Comments on: Get Rid of those Soft 404′s in BANS http://www.thenichestorebuilder.com/get-rid-of-those-soft-404s-in-bans.htm Learn How to Build and Market Niche Websites Tue, 18 Oct 2011 17:32:11 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Giving Away This Website is Not Going to be Easy! | Build a Niche Store Guide http://www.thenichestorebuilder.com/get-rid-of-those-soft-404s-in-bans.htm#comment-16667 Giving Away This Website is Not Going to be Easy! | Build a Niche Store Guide Sat, 25 Jul 2009 17:37:46 +0000 http://www.thenichestorebuilder.com/get-rid-of-those-soft-404s-in-bans.htm#comment-16667 [...] some trash to the end of the URL, to force it to 404. You can read how to fix the soft 404 at the BANS Soft 404 issue page on the Niche Store Builder [...]<div class="comment-remix-meta"><a href="#" class="replyto" onclick="replyto('16667','Giving Away This Website is Not Going to be Easy! | Build a Niche Store Guide'); return false;">Reply</a> - <a href="#" class="quote" onclick="quote('16667','Giving Away This Website is Not Going to be Easy! | Build a Niche Store Guide','[...] some trash to the end of the URL, to force it to 404. You can read how to fix the soft 404 at the BANS Soft 404 issue page on the Niche Store Builder [...]'); return false;">Quote</a></div> [...] some trash to the end of the URL, to force it to 404. You can read how to fix the soft 404 at the BANS Soft 404 issue page on the Niche Store Builder [...]
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]]> By: Sean http://www.thenichestorebuilder.com/get-rid-of-those-soft-404s-in-bans.htm#comment-13762 Sean Tue, 09 Sep 2008 00:11:41 +0000 http://www.thenichestorebuilder.com/get-rid-of-those-soft-404s-in-bans.htm#comment-13762 I'd like to use a custom 404 page as well. This 404 page fix will work without the .htaccess - I tried it on my pure bans site. Kinda slacking to just now trying it on my own site. But got around to upgrading a 1.0 site to 3.0 - total redo, so I got some urls that will need 404's. The 404.text file has some coding in it that should allow for it to point to the custom page. Just gotta figure it out.<div class="comment-remix-meta"><a href="#" class="replyto" onclick="replyto('13762','Sean'); return false;">Reply</a> - <a href="#" class="quote" onclick="quote('13762','Sean','I\'d like to use a custom 404 page as well. This 404 page fix will work without the .htaccess - I tried it on my pure bans site.\r\n\r\nKinda slacking to just now trying it on my own site. But got around to upgrading a 1.0 site to 3.0 - total redo, so I got some urls that will need 404\'s.\r\n\r\nThe 404.text file has some coding in it that should allow for it to point to the custom page. Just gotta figure it out.'); return false;">Quote</a></div> I’d like to use a custom 404 page as well. This 404 page fix will work without the .htaccess – I tried it on my pure bans site.

Kinda slacking to just now trying it on my own site. But got around to upgrading a 1.0 site to 3.0 – total redo, so I got some urls that will need 404′s.

The 404.text file has some coding in it that should allow for it to point to the custom page. Just gotta figure it out.

