
It’s important to understand that there’s a clear distinction between a universal Google algorithm change and a penalty.Īn algorithm change (like BERT ) is something that affects all websites, not just a select few.Īlgorithm changes are designed to make the quality of search better for the end-user, which sometimes creates a drop in traffic for certain content.Ī penalty is just what it sounds like - a punishment for engaging in specific activities that are against Google’s playbook of rules. What’s the Difference Between an Algorithm Change and a Penalty? If you’ve just slipped up and made a tiny mistake, but corrected it immediately, you shouldn’t have a penalty issue.

Thus, this two-step towards the land of lost traffic is usually something that happens over time. If you’ve been unfortunate enough to be hit with one, you can expect it to take up to thirty days for a small infraction or longer for something major.īut be advised: Google penalties do expire on their own.Īt that time, your website will be checked to ensure the problems are fixed and the penalty removed.

➤ For a list of known penalties, take a look at our black hat post. It is only those who go off course and engage in things like sneaky redirects and cloaked images that really have a reason to worry.

Most digital marketers who only engage in white hat tactics should never have to deal with a Google penalty. What is a Google Penalty and How Long Does It Last?Ī Google penalty is simply the search engine’s way of blocking certain websites that engage in tactics that either go against their guidelines or do not meet certain criteria.ĭuring the penalty phase, a website can see a huge reduction in ranking position or an outright crash in traffic, all because Google is no longer showing it in the rankings.įor a business that is getting pretty consistent traffic overall, the process can be absolutely detrimental to sales and lead generation, which is why it is important to try to avoid getting one at all costs.
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