I heard that Google is now treating Wordpress websites as Spam, is this true?

[emailwiz]

I heard that Google is now treating Wordpress websites as Spam, is this true?

[MikeFriedman]

You have a source?

[emailwiz]

A guy who is offering to do SEO for me said this, He said I would have to rebuild my website, but i get the feeling he is just trying to squeeze some web design money out of me

[domainarama]

Many WordPress sites treat Google like spam, so it's only fair ;-)

[Thomas Prendergast]

I am researching this. With the crush of 'WP comment spamming' software, hackers gaining control and setting up EDITOR accounts in millions of 'abandoned' WP sites, with over 500 million WP sites now in existence, it is plausable and there is some indication that this may be the case.

But I am not ready to throw the baby out with the bathwater just yet. Research and I mean deep research is required to really see what the true trend is.

My own personal WP sites? Some have been hijacked, most are buried with "Comment Spam", and I have the plug in for mass delete.

But what I have noticed is my sites with WP have dropped in ranking where as my sites without WP have not.

My sites that dropped that I removed WP and replaced with an alternative returned to their former ranking.

So researching this is very important. I have invested a lot into WP.

[UMS]

Originally Posted by emailwiz

A guy who is offering to do SEO for me said this, He said I would have to rebuild my website, but i get the feeling he is just trying to squeeze some web design money out of me

I got a bridge to sell to you.


Seriously, shouldn't it be obvious what their motivation is?

Google is going to place a blanket rule on any type of platform.

Some WordPress sites are high quality and some are spammy.

Same applies to Drupal sites, or Joomla sites, or hand built HTML sites or.........

[Thomas Prendergast]

It is being discussed over here.

WordPress Blogs

And this is my research site in this regard. I just got it started.

Wavefour Marketing :: Index

[TBInternetMarketing]

Originally Posted by emailwiz

I heard that Google is now treating Wordpress websites as Spam, is this true?

I highly doubt this is true.
Wordpress is one of the biggest website building platforms online, and they have nothing to do with a website being spammy or not.

There are many Wordpress sites that are spammy, and many that are not.
There are also many normal html sites that are spammy and many that are not.

Bottom line is that spammy sites has no link to Wordpress as such.

[krishan1982]

Wordpress Drupal joomla and any other platform web site spam by Google i do not thing so yes some web site spam but not all i m sure about this

[Thomas Prendergast]

This site is an example of the wholesale "SPAM" process by software like SENUKE does.

http://netnewsads.net/?p=1#comments

It is getting out of hand. It is entirely plausible that Google will discount a platform that is so easily rapped by SPAM bashing software like SENUKE does.

But this is only anecdotal, not confirmed. Much research needs to be done.

[MikeFriedman]

Originally Posted by Thomas Prendergast

This site is an example of the wholesale "SPAM" process by software like SENUKE does.

Net News Report » Blog Archive » Hello world!

It is getting out of hand. It is entirely plausible that Google will discount a platform that is so easily rapped by SPAM bashing software like SENUKE does.

But this is only anecdotal, not confirmed. Much research needs to be done.

If you ask me, your conclusion is ridiculous. They are going to have to discredit HTML sites too. Plenty of spam on those. And Drupal. Tons of spammy sites use Drupal. Same with Sitebuilder, and just about every other platform out there.

Google can easily just discredit that site you linked to instead of the entire platform.

[glock67]

its just a rumor as long as you write quality content you will be fine

[Thomas Prendergast]

Originally Posted by MikeFriedman

If you ask me, your conclusion is ridiculous. They are going to have to discredit HTML sites too. Plenty of spam on those. And Drupal. Tons of spammy sites use Drupal. Same with Sitebuilder, and just about every other platform out there.

Google can easily just discredit that site you linked to instead of the entire platform.

Conclusion? Did I make a conclusion?

But there is certainly a trend developing. But you are welcome to stick your head in the sand and ignore it, call those who recognize a possible trend and drawing attention to it "ridiculous.

And yet this site promotes the very services that are in fact ruining WP blogs.

[paulgl]

While I don't believe google is treating wordpress as spam,
but in the past when people would argue wordpress over
blogspot, I always pointed out that google owns blogspot.

So.....if one were to think logically about spam and junk
sites, which blog platform might be on the chopping block
in the near future....

While google may trim blogspot, they have been known to
cut a whole genre of sites.

I would not doubt that google has already thought long and hard
about de-valuing wordpress. Sort of the same thing as far
as google+ goes. De-valuing meant in more of a scale. In other
words, google would put blogspot over wordpress, google+ over
other socials, and certainly youtube waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay over
any other wannabe video sites.

This only pertains to people who choose to live and die on
what google does.

Paul

[domainarama]

I have been known in these parts to tout Blogger over WordPress, something Paulgl hints at. Blogger at least makes the appearance of being more selective than WordPress.

But I have found many holes in Blogger's claim to virtue. I do not advocate trying to cheat on Blogger, and I will not instruct anyone on any of the holes I have found on Blogger. But the fact that I, an amateur, have found holes in Blogger's virtue shield says to me that Google's crusade for virtue can go only so far. IOW where there is a will to spam ways will be found to spam.