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]]> By: Christine http://www.thenichestorebuilder.com/get-rid-of-those-soft-404s-in-bans.htm#comment-13671 Christine Tue, 02 Sep 2008 20:57:53 +0000 http://www.thenichestorebuilder.com/get-rid-of-those-soft-404s-in-bans.htm#comment-13671 I didn't use wp to create the 404 page just went thru step 3 and it seems to be working for me, however I wasn't sure what extension to use for my custom 404 page so I did 404.php and uploaded it but that doesn't work. for example it I type in: www.MYBANSDOMAIN.com/jjjjjjjjjjjj it's blank, but if I type in http://www.MYBANSDOMAIN.com/storepage/storecategory/jjjjjjjj I get 404 Not Found. still not the 404 page I created but I guess it will work? What about the blank page, is that ok? or what extension should I've used?<div class="comment-remix-meta"><a href="#" class="replyto" onclick="replyto('13671','Christine'); return false;">Reply</a> - <a href="#" class="quote" onclick="quote('13671','Christine','I didn\'t use wp to create the 404 page just went thru step 3 and it seems to be working for me, however I wasn\'t sure what extension to use for my custom 404 page so I did 404.php and uploaded it but that doesn\'t work. for example it I type in:\r\nwww.MYBANSDOMAIN.com\/jjjjjjjjjjjj\r\nit\'s blank, but if I type in \r\nhttp:\/\/www.MYBANSDOMAIN.com\/storepage\/storecategory\/jjjjjjjj\r\nI get 404 Not Found. still not the 404 page I created but I guess it will work?\r\nWhat about the blank page, is that ok? or what extension should I\'ve used?'); return false;">Quote</a></div> I didn’t use wp to create the 404 page just went thru step 3 and it seems to be working for me, however I wasn’t sure what extension to use for my custom 404 page so I did 404.php and uploaded it but that doesn’t work. for example it I type in:
http://www.MYBANSDOMAIN.com/jjjjjjjjjjjj
it’s blank, but if I type in
http://www.MYBANSDOMAIN.com/storepage/storecategory/jjjjjjjj
I get 404 Not Found. still not the 404 page I created but I guess it will work?
What about the blank page, is that ok? or what extension should I’ve used?
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]]> By: Soft 404 in BANS Revisited | The Niche Store Builder - Succeed with Build a Niche Store http://www.thenichestorebuilder.com/get-rid-of-those-soft-404s-in-bans.htm#comment-13627 Soft 404 in BANS Revisited | The Niche Store Builder - Succeed with Build a Niche Store Sat, 30 Aug 2008 23:35:39 +0000 http://www.thenichestorebuilder.com/get-rid-of-those-soft-404s-in-bans.htm#comment-13627 [...] week, I wrote a post about the issues with the Soft 404 header status code in BANS sites and why Google hates a soft 404. After looking into it a bit further, I want to clarify that the [...]<div class="comment-remix-meta"><a href="#" class="replyto" onclick="replyto('13627','Soft 404 in BANS Revisited | The Niche Store Builder - Succeed with Build a Niche Store'); return false;">Reply</a> - <a href="#" class="quote" onclick="quote('13627','Soft 404 in BANS Revisited | The Niche Store Builder - Succeed with Build a Niche Store','[...] week, I wrote a post about the issues with the Soft 404 header status code in BANS sites and why Google hates a soft 404. After looking into it a bit further, I want to clarify that the [...]'); return false;">Quote</a></div> [...] week, I wrote a post about the issues with the Soft 404 header status code in BANS sites and why Google hates a soft 404. After looking into it a bit further, I want to clarify that the [...]
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]]> By: Adrienne http://www.thenichestorebuilder.com/get-rid-of-those-soft-404s-in-bans.htm#comment-13480 Adrienne Sat, 23 Aug 2008 14:26:34 +0000 http://www.thenichestorebuilder.com/get-rid-of-those-soft-404s-in-bans.htm#comment-13480 I just tried one of my bans sites and when I typed in some gobbledygook, it took me to a page that said sorry we don't have what you are looking for now, so that site should be ok?<div class="comment-remix-meta"><a href="#" class="replyto" onclick="replyto('13480','Adrienne'); return false;">Reply</a> - <a href="#" class="quote" onclick="quote('13480','Adrienne','I just tried one of my bans sites and when I typed in some gobbledygook, it took me to a page that said sorry we don\'t have what you are looking for now, so that site should be ok?'); return false;">Quote</a></div> I just tried one of my bans sites and when I typed in some gobbledygook, it took me to a page that said sorry we don’t have what you are looking for now, so that site should be ok?
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]]> By: Sean http://www.thenichestorebuilder.com/get-rid-of-those-soft-404s-in-bans.htm#comment-13229 Sean Mon, 18 Aug 2008 18:17:58 +0000 http://www.thenichestorebuilder.com/get-rid-of-those-soft-404s-in-bans.htm#comment-13229 I just tested your store category for the 404, it works. Did you know that you can create a custom 404 page. You will need an HTML Editor to do this. I have a custom Logo file that my header calls. I copy this html into the 404 page and then paste part of the footer to complete the page. This is so that if a page is missing or moved, the users can still click on a category that appropriately matches their search. The body is simply a few links and a message telling the user or customer that the page has moved - please accept our apology and then say you may find these links helpful or please visit the homepage to search for another item. There is already a 404 page in the hosting account. Take the header (logo) and the footer, put some text in the body - thanks for visiting but the page you requested has been moved or deleted. Please revisit the homepage to find what your looking for. Yadah yadah yadah. That way your visitor still has a chance to visit your website.<div class="comment-remix-meta"><a href="#" class="replyto" onclick="replyto('13229','Sean'); return false;">Reply</a> - <a href="#" class="quote" onclick="quote('13229','Sean','I just tested your store category for the 404, it works.\r\n\r\nDid you know that you can create a custom 404 page. You will need an HTML Editor to do this.\r\n\r\nI have a custom Logo file that my header calls. I copy this html into the 404 page and then paste part of the footer to complete the page. This is so that if a page is missing or moved, the users can still click on a category that appropriately matches their search. The body is simply a few links and a message telling the user or customer that the page has moved - please accept our apology and then say you may find these links helpful or please visit the homepage to search for another item.\r\n\r\nThere is already a 404 page in the hosting account. Take the header (logo) and the footer, put some text in the body - thanks for visiting but the page you requested has been moved or deleted. Please revisit the homepage to find what your looking for. Yadah yadah yadah. That way your visitor still has a chance to visit your website.'); return false;">Quote</a></div> I just tested your store category for the 404, it works.

