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Keyword Stuffing and Hidden Text
Steve asks about how long it takes to be reconsidered when you are busted for keyword stuffing and hidden text.
“I was checking my webmaster tools yesterday and saw that my domain www.colebrothers.com had been removed from the google index for violations concerning hidden keywords in some pages. The keywords were on some pages that I had created about 15 years ago before I knew better. I have forgotten all about it until yesterday. I have gone through and removed everything that I can find to make sure my sites are not in violation and I have submitted a reconsideration request. Does anyone know how long it will take for the site to be reviewed and reinstated? I support my family with this website and I really need to have it in the google index. Any help would be appreciated. -Steve”
Using the WayBackMachine you see that in 2002 the keyword stuffing was visible at the bottom of the page in white text. Then all the way up until 2007 this guy was living large off hidden text. You can learn a lot from others mistakes. ;)
He filed for reinclusion in Google BUT does anyone know how long it takes to be reconsidered? I am interested in learning the answer to gauge how forgiving Google is for keyword stuffing and hidden text, thanks.
Update:
“I corrected the problems, submitted a reconsideration request and my pages are back up. I have learned that is is better to just follow all the rules than to take short cuts and have to pay for them later. Even if its 15 years later they sometimes still catch up to you. I have gone through the webmaster guidelines and am applying the recommendations to my sites and checking to make sure there are no other problems that may affect me in the future. Hope this helps someone else in the future. Thanks, Steve”
Wow, that was fast! :)
Similar Post:
October 5th, 2007 at 1:57 am
hi I am interested to know how did google make you aware of these violations? I do not have any hidden text but do google contact you or something? thanks
October 5th, 2007 at 5:25 am
I spend a lot of time reading stuff online, (mainly in Google Webmaster Help) and in the last few weeks the average for complaints about being dropped out of the index for hidden text is WAY up.
Sites that remove the hidden text return unless they are spamming in other ways detected by current agorithms *takes breath*
The process is also most likely now automated. =P
November 16th, 2007 at 10:42 am
got a nice email from Google about 30 day ban, I had 1 sentence hidden because my site is flash and it worked better for search engines, removed the sentence right away and sent reconsideration request to Google.
Wondering what will happen?
November 16th, 2007 at 11:13 am
I have seen websites that repair the error then notify for reconsidertation via webmaster tools come back within days, for others they get the full 30 days. Below 30 days might require a human evaluation, sometimes if you post about it in the webmaster help forums you get a quicker non automated response, good luck!
November 21st, 2007 at 8:26 pm
got my site banned, sent reinclusion request to Google and got my site back in 4 days. I guess those request actually do work :)
November 21st, 2007 at 9:05 pm
excellent, enjoy! ;)