[kimfal]

I just can't picture Google just targeting WP as a platform for spam when there is spam on every platform? Not saying it can't be true, just saying it sounds weird!
Sounds to me that your designer wants to do your site over and get paid...hehehe

[Andrew S]

Originally Posted by emailwiz

A guy who is offering to do SEO for me said this, He said I would have to rebuild my website, but i get the feeling he is just trying to squeeze some web design money out of me

Dump that snake oil salesman like a sack of potatoes.

Like, immediately.

If you continue on with a business relationship with him you're in for a world of hurt in one way or another.


BTW: Ask him why then does Google's head of web spam have a Wordpress blog? Please post his response here, I want to lol.

Originally Posted by NY1

btw, Matt Cutts' blog uses WordPress as the CMS.

Aw you beat me to it

[jefkas]

Oh how I wish. I would own the market for sure!

[SammyBlackstar]

LOL Spend less time reading rumors and more time grinding.

[Thomas Prendergast]

Originally Posted by Andrew S

BTW: Ask him why then does Google's head of web spam have a Wordpress blog? Please post his response here, I want to lol. Aw you beat me to it

Rather arrogant to ridicule a possible trend with elementary assumptions. So a Google principle uses Word Press as Google goes out and wholesale begins to discount WP blogs.

It is not impossible to embrace that possibility. However unlikely that, and skeptical you are, and many here are ridiculing the possibility that Google "may" be discounting WP blogs, does it not bear to do some research to see if in fact this may be true?

I am building a database of the top 1000 WP blogs, then another 500 median WP blogs and then a random sampling of another 500 WP blogs and assessing their rankings.

It seriously hurts WP credibility when software spamming systems like SENUKE are aggressively promoted especially here at the WF.

Just Sayin. Now I am not crying the Sky is falling. I will do the research and that will reveal exactly what the trend is.

Even a solid trend will "not" prove Google has decided to discount WP. How Google really works? Nobody knows.

[milivojac]

Originally Posted by emailwiz

I heard that Google is now treating Wordpress websites as Spam, is this true?

I don't thinks so, no! Wordpress is the biggest website platform in the world, they can`t just ban all wordpress websites. There is so many wordpress websites that are high quality, why would google ban that site?! No sense, right?!

I know Google has a strict rules, but i don`t think they would do something like that. Only if they tried to buy Wordpress, and Wordpress owner declined... so maybe Google is angry on them now I can`t see any other reason for that.

I mean, you can built your website by yourself (not on wordpress platform) and if your site is spammy - Google will knock you down.

[OmarNegron]

Im not sure if they are treating as spam and how they even can if you are offering good unique content on your website.

Of course some people don't so maybe these are the people who are feeling it? I doubt they will go after everyone who uses a wordpress....that's a lot of people!

-Omar

[attorneydavid]

Google could disfavor incoming wordpress or any other platforms links as spam if they are an unnatural percentage. The overwhelming majority of blog networks and bmrs use wordpress.

But disfavoring wordpress sites would be crazy , way too many legit sites.

[BenFromSoMo]

NFL.com and many other important websites use Wordpress.

[emailwiz]

Originally Posted by Andrew S

Dump that snake oil salesman like a sack of potatoes.

Like, immediately.

If you continue on with a business relationship with him you're in for a world of hurt in one way or another.


BTW: Ask him why then does Google's head of web spam have a Wordpress blog? Please post his response here, I want to lol.




Aw you beat me to it

Thanks i am going to ask him that, from the responses I have seen, it seems like it is a rumor, I to feel that Google would not devalue a whole platform such as wordpress, especially when there are so many authoritative websites in key niches that use it. And there is spam on every platform as well

[Mike Grant]

[Thomas Prendergast]

Originally Posted by Mike Grant

OK when did you sneak into my ranch and take my picture buster?

[godinu]

THere are many big company sites built on wordpress. Google couldn't just blanket an entire CMS like that, that would be ridiculous.

[patco]

Who did tell this?!? I am almost 99% sure that this is NOT right. Wordpress is the biggest platform for blogs worldwide and I don't think Google will mark them as SPAM.

[Paul Gram]

Originally Posted by emailwiz

I heard that Google is now treating Wordpress websites as Spam, is this true?

Lol, utterly ridiculous. Run away from the guy trying to sell you on that crap.

[bilal9999]

Not all wordpress sites are spam in Google eyes.
but some wordpress are spam in Google eyes.

[MelanieFitzpatrick]

I believe it is just a rumor. I have three sites that run on the WordPress platform and those are doing just fine. I also write for about 10 clients who use a WordPress platform. Just because it is WordPress does not mean it is going to be spammy - there are plenty of legit WordPress sites out there.

[theverysmartguy]

I heard that Google doesn't like peanut butter anymore, so if you eat peanut butter all your sites are going to get deindexed.

:P

-- Jeff

P.S. You are only allowed to have Nutella. Eat Nutella and you will be fine.