Did you know that you can create a custom 404 page. You will need an HTML Editor to do this.

I have a custom Logo file that my header calls. I copy this html into the 404 page and then paste part of the footer to complete the page. This is so that if a page is missing or moved, the users can still click on a category that appropriately matches their search. The body is simply a few links and a message telling the user or customer that the page has moved – please accept our apology and then say you may find these links helpful or please visit the homepage to search for another item.

There is already a 404 page in the hosting account. Take the header (logo) and the footer, put some text in the body – thanks for visiting but the page you requested has been moved or deleted. Please revisit the homepage to find what your looking for. Yadah yadah yadah. That way your visitor still has a chance to visit your website.

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]]> By: Mark http://www.thenichestorebuilder.com/get-rid-of-those-soft-404s-in-bans.htm#comment-13226 Mark Mon, 18 Aug 2008 17:47:48 +0000 http://www.thenichestorebuilder.com/get-rid-of-those-soft-404s-in-bans.htm#comment-13226 I added the following to my htaccess... Not on all istes yet, but working toward it. RewriteCond %{HTTP_HOST} ^mywebsite\.com [NC] RewriteRule ^(.*)$ http://www.mywebsite.com/$1 [L,R=301] Mark<div class="comment-remix-meta"><a href="#" class="replyto" onclick="replyto('13226','Mark'); return false;">Reply</a> - <a href="#" class="quote" onclick="quote('13226','Mark','I added the following to my htaccess... Not on all istes yet, but working toward it.\r\n\r\nRewriteCond %{HTTP_HOST} ^mywebsite\.com [NC]\r\nRewriteRule ^(.*)$ http:\/\/www.mywebsite.com\/$1 [L,R=301]\r\n\r\nMark'); return false;">Quote</a></div> I added the following to my htaccess… Not on all istes yet, but working toward it.

RewriteCond %{HTTP_HOST} ^mywebsite\.com [NC]
RewriteRule ^(.*)$ http://www.mywebsite.com/$1 [L,R=301]

Mark

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]]> By: Josh http://www.thenichestorebuilder.com/get-rid-of-those-soft-404s-in-bans.htm#comment-13222 Josh Mon, 18 Aug 2008 16:34:07 +0000 http://www.thenichestorebuilder.com/get-rid-of-those-soft-404s-in-bans.htm#comment-13222 2 - Domain resolves with both www AND no www in the address bar (Dup content, but not a deindex issue) ------- Do'h! Just checked a couple of my sites and I have this issue. What is the best solution? htaccess change? Or is there a plugin that will do the trick?<div class="comment-remix-meta"><a href="#" class="replyto" onclick="replyto('13222','Josh'); return false;">Reply</a> - <a href="#" class="quote" onclick="quote('13222','Josh','2 - Domain resolves with both www AND no www in the address bar (Dup content, but not a deindex issue)\r\n\r\n-------\r\n\r\nDo\'h! Just checked a couple of my sites and I have this issue. What is the best solution? htaccess change? Or is there a plugin that will do the trick?'); return false;">Quote</a></div> 2 – Domain resolves with both www AND no www in the address bar (Dup content, but not a deindex issue)

——-

Do’h! Just checked a couple of my sites and I have this issue. What is the best solution? htaccess change? Or is there a plugin that will do the trick?

