while it will bounce back".
I doubt it will bounce back on its own. You need to start developing some backlinks from authority sites manually, sites in your own niche. Do it naturally and select from a broad/diverse range of websites and link types. Keep adding content. At some point the ratio of links to visitors and crap links to good links will tip you back into favor and you'll start to see your site again.

[John Romaine]

Originally Posted by Latsyrc

Thanks for the recommendation. I am going to check it out. I definitely want to learn the proper way to do things. I assumed some of those backlinking services were the proper way to do things, that would take care of it for me. Now I need to figure out what the right way is. Thanks!

My pleasure.

$197 might seem like a lot of money, but trust me, the time and money you will undoubtedly waste otherwise will outweigh this in no time.

Not to mention frustration as well.

Learn the process, and apply it. Dont just hand it over to someone and "hope that it works".

[down]

Originally Posted by Latsyrc

So if you have been "sandboxed", how did you get out of it? What caused it? For those of you who don't believe it, then what do you think is the cause of this phenomenon?

Myself don't believe if "sandbox" is exist. What happen with your site, I call it "Google dance" or "drop in SERP", if you want back to your rank, just do link building to authority sites and add new unique content regularly. In my case, usually my site will back within 10-14 days or so to current rank and some of them have more higher rank than before they disappear.

[aygabtu]

Originally Posted by Latsyrc

Thanks! This makes sense. Never thought of it this way. <sigh> I have a feeling I have a lot of backlinks to outweigh.

Can you pm me who you used for backlink service and how many backlinks they created?

[cagliostro]

"under a year". So you must wait. A "year" or less is nothing. Do your job as usual and wait.

Good things happens to those who wait (from an English Pub sign i saw a few weeks back in Scotland).

[rowanman28]

My site is PR4 and on the first page for the keyword worldwide. I have barely made any back links in the last few months, just a few here and there, and updated my site with quality content. I do a few manual blog comments on relevant comment luv blogs, write a few articles on other sites, I have a Facebook page that's PR6 which I share all my new blog posts on, and I share them with my Twitter followers, Google Plus connections, Stumble Upon followers, and maybe make a few You Tube videos. The harder you concentrate on back links, the less quality pages you make, and so it's ultimately slowing down your progress.

[rooze]

Originally Posted by ramone_johnny

As with sandboxing, this is another classic myth.

This has been discussed repeatedly here and dismissed as total BS. Have you heard of press releases?????

One press release can bring in THOUSANDS of backlinks in a matter of 24-48 hours. Has absolutely NOTHING to do with visitor data.

And yes, its white hat and totally ethical.

No I've never heard of a press release, what is that?

If you read my post you'll see "In most cases, for a 'real' backlink to have been placed to your website".....etc

You pluck out "PR distribution" (from somewhere) knowing that it is one of the cases that does not require the PR hosting website to have been a visitor of your site. As for BS, what's BS is anyone who thinks throwing 1000's of links at a site with next to zero traffic isn't going to be an issue.

That was the basis of my comment and it's sound.

If you think there's no correlation between links and visitor stats I guess we'll just have to disagree.

[SammyBlackstar]

Books:
SEO For Dummies
SEO Secrets

Links:
The Resources In My Signature.

[yukon]

Welcome to the wonderful world of low quality backlink blast!

Guaranteed to make your site bounce in the SERPs or your money back!

Was one of those services a WSO with a lot of great testimonials?

Originally Posted by Latsyrc

I know this has been discussed repeatedly, so here I go again starting another thread (yes I read most of all the threads I could find about this).

I noticed a general theme. People that say there is no such thing as the Google sandbox and it hasn't happened to them and because Matt Cutts stated there is no sandbox. And then there are the people who say there is a sandbox because it happened to them. So for the people who didn't believe it, but then it happened to them, did you find out what caused the "SERP" movement?

Here's my story. Both involved backlinking services on WF with awesome stars and ratings, normally on first page of Warriors For Hire.

Site number 1- Purchased in August/September this year. Signed up for a super popular backlinking service. Had a great increase in traffic, and then the site disappeared. Yes, I'm indexed; however, I'm off the radar. If you Google my site name, it originally showed in the top 10 (it was a unique domain name, so it would normally be in the top 10 regardless). However, I can't find myself in the top 10 now. As other stories go, I normally had 100 visits a day, now down to 1-5 visits a day. Of course some people will ask what did you change, quality of content, etc. I changed nothing except added content that is unique. No change in theme, etc. It's like I let the site sit there with no changes except added content while it was backlinked.

Site number 2- Same story as above, different backlinking service. The site has tons of unique informational content but it is an older site, but under a year. Same story. Can't find my unique domain name in top 10 or 100 for the matter.

What do both sites have in common? On BOTH sites, I do not post daily. Sometimes days will go by before I post. Could THIS be a cause?

I'm confused reading all of the debates on the sandbox. Let's say there is no such thing as a sandbox. Then wth is it? Obviously tons of people have this issue when they rank a site, then choose a backlinking service, and the site goes off the map. I highly doubt that EVERY single one of those people had thin affiliate sites (that some people like to point to). There is obviously a correlation with backlinking and a domain that loses SERP for almost any keyword. I'm not getting long tailed searches at all for the first site.

So if you have been "sandboxed", how did you get out of it? What caused it? For those of you who don't believe it, then what do you think is the cause of this phenomenon?

[GeorgR.]

I dont know about "sandbox"..which i understand as a time where a NEW (?) site cannot rink high simply because it is new....actually i have never experienced this.

But i know for a fact that penalization exists since i had sites penalized a few times already, and the penalization lasted *exactly* 6 months each time.