How to find out if a site is penalised?

Bullet · #1 (**permalink**) 09-19-2009, 06:32 AM

How can I find out if my site, or various pages of it, are penalised?

I have some pages that don't rank at all (not even in the top 1000) even though they are better optimised than some of the other pages that turn up in the results.

Are there any 'penalty checking tools' out there or is it purely speculation?

Thanks
Tom

Natural Elements · #2 (**permalink**) 09-19-2009, 06:40 AM

If you are penalized you will rank a few pages back or more, if you did something very bad your site will not be indexed.

If your pages do not provide unique content or attractive content, you will rank nowhere. If you duplicate contents and search engines catch you, your site will be penalized.

Bullet · #3 (**permalink**) 09-19-2009, 06:46 AM

Thanks,

The site is fully cached by Google and a few pages rank quite well, including the homepage, but some pages that (I think) should do equally well don't rank anywhere at all even though some other websites appear in the search results that only have the terms on the page and aren't even optimising for those terms! Can't figure it out.

I can't see anything that I'm doing wrong on the inner pages.

Natural Elements · #4 (**permalink**) 09-19-2009, 06:51 AM

Not all the pages are ranking equally. I will suggest you to build deep links or re-work the pages that do not rank.

It seems like you are doing fine, you just need to ajust some pages with more links pointed to them or re-work a little. Sometimes it is better to make a new page with new title, meta description, url and content re-worked than optimize the pages that do not rank.

You have to test

Bullet · #5 (**permalink**) 09-19-2009, 06:58 AM

Thanks, I have done just that, I had a seperate page created outside the CMS with all the right elements in the right place, linked it up from a few helpful places and still no joy.

I'd post the awkward pages in question so someone could have a look but I'm not sure if I'm allowed or not.

Wrams · #6 (**permalink**) 09-19-2009, 06:58 AM

Google is very strange, I've seen them penalize innocent websites and let websites that are using hidden text and other means to boost there rankings go straight to the top more or less.

If some pages are not doing so well as others then why not just try changing keywords for that page. Or editing the content and see what that does for you...? If pages of your site aren't being indexed then you need to make some slight changes in description and maybe change your <h1> and <h2> tags to word it differently but mean the same. Its all about trial and error in searching for the best SEO for your content. Google Tools or Webmasters section has a free keyword generator that I know alot of people use. Can't remember the address but if you go into your google account its in there somewhere. Or just simply Google it. "Google Keyword Generator" then try that and see what it comes up with.

Goodluck.

Bullet · #7 (**permalink**) 09-19-2009, 07:06 AM

I have shuffled the page content a few times and it still didn't appear. At the moment I'm trying NOT to shuffle it about and seeing if that makes a difference

So there's no way to actually tell if your site/page has a penalty apart from (I guess) contacting Google and trying to ask them?

Wrams · #8 (**permalink**) 09-19-2009, 07:12 AM

Yes you can contact them and they usually respond in around 24-48 hours, chances are your page just isn't being indexed properly. Not sure if you can just submit that page for a new listing...Don't know if that will effect your whole website. Do some research first OK before you try it. You don't want to be penalized for doing it.

Natural Elements · #9 (**permalink**) 09-19-2009, 07:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bullet

I have shuffled the page content a few times and it still didn't appear. At the moment I'm trying NOT to shuffle it about and seeing if that makes a difference

So there's no way to actually tell if your site/page has a penalty apart from (I guess) contacting Google and trying to ask them?

How long did you wait between each shuffle? Did you change the meta description, title and url too?

The important thing to do is each time you change your url, you must make a 301 redirect to avoid duplicates. If you don't wait enough time between each twick, the search engine will consider duplicates. To find out, check the url in copyscape.com

Sanjeevmishra9 · #10 (**permalink**) 09-19-2009, 08:21 AM

If you are having general issues like hidden text then google will send you a mail in webmaster about penalty otherwise check site: operator to see whether your site is indexed.

BNBuzz.com · #11 (**permalink**) 09-19-2009, 11:31 AM

If a website is penalized, google just throws you out of the index database. Just try link:http://www.yourwebsite.com on google search bar to see. If you still find your pages indexed, you may probably be doing something wrong with your content optimization or may be linked back from a bad reputed website.

Try giving a shot to SEO Process if you can find tips to well optimize your pages and back links.

Taba-Volsh · #12 (**permalink**) 09-19-2009, 11:49 AM

Google SandBox is not possible to check.

joeldavis · #13 (**permalink**) 09-19-2009, 12:26 PM

Have you kept tabs on how you ranked in Yahoo! and Bing? There might be a clue from checking into that. If your pages in question are ranking high(er) in Yahoo! and Bing, that means it's a Google thing.

Ender17 · #14 (**permalink**) 09-19-2009, 11:33 PM

One easy way to check if u are been banned or something, you can type site: your domain!

AirForce1 · #15 (**permalink**) 09-20-2009, 12:44 AM

Keep away from bad behaviors like black hat, you would not be punished. IMO.

Bullet · #16 (**permalink**) 09-20-2009, 12:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Natural Elements

How long did you wait between each shuffle? Did you change the meta description, title and url too?

The important thing to do is each time you change your url, you must make a 301 redirect to avoid duplicates. If you don't wait enough time between each twick, the search engine will consider duplicates. To find out, check the url in copyscape.com

Over a month between each one, made sure Google had been around at least a couple of times and updated it's cache/serps.

Meta descriptions changed as did titles, the URL's remained the same.

Bullet · #17 (**permalink**) 09-20-2009, 12:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sanjeevmishra9

If you are having general issues like hidden text then google will send you a mail in webmaster about penalty otherwise check site: operator to see whether your site is indexed.

I don't use hidden text, haven't received any email from Google and the site is IN Google's cache.

Bullet · #18 (**permalink**) 09-20-2009, 12:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by joeldavis

Have you kept tabs on how you ranked in Yahoo! and Bing? There might be a clue from checking into that. If your pages in question are ranking high(er) in Yahoo! and Bing, that means it's a Google thing.

Heh, the pages rank well inboth Yahoo and Bing, it being a 'Google thing' doesn't really help, but you're right - so how do I go about fixing that?

Bullet · #19 (**permalink**) 09-20-2009, 12:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ender17

One easy way to check if u are been banned or something, you can type site: your domain!

So you're saying that provided you are in Google's index you can't possibly have a penalty of any sort? The site definately isn't banned but some pages that have been specifically optimised don't rank anywhere which is odd, even the homepage outranks some of the optimised categories even though the homepage isn't optimised for those terms

florra82 · #20 (**permalink**) 09-20-2009, 08:45 PM

Just check for couple of days if still it don't start appearing then you may try to resubmit that specific pages.