18 {{ upvoteCount | shortNum }}
18 {{ upvoteCount | shortNum }}

A Quick but INVALUABLE Tip...Let It Be A Lesson

by DR's Fynest
15 replies
Today I was checking some of my stats on Google Analytics and I noticed that one particular site of mine had stopped getting visitors altogether for a few days now. So naturally, I was like :confused: WTF?

This is actually the first site I made using Amazon as the monetization and for the past 2 months it had been bringing sales here and there. Nothing to write home about but it was adding up as it moved up the SERPs.

My site had 4 pages at the top of page 2 on Google and 1 (an inner page) sitting at #8 on page 1. This latter one was responsible for most of my traffic bringing roughly 10-15 visits a day by itself.

I quickly typed the keywords I knew I was ranking for and my site was nowhere in sight. I was like ! Have I been "G Slapped?!"

I did a "site:mydomain .com" and NO results! Now I was really pissed thinking I had been removed from the index. I mean, I've been doing everything above board for my sites. My first thought was "GRRR Darn Google!!"

But then I remembered that I had changed the theme for my site to see if it improved conversions. What I didn't do when I changed the theme, was add the code from Webmaster Tools into the header of this newer theme. So after a few days without this code anywhere on my site, Webmaster Tools was unable to download my sitemap.

I went to the Webmaster's Tools site and indeed, there was a notice for an error with the sitemap. I quickly re-added the code to the theme and the sitemap was successfully verified again.

I will add a new post to the site to see if it indexes again.

From now on though, I will simply use the option to upload the html file provided by Webmaster Tools onto my website. This ensures that nothing like this will happen again.

My question to more experience people here: could this be the reason my site has NO pages indexed anymore? The site had 7 pages indexed before this mishap.
#de-indexed #google slap #webmaster tools
  • Profile picture of the author esk
    I don't think that this can be the reason. I changed themes before too and my sites were still indexed and in fact I don't even have a sitemap
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[3595971].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author DR's Fynest
    Oh man...

    So is this a lost site? Anyone with some more experience regarding indexing and sitemaps who can help a fellow Warrior out?
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[3596020].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author axeny
    If you use Wordpress allow search engines - some themes have the bad habit of disallowing search engines to index your site.
    Go to Wp Admin --> Settings --> Privacy --> and there you should choose the first option...
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[3596064].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author PatriciaJ
      It really sounds like it's been de-indexed but not because you changed themes and missed out the code. That's really unlikely, nobody is obliged to use Googles codes and themes get changed all the time.

      You need to check out Googles requirements in Webmaster tools and then if anything is amiss sort it out and then request reconsideration. I had a site deindexed because it wasn't online for about a year. I put some Amazon stuff on it and my first request was ignored. I added some original content and got some guest bloggers and my next request was successful.
      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[3596113].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author backendbuddy
    I do not want to say, it was a Google slap, but i can confidently say, i too change themes but i remain where i usually remain on SERP. May be you need to dig beyond.
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[3596074].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author PatriciaJ
    Originally Posted by Ryan Kole View Post

    I have had this happen to me before, even sometimes by forgetting to activate the "Allow Indexing" function in the WP Admin Dashboard.
    That is usually when you are setting up wordpress for the first time on a domain and after some but not all of the WP upgrades.

    Originally Posted by Ryan Kole View Post

    I don't think that once Google has indexed your domain that is "removes" it from the index for some reason, I don't think that this is possible (unless you disallow them to index your site).
    They remove sites from the index all the time, if the sites don't comply with what they lay out in their guidelines.

    Originally Posted by Ryan Kole View Post

    You will get back into Google, try searching for your site on different search engines and try pinging your site, fight for it to get back where it was.
    No you won't, not without making alterations and asking for reconsideration. But Google isn't the only way to get traffic.
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[3596140].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author jillwheeler
      Originally Posted by PatriciaJ View Post

      That is usually when you are setting up wordpress for the first time on a domain and after some but not all of the WP upgrades.



      They remove sites from the index all the time, if the sites don't comply with what they lay out in their guidelines.



      No you won't, not without making alterations and asking for reconsideration. But Google isn't the only way to get traffic.
      Patricia, how do you "ask Google" if you have this type of problem?
      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[3596624].message }}
      • Profile picture of the author PatriciaJ
        Originally Posted by jillwheeler View Post

        Patricia, how do you "ask Google" if you have this type of problem?
        In the sitemap section of Webmaster tools there is a link on the left under 'Help with' saying 'Requesting reconsideration of your site'

        There is also the forum where you are more likely to get an answer but not always from Google employees.
        {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[3596791].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author PatriciaJ
      Originally Posted by Ryan Kole View Post

      I am surprised I didn't know that, I thought this only applied if you were using their types of monetization (e.g Google: AdSense) and that they index all kinds of sites, whereas they only leave out the ones which don't allow them to index through the "robots.txt" file.

      Also, is the domain removed on other search engines too?
      Adsense is separate from indexing, they can remove your adsense account but still index your sites, and vice versa. The site I had de-indexed ran adsense ads all the time.

      Sites occasionally get flagged for too much backlinking too quickly or they can be reported by anybody for not sticking to what Google want, thin affiliate sites etc. The sites get checked then by humans rather than bots.

      The other search engines are independant from Google thank goodness.
      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[3596800].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author DR's Fynest
    Patricia,

    Thanks a lot for the reply. I thought they sent you an email or something via Webmaster Tools if something was wrong with a particular site.

    I've got 2 other sites that follow the same template and they seem to be fine. On the Webmaster Tools sitemap page, it says indexed URLs is at 6 but still not showing via google .com.

    I'll try to put up 3-4 more reviews on that site and see if the added new content indexes.

    Will post back when/if that happens.
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[3596339].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author RealEcon
      If that theme you put on it was a publicly available theme it may have had some hidden links or code in it that Google doesnt like. I saw a thread about this somewhere. Porn spammers giving away nice themes with hidden backlinks in the theme to their sites.
      Signature
      Traffic, Clicks, Conversions! www.realeconmarketing.com
      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[3596434].message }}
      • Profile picture of the author PatriciaJ
        Originally Posted by DR's Fynest View Post

        Patricia,

        Thanks a lot for the reply. I thought they sent you an email or something via Webmaster Tools if something was wrong with a particular site.

        I've got 2 other sites that follow the same template and they seem to be fine. On the Webmaster Tools sitemap page, it says indexed URLs is at 6 but still not showing via google .com.

        I'll try to put up 3-4 more reviews on that site and see if the added new content indexes.

        Will post back when/if that happens.
        I think that they are too high and mighty to send emails if they think something is wrong. Even when my site was re-indexed they didn't let me know. I've only ever seen standard automated responses.

        Yes I would add some fresh content, probably best to stagger it and bookmark each new page.

        It may only be a temporary glitch if webmaster tools is showing 6 indexed URLs. Hope so anyway.

        Originally Posted by RealEcon View Post

        If that theme you put on it was a publicly available theme it may have had some hidden links or code in it that Google doesnt like. I saw a thread about this somewhere. Porn spammers giving away nice themes with hidden backlinks in the theme to their sites.
        That's possible, though if you get them through your dashboard from Wordpress I think that they are supposed to be safer.
        {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[3596508].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author Mike McAleer
    This has happened to me before as well. It is kind of upsetting because I lost all my traffic data. I surely was still ranked, but I had no idea what my traffic levels were.
    Signature

    Recent domain flips : $8->$1000 Social recruiting Software dot com $8->$2000 MobileSalesSoftware.com
    Invest in domains without the hard work !
    Email for details...Mike McAleer at me dot com

    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[3596688].message }}

Trending Topics