If you’ve noticed that the lastest Google PageRank update has distilled your site’s PageRank (Toolbar PageRank that is) because Google believes that you are selling links or up to other ways to mislead the Google algorithm or break their Webmaster Guidelines, and you are not, there is a way to redeem yourself with Google.
As an example, b5 media member Problogger.net was one of the major blogs hit by the Google PageRank update, with its PageRank dropping from PR 6 to PR 4. b5 media says that Problogger.net doesn’t sell paid links, nor does CopyBlogger. Problogger.net and CopyBlogger are now a PR 6 and PR 7 again, respectively.
[Of course PageRank rose for some sites and your drop may not be about selling links.]
Jeremy Wright of b5 shares with Search Engine Journal readers :
Many of our sites that were hit were NOT selling links, and never had (www.copyblogger.com among them).
This update *was* about text links, … but tens of thousands of sites that had NEVER sold text links were mistakenly penalized as well.
Hitting up Google in the WMC and asking for reinstatement for this sites WILL work, though
So, how does one hit up Google Webmaster Central to Ask for Reinstatement?
- First, make sure that you are not breaking the Google Guidelines or selling links which would lead to your PageRank score falling. You don’t want to go telling Google you’ve changed your ways when you haven’t and you certainly do not want to say that you never did something they are frowning against, when you do.
- Then log into Google Webmaster Tools (if you do not have a Google Webmaster Tools account then create one, and validate your site with them.)
- Select “Request reconsideration” from the Dashboard on the right hand side.
- Then read the fine print very carefully. By requesting reconsideration, you’re telling Google that you have violated the Webmaster Guidelines in the past and to your best knowledge, are no longer violating them. If you break the guidelines in other ways, be sure to address those changes before reporting your site changes to Google (because you might be opening up a huge can of worms).
- Request Reconsideration : Have everything together and sure your site is meeting the Webmaster Guidelines, then fill out the form, tell them about the changes you made, and hit the Request Reconsideration button.
[Just remember folks, this PageRank update is still rolling out, so before taking action, you may want to wait and see the final result of the changes.]
