How Does a Google Penalty Affect My Website SEO?

Understanding How Google Penalties Affect Website Rankings

When you’re looking for ways to grow your SEO rankings and bring in more traffic, the idea of a penalty can be frightening. While a Google penalty may not be as severe as the term implies, it’s still an action that should be avoided. Learn more about this manual action and how our SEO Agency in Santa Rosa can help you keep your website penalty free.

Google Penalties Defined

A penalty occurs when our website intentionally or unintentionally violates Webmaster Quality Guidelines. Your SERPs visibility will be dampened when a human reviewer from Google discovers your site uses one or more of the following techniques:

• Sneaky redirects
• Plagiarism
• Link schemes
• Scraped content
• Malicious behavior

 
This is just a partial list of reasons that websites may be penalized. Some individuals incorrectly term algorithm updates as penalties. While it’s true that an update in Google algorithms can result in a downturn, this is a widespread action that affects many websites. A Google penalty is a specific, manual action that only affects your website.
 
These algorithmic devaluations can still affect your website in the same way as a penalty, so it’s important to work with an SEO team that can stay on top of the latest algorithm features. Invest in SEO services that continue to monitor your rankings and update your site as necessary to stay at the forefront of Google ranking best practices.

SEO Effects of a Google Penalty

The effects of a penalty can vary. A minor issue will only result in a small downturn in your ranking, but a major violation of the Webmaster Guidelines can result in a complete removal from search results. No one wants their website removed from search results, so a fundamental aspect of your SEO strategy should be avoiding these violations.
 
Google penalties aren’t a surprise. There are many outlined causes for a penalty and warnings about behaviors that can cause your website to be removed or experience a downturn. If a human reviewer determines your website is violating a guideline, you’ll receive a message via Google Search Console. There are procedures to request a reconsideration, but if your website is using deception or other tricks to boost rankings it’s best to simply update your strategy to reflect current best practices.

Penalty Prevention Strategies

You won’t have to worry about penalties when you work with a leading SEO agency near you. Expert SEO strategists are familiar with all the guidelines and compelling ways to increase your website ranking without resorting to cheap tricks.
 
It’s all about quality content, good organization and attention to detail. At Fitz Designz, we believe in proven strategies for increasing traffic volume, growing dedicated leads and keeping your website at the upper rankings of relevant SERPs.
 

Amp Up Your SEO

Learn more about guidelines for avoiding Google penalties and discover how we can keep your website moving forward. Contact us at Fitz Designz today to work with a leading SEO Agency in Santa Rosa and learn more about SEO best practices. Enjoy proven growth that doesn’t rest on violations but uses trustworthy strategies and expert content from leaders in the industry.