Google Webmaster Tools

Whogister · Oct 24, 2012

I've been doing affiliate marketing for a while now. A couple days ago, for the first time, I get a dreaded message in GWT about one of my sites not following the guidelines and it was deindexed.

I don't buy links or do anything shady so I just chalked it up as Google just not liking the site for some reason. After all, the message they give you is pretty vague.

But now I'm getting these messages for all the sites listed in GWT... they are pretty much going down the list of my sites added to it and de-indexing all of my sites and sending me the guidelines message for every single one of them.

Even for a couple sites that I just put days ago. So I really have no clue...

Has something like this happened to anyone else in here before? GWT is a great resource but it also seems like Google could use it to pick on you as well. Having all of your websites listed in one place for them to find and nuke is pretty convenient for them.

I'm going to stick with it for a while and add some more sites to my list and see if the trend continues.

ezcoms · Oct 24, 2012

I am glad that you started this thread because I wanted to post the same thing.

Are you running adult sites? If-so, I know what you're going through.
The best way I can describe it as: Google is a hand... The hand has different fingers... Each finger has no idea what the other is doing. So, when you fix one problem that they allege is violating their vague terms of service, then you have to fix it. After you fix it, then you have to resubmit it for approval which could take up to 3 weeks. Then, if that doesn't work, they respond with vague answers. Live chat is for the birds and you have a better chance talking to a wall. That is just my opinion and my dealing with them and their bland advertising policies.

Cheers.

Whogister · Oct 24, 2012

Not running adult sites... just affiliate sites for affiliate programs on affiliate networks like CJ.com

Been doing this stuff pretty much since affiliate marketing was invented... first time having a real problem like this.

lothos · Oct 24, 2012

what kind of sites are these? thin 2-4 page sites with adsense? Splogs?

Whogister · Oct 24, 2012

Product sites using datafeeds...
No adsense or banners on the sites.

One site had over 2 million indexed pages for nearly a year...
Last night it was completely de-indexed.

enlytend · Oct 24, 2012

If you want to PM me one of the site url's and the message you got, I'll take a look.

They've never been a fan of affiliate sites and several guidelines (like this one - http://support.google.com/webmasters/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=76465 and this one - http://support.google.com/webmasters/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=2721311) target affiliates that don't put in a decent amt. of effort to add value.

PS - if you have 2 million pages of datafeeds and no added value, that could be the problem. Thin affiliates are regarded as spam.

mathewbruce · Oct 25, 2012

I would recommend you to use different Google Webmaster account for different websites, so that it would give you an clear view on what has gone wrong. If you have received that message from Google I would recommend you to remove some of the links you created before and send a reconsideration request to Google. I am sure that this would help.

enlytend · Oct 25, 2012

- Different WMT accounts won't make it any clearer what the problem is.

- Unless you get an "unnatural linking" message, don't blindly go deleting links You could be removing links which are helping not hurting.

- Read the ENTIRE Webmaster Quality Guidelines CAREFULLY before sending a reconsideration request.

I stand by my first impressions that this is a thin affiliate issue...

Whogister · Oct 25, 2012

enlytend said:
I stand by my first impressions that this is a thin affiliate issue...

After reading over the guidelines a couple times this is the only thing that I can think it would be as well... I never had any issues with "thin" sites before but maybe I've just been lucky and now I'm "on the radar."

mhdoc · Oct 25, 2012

I discovered on Oct. 23 there was an unnatural linking message in my WMT account dated Aug. 5th.

Kind of explains why traffic and income are down, but not totally gone.

I guess my "sin" was a few link packages purchased years ago. The site is content heavy and has been up since 1998.

According to WMT there are 5,000 links and I have no idea how I would contact the linking sites and ask them to delete them.

At this point my thought is to kiss the old site goodby and bring up a new one with re-written content. Maybe I should thank G for removing my concerns about legacy issues.

I'm open to suggestions...

JB Lions · Oct 26, 2012

"One site had over 2 million indexed pages for nearly a year..."