[ThatAblaze]

Well, WP may not be spam.. but I do think it's generally too simple. There are a lot of other sites that drop a complicated structure of privacy policies and different ordering methods, and when these pages link back to your home page it makes your site look better to Google.

So I could certainly see getting a better ranking with a more complicated platform.

[gearmonkey]

I think a lot of people are completely underestimating how advance Google really is. They don't need to blanket one software to catch the spammers, they can find the individuals abusing / gaming the system and ban them.

If you are doing things the right way, you are safe... no matter what software you are using.

[Thomas Prendergast]

Google is smarter than the developers that made it. It has developed Artificial Intelligence.

[seopratik]

that is fakes news because wordpress is a best opensource for seo..

[neil_patmore]

I heard Google was starting to treat HTML as spam too.

[Oranges]

The biggest SEO "blah blah blah" from Google runs his blog on wordpress.
Enough said.

[markowe]

Originally Posted by gearmonkey

I think a lot of people are completely underestimating how advance Google really is. They don't need to blanket one software to catch the spammers, they can find the individuals abusing / gaming the system and ban them.

If you are doing things the right way, you are safe... no matter what software you are using.

Yeah, that's pretty much said it. It's absolute NONSENSE to suggest your site will somehow be under threat if you use Wordpress.

Some of the biggest blogs and sites in the world run on Wordpress for GS!

Google's ranking system is WAAAAY more advanced than a lot of people seem to give credit for. I can imagine that there MIGHT be a certain pattern detection algorithm which MIGHT work something like:

- IF site has only 3 pages + privacy policy
- and IF content fails a whole bunch of clever linguistic analyses
- and IF site has poor bounce/time-on-site stats
- and IF site has ugly, plain template that a million other sites run, MANY of them fitting the same description above, AND is running Wordpress

THEN, maybe that site has a low value.

Suggesting running Wordpress will harm your site and that Google is penalising that somehow is TWADDLE!

[MagnusOMX]

I agree. I really doubt that Google would EVER punish a framework just because people spam it.
However, it wouldn't surprise me if Google started to recognize the typical footprint of a spammer e.g. on sites like Wordpress, just to be able to ignore such links, but that's another thing (pure speculation!).

[isolinx]

There is no reason to be spam if contents are not copy/pasted.

[strategic seo services]

I don't think that Google would discriminate against Wordpress.

[EddieGee]

The idea that Google is going after WordPress sites is absurd.

It's like saying that the FBI is going to start targeting people who drive Toyotas because some criminals have been known to drive them.

WordPress is like Toyota. It's favored by a large segment of the population that tends toward the "middle of the road" but also encompasses the top end and the bottom end.

Because it's such a powerful, easy to use, and free tool, millions of people use WordPress, including spammers. But as other posters have pointed out, if Google really did decide to take the ridiculous measure of punishing WordPress users, then everybody, including the spammers, would just go over to Joomla or Drupal or whatever, and the situation would be exactly the same as it is now, except that millions of people would have been forced to waste time and effort abandoning one useful platform for a slightly less useful one.

[dburk]

Originally Posted by neil_patmore

I heard Google was starting to treat HTML as spam too.

Yes! This is true Google is now treating HTML as spam too.

All of my competitors better switch to flash if they know what is good for them (and by "them" I mean "me" of course ).

[bnetwork]

I just took down all of my WP sites. Don't want Google to ban me from the internets.

[bnetwork]

Originally Posted by fus10n

I doubt it

Why?

The message you have entered is too short. Please lengthen your message to at least 10 characters.

edit: but seriously - don't answer this. I'm just trolling.

[Thomas Prendergast]

The idea that Google has targeted WP for profiling as one of the worse offenders of content spamming, comment spamming, being hijacked and used for massive article submission is entirely plausible.

Here are two WP sites that got hijacked. I have left them alone for my researching this possible issue.

http://netnewsads.net/?p=1

Pre Paid Legal Leads

As I continue to acquire WP blog URLS from the top, in the middle and obscure a trend is starting to surface. A trend and if you do not pay attention to trends, they have a way of mowing you down.

WP is being destroyed by automated article software, automated commenting software and "secret" methods to brut force a WP blog as well as profile a WP blog that has been abandoned.

In fact there are offers on this forum selling the very submitting services (spamming services is more accurate) that is in fact destroying WP as a legitimate marketing tool.

This is a trend. Ignor and continue to ridicule those who are beginning to notice it. Or make decisions with your emotion. But the bottom line, the winds are changing and WP is probably not going to be able to continue to deliver the same results it has been doing.

Here is an example of the type of back links being found in hijacked WP blogs.

http://www.commissionbreakthrough.com

Go ahead, continue to laugh and ridicule those who are beginning to see this trend, but the trend is real.

Am I going to abandon all my WP blogs? I have hundreds of them. No but I am watching them closer and most of them have recently been trending downward. The few that were diving in page rank reversed and started going back up when I removed WP.

I am just reporting those results. So maybe you might want to pay attention. I think something is up.

[xxxJamesxxx]

What a load of tosh!

James Scholes

[Fixers]

Garbage, they are clearly just trying to get some more money off you.

Clearly wp sites are used by millions so for them to do this it would be stupid