Removed From Google Index, and Wondering Why? - Practices to Avoid: SE
This article consists of information that we know, but would be good information for clients. It's true that no SEO can guarantee inclusion in the search engine indexes after performing an analysis. That is partly because the search engines themselves are not terribly specific about what practices will cause them to remove a website from their indexes. For example, what exactly is search engine spam?
Google's Short list of Practices that should be avoided:
- Hidden text or hidden links
- Cloaking or sneaky redirects
- Automated queries to Google
- Pages loaded with irrelevant words
- Multiple pages, subdomains, or domains with substantially duplicate content
- "Doorway" pages created just for search engines, or other "cookie cutter" approaches such as affiliate programs with little or no original content.
Other Rules From Google
- Don't try to manipulate search engine rankings with special tricks. Every decision should be made by considering its use to your audience.
- Creating link schemes or neighborhoods for the sole intention of increasing your PageRank are a sure way to get penalized.
- Basically, any deceptive practice in general should be avoided. Just because Google hasn't explicitly listed the manipulative technique, does not mean that you won't be penalized for it. It's pretty easy to gage what's ethical and what isn't.
For more information, check Google's Webmaster Guidelines. Yahoo Search is even more restrictive in their definitions of spam and undesirables; however, concentration on detection and removal has not been receiving quite as much focus. It is important to be aware of and conform to Yahoo's restrictions, since Yahoo has no re-acceptance policy. Banishment has been, in every case I've heard of, permanent.