If it's that many, it's usually not going to be any original content, looks like the markings of a datafeed site. The merchant will always be more relevant than an affiliate product link to the merchant site.

"Even for a couple sites that I just put days ago. So I really have no clue..."

I would never list your sites with them again. Google is an affiliate themselves, you're an affiliate. You should never put a competitor's tracking code on your site. You don't need it.

That's really what it comes down to with me. A simple question. Does it make sense to put a competitor's tracking code on your site? And based on stats, apparently this makes sense to most people out there, just not to me.

Whogister · Oct 26, 2012

JB Lions said:
I would never list your sites with them again. Google is an affiliate themselves, you're an affiliate. You should never put a competitor's tracking code on your site. You don't need it.

I'm really starting to wonder about GWT now... never had a problem with any of my sites and now all of a sudden, when I do, they go right down the list of all the sites listed in my account and nuke them all?

enlytend · Oct 26, 2012

mhdoc said:
According to WMT there are 5,000 links and I have no idea how I would contact the linking sites and ask them to delete them.

There's the new "disavow links" tool. If you can, probably better to ask site owners first, but worst case ...

Whogister said:
After reading over the guidelines a couple times this is the only thing that I can think it would be as well... I never had any issues with "thin" sites before but maybe I've just been lucky and now I'm "on the radar."

They're cracking down.

I would never list your sites with them again. Google is an affiliate themselves, you're an affiliate. You should never put a competitor's tracking code on your site. You don't need it.

That's really what it comes down to with me. A simple question. Does it make sense to put a competitor's tracking code on your site? And based on stats, apparently this makes sense to most people out there, just not to me.

I have most of my sites listed in WMT - that's not adding any tracking code, just requesting info about your sites which they already have.

(If you're doing something where you don't want them knowing your sites are related, then that would be a concern. I personally don't care.)

Whogister · Oct 26, 2012

The whole linking and dissavow thing is the stupidest thing ever... why should a webmaster be responsible for finding who links to their site and then beg them to remove the links?

Not only that but ban a site for other site's actions that you have no control over?
It's so stupid.

I used to think that people that avoided GWT were just paranoid and were always trying to hide something... but now I get it.

Everyone says "if you do nothing wrong then you have nothing to worry about!" ... until it happens to you.

I have 3 websites left that haven't been deindexed (yet). What do they all have in common? I never listed them in my GWT account... maybe it's just a coincidence.

enlytend · Oct 26, 2012

Whogister said:
The whole linking and dissavow thing is the stupidest thing ever... why should a webmaster be responsible for finding who links to their site and then beg them to remove the links?

Not only that but ban a site for other site's actions that you have no control over?
It's so stupid.

They're assuming that you built the crap links - or at least had some say in it happening. Disavow - people were asking for that because they were either unable to contact the sites or the victim of blackhat attacks.

Yes, you'd think they'd just ignore bad links, but they're out to make a point and discourage the activity.

Everyone says "if you do nothing wrong then you have nothing to worry about!" ... until it happens to you.

Millions of datafeed pages has never been OK with them. They're very clear that if you have an affiliate site, you have to add value.

JB Lions · Oct 26, 2012

enlytend said:
I have most of my sites listed in WMT - that's not adding any tracking code, just requesting info about your sites which they already have.

(If you're doing something where you don't want them knowing your sites are related, then that would be a concern. I personally don't care.)

Had a mind freeze, was thinking Google Analytics. And you don't have to be doing anything bad or care about being related, you can just be hitting the same markets they're interested in.

Whogister · Oct 27, 2012

JB Lions said:
And you don't have to be doing anything bad or care about being related, you can just be hitting the same markets they're interested in.

It appears that they have recently become very interested in the outdoors market

Whogister · Oct 30, 2012

Who knows...
Honestly I think they all just sit around pushing the DE-INDEX button and laugh hysterically.

Jayres · Nov 1, 2012

As mentioned above, you might look into disavow link tool if you can get to the questionable links you have on your sites. I hear that you may need to comment/explain on why you are disavowing the links.

alok897 · Apr 4, 2013

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