Forum Moderators: Robert Charlton & goodroi
Last week during editing I discovered that creation of 6 new pages in my website had an error: one photo had a link to other website (while it shouldn't contain any link) and that photo was copied and pasted 5 times in same page and then replaced by another different photos, result: 5 different photos on same page were linking to the same page (external link)
That unwanted overlinking, was repeated in some 4-6 pages in my site because other pages were created. Until it was discovered and links removed.
Days ago noticed that, so removed all unwanted and repeated links and uploaded again the pages.
I saw yesterday that my website is completely gone from Google, so assume that received some penalty and now it's sandboxed or gone forever.
This sad experience wasn't any kind of trick, but I admit that might look like to SE eyes. The lesson: check outgoing links always.
However, is there something else to do than sit and wait, hoping someday my site comes back to SE results?
The good new: That site still ranks ok in Yahoo and MSN.
I guess
My guessing is the involuntary overlinking spoiled the things.
I don't think you're being punished. I think you're just an unintended casualty of Google's current wild gyrations. I'm sure you will come back up in a week or two.
I saw yesterday that my website is completely gone from Google
What does it mean?
You mean a site:example.com returns zero?
You mean a search on "example.com" returns a blank page?
You mean simply a search on "your keywords" does not get your site in the first page?
I saw yesterday that my website is completely gone from Google, so assume that received some penalty and now it's sandboxed or gone forever.
Doubtful, and your assesment of the situation is solely based on what you observed days before the event happened.
this is along the lines of 'junking your car because it wont start, based on the smell of burning oil and assuming the engine is blown.'
Lot's of things cause sites to be dropped. Some DC's dont even have some of my websites listed, but are ancient artifacts or ancient rankings, or test DC's, or others.
Be patient and at the same time analytical.
What does it mean?
You mean a site:example.com returns zero?
You mean a search on "example.com" returns a blank page?
You mean simply a search on "your keywords" does not get your site in the first page?
Example.com returns my page.
"my keywords" don't return my page (used to be in first page results) and now it's not even in first 300 -didn't search beyond but to me that's completely gone.
Eithter didn't appear if I search "my keywords mydomain", I use that to see if the page is indexed in google because it uses to return your page even if you don't rank in first positions.
Removed the "offending links" and resubmitted the sitemap, now I see site back, in similar positions than before the dissapearing. If it was that, took about a week as somebody said. If it was some Google shaking, I can't tell.
Out of 80k links there is bound to be some repeats/bad folks even though it is hand edited, sites change hands, webmasters make mistakes etc etc.
I would wait and see before doing anything, if you start trying to "fix" it you might "break" it... Know what I mean?
If you didn't notice an image/link when you tested your pages are you sure you didn't miss some truely hidden items?
Yes I am.
And I don't think a link may get you dropped. I think the overuse of one link (that's the case) did.
Once removed it's back. But it's just my opinion.
