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Google has suggested that sometimes it makes sense to start fresh and start a new web site if you dug yourself into such a severe penalty.
Google's John Mueller hinted to it again this weekend in a Google Webmaster Help thread. This was specific advice to a single case of a web site that was penalized and has several other web sites all with penalties associated with them. John wrote:
Sometimes, when the issues are severe enough, and when you're certain that you've learned how to do it correctly, it may make sense to delete all of these old sites, and to just create a single new one. I know it's never easy to make such a decision, but especially if you're sure that you'll be able to avoid all of the issues leading up to the problems with the current site (eg no unnatural links!), and if you have fantastic content, then it can be worth reviewing.
Yes, John wrote "when the issues are severe enough, and when you're certain that you've learned how to do it correctly, it may make sense to delete all of these old sites, and to just create a single new one."
Forum discussion at Google Webmaster Help.
Image credit to BigStockPhoto for cracked growth
Comments:
CaptainKevin
07/07/2014 01:44 pm
John Mueller is full of crap. I had a couple sites that I bought paid blog links (50-100 links each site) and the sites received the manual action penalty. This is what many would deem as a "severe penalty." Guess what? Those paid blog links were deleted years ago when the blog network collapsed. That's the only links the sites had outside of the natural ones and the sites are still nowhere to be found in Google! LOL The good news is that these sites are doing fine in Bing/Yahoo and still generate leads. My question to John is: what does Google determine to be a severe penalty and why is it that places like JCPenney can have their penalty revoked in a couple weeks and small sites have to wait years (if the penalty ever expires)? Being penalized for doing something wrong is perfectly acceptable IMO. How Google sticks it to the little guys that bought a few links while big brands invests hundreds of thousands of dollars manipulating the search results is a different story. Spending all that money on manipulating the SERPS is severe IMO, and John Mueller's statement is full of doo doo IMO as well. Why would I have to create new sites when the paid links were gone years ago?
Vito
07/07/2014 05:18 pm
He also states: "and if you have fantastic content." Does this mean that you can move content from a penalized site to a non-penalized site? I thought that was blackhat?
Don Halbert
07/07/2014 05:28 pm
Here's how I see it. If Google knows enough how to discover "unnatural links" and "spammy link profiles", why instead of punishing domains and driving them out of business, don't they just ignore those links and therefore eliminating negative SEO forever? I mean whether anyone wants to admit it or not...negative SEO is thriving due to these penalties that hold a site underwater for years even. In my opinion this is very unethical and against the motto Google founded itself after of "Do No Evil". Cause this is as evil as it gets.
wertwert
07/07/2014 07:21 pm
I don't think google wants to solve spam and negative SEO... normal searchers is what they sell to frustrated websites. Its frustration that drives demand for exposure to searchers. Better search quality means more inventory but less demand... the most profit is somewhere in the middle. Not saying it is right... just saying how I see it being.
Yo Mamma
07/07/2014 11:12 pm
When your business tanks because natural results are cut, your only option online is PPC - Google knows this and it should be a crime to get away with this slimy tactic
OphelieLechat
07/08/2014 05:42 am
Not if you delete the old site entirely.
ethalon
07/08/2014 11:32 am
'...you only option is PPC' Surprise! Yo Mamma is spitting nonsense again.
Yo Mamma
07/08/2014 01:36 pm
Megaupload, the feds went after him, he ran to New Zealand all because other people dumped pirated content on his server. G$$gle should be shut down and served too. For the same reasons and for distribution of child porn. Example: Youtube "Salò, or the 120 Days of Sodom" If that isn't child porn I don't know what is