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Penalized in Google

By
Real Estate Agent with DWELL Real Estate

My website was recently penalized in Google for what I believe to be excessive cross linking and state pages created for reciprocal linking. I previously ranked either #1 or #2 for the most sought after key phrases as well hundreds of other phrases pertaining to Sarasota real estate. Me and a several other Realtors were given a "Google hand job". In other words Google did not change their algorithm but specifically hand picked a number of websites to penalize. Many speculate that we were given a -30 penalty. It looks as though they handpicked numerous Advanced Access and Real Estate Webmaster customers. All of the sites that were affected still show up the search results but usually no better than the 40th position. Even if you search Google for my name you will see that I am no where near the first page.

Matt Cutts from Google indicated that they don't like the excessive reciprocal link trading that many Realtors participate in as well as the state pages that "clog up the internet." Be careful with your state pages and reciprocal linking efforts. Perhaps Google will update their algorithm to devalue useless Realtor reciprocal links but right now it looks like they are doing it manually.

If you have been penalized the good news is that it looks like it may only last for 30 days.  Many Advanced Access users seem to be coming out of the penalization period. If you were penalized your best move might be  to erase the reciprocal links and ask for forgiveness from Google via a reinclusion request.

Comments (7)

New Jersey Real Estate James Boyer Morris, Essex & Union County NJ Realtor
RE/MAX Properties Unlimited, Real Estate - Morristown, NJ

Sorry to hear about your penalty.  I believe that I came across one or two of your posts over at REW.  good to here that it is only 30 days penalty.

 

best of luck to you,

 

James Boyer

Keller Williams Realty

Summit, NJ 07960

May 25, 2007 02:53 PM
Gary Porter
GLP's Home and Mold Inspections - Orlando, FL
Wow. I did not know they did that. How many link to you?
May 25, 2007 03:03 PM
Vicki Watzlawick
CORE Realty (The Watz Team) - Algonquin, IL
Illinois Foreclosure Expert, The Watz Team
Marc, Can I ask who said that it only lasts 30 days?
May 25, 2007 04:18 PM
Marc Rasmussen
DWELL Real Estate - Sarasota, FL
Sarasota Real Estate
There is nothing official saying it is only 30 days. I am hoping it is 30 days.  However, there are other agents that were penalized for probably the same reason and after about 30 days they are either back to where they started or close to it.
May 25, 2007 09:57 PM
Connor T. MacIvor
RE/MAX Gateway - Santa Clarita, CA
661.400.1720

Thanks for the heads up...

Connor MacIVOR

Dec 01, 2007 03:19 PM
Karina Kfuri Leal, ABR®, SRES®, PSA
Leal USA Realty 561-350-3503 ( FALO PORTUGUES) - Delray Beach, FL
Sales, Rentals & Prop. Manag. - FALO PORTUGUES!

Hi Mark, I was just recently penalized. Not sure yet why. Did you get your problem resolved?

Nov 18, 2009 03:05 AM
Marc Rasmussen
DWELL Real Estate - Sarasota, FL
Sarasota Real Estate

I did. It was a 60 day penalty

Nov 18, 2009 09:34 PM