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]]> By: Mark http://www.thenichestorebuilder.com/get-rid-of-those-soft-404s-in-bans.htm#comment-13221 Mark Mon, 18 Aug 2008 16:22:22 +0000 http://www.thenichestorebuilder.com/get-rid-of-those-soft-404s-in-bans.htm#comment-13221 @ Josh - In my case... I wrote a blog post about 2 specific things. Using existing sites to promote new sites, and using a content spinner to increase unique content. In one of the posts, I used the GetaRacecar site as an example, and in another post, I used 4 other sites as examples. ALL 5 of these and several others were axed at the same time. My first tip to a problem was when one of the commenters on a few of my posts did not provide a website or real email address in the form, and their IP resolved to Sunnyvale Ca. although that may have been a coincidence. The subject of his/her comment was that what I was doing was crooked and deserved a google penalty! ALL 12 (Yes, ALL) of the sites I had listed in one of my Google Webmasters Tool accounts were delisted. (I have more than one account due to using it for a long time with other websites) ALL of the sites had Adsense on them as well... Incidentally, during my discussions I was also informed that one of the sites was reported in the Spam report tool that Google employs... I wish I could pinpoint or share one specific thing that prompted the manual review... but I think it was a compilation of several. I ruled out an IP based ban or a domain ownership based ban since I still have many others both on the same box, and under my domain onwership account. As mentioned above, I was able to get one of the sites back into the index thus far. It took several weeks and much coorespondence on the Webmaster Forums and private emails. Here is what I was told on the Google WebMaster Forums: 1 - Thin Affiliate site - create content. If you can remove all BANS provided content and you have very little left... its not good. 2 - Domain resolves with both www AND no www in the address bar (Dup content, but not a deindex issue) 3 - No real 404 page! Every site page delivers a 200 status to the headers. 4 - Remove Paid links (I had a paid directory) 5 - Remove links created to boost other sites PR (I linked to other sites so they could get indexed) Essentially... I dont think it was an issue with BANS, just the way I blogged about using different methods, which skirted the rules. Kinda like speeding when their is no traffic on the highway... your a sitting duck! When you speed with a crowd, you have a much better chance they wont pinpoint you alone.<div class="comment-remix-meta"><a href="#" class="replyto" onclick="replyto('13221','Mark'); return false;">Reply</a> - <a href="#" class="quote" onclick="quote('13221','Mark','@ Josh -\r\n\r\nIn my case... I wrote a blog post about 2 specific things.\r\n\r\nUsing existing sites to promote new sites, and using a content spinner to increase unique content.\r\n\r\nIn one of the posts, I used the GetaRacecar site as an example, and in another post, I used 4 other sites as examples. ALL 5 of these and several others were axed at the same time.\r\n\r\nMy first tip to a problem was when one of the commenters on a few of my posts did not provide a website or real email address in the form, and their IP resolved to Sunnyvale Ca. although that may have been a coincidence. The subject of his\/her comment was that what I was doing was crooked and deserved a google penalty!\r\n\r\nALL 12 (Yes, ALL) of the sites I had listed in one of my Google Webmasters Tool accounts were delisted. (I have more than one account due to using it for a long time with other websites) \r\n\r\nALL of the sites had Adsense on them as well...\r\n\r\nIncidentally, during my discussions I was also informed that one of the sites was reported in the Spam report tool that Google employs...\r\n\r\nI wish I could pinpoint or share one specific thing that prompted the manual review... but I think it was a compilation of several. I ruled out an IP based ban or a domain ownership based ban since I still have many others both on the same box, and under my domain onwership account.\r\n\r\nAs mentioned above, I was able to get one of the sites back into the index thus far. It took several weeks and much coorespondence on the Webmaster Forums and private emails.\r\n\r\nHere is what I was told on the Google WebMaster Forums:\r\n\r\n1 - Thin Affiliate site - create content. If you can remove all BANS provided content and you have very little left... its not good.\r\n2 - Domain resolves with both www AND no www in the address bar (Dup content, but not a deindex issue)\r\n3 - No real 404 page! Every site page delivers a 200 status to the headers. \r\n4 - Remove Paid links (I had a paid directory)\r\n5 - Remove links created to boost other sites PR (I linked to other sites so they could get indexed)\r\n\r\nEssentially... I dont think it was an issue with BANS, just the way I blogged about using different methods, which skirted the rules.\r\n\r\nKinda like speeding when their is no traffic on the highway... your a sitting duck! When you speed with a crowd, you have a much better chance they wont pinpoint you alone.'); return false;">Quote</a></div> @ Josh -

In my case… I wrote a blog post about 2 specific things.

Using existing sites to promote new sites, and using a content spinner to increase unique content.

In one of the posts, I used the GetaRacecar site as an example, and in another post, I used 4 other sites as examples. ALL 5 of these and several others were axed at the same time.

My first tip to a problem was when one of the commenters on a few of my posts did not provide a website or real email address in the form, and their IP resolved to Sunnyvale Ca. although that may have been a coincidence. The subject of his/her comment was that what I was doing was crooked and deserved a google penalty!

ALL 12 (Yes, ALL) of the sites I had listed in one of my Google Webmasters Tool accounts were delisted. (I have more than one account due to using it for a long time with other websites)

ALL of the sites had Adsense on them as well…

Incidentally, during my discussions I was also informed that one of the sites was reported in the Spam report tool that Google employs…

I wish I could pinpoint or share one specific thing that prompted the manual review… but I think it was a compilation of several. I ruled out an IP based ban or a domain ownership based ban since I still have many others both on the same box, and under my domain onwership account.

As mentioned above, I was able to get one of the sites back into the index thus far. It took several weeks and much coorespondence on the Webmaster Forums and private emails.

Here is what I was told on the Google WebMaster Forums:

1 – Thin Affiliate site – create content. If you can remove all BANS provided content and you have very little left… its not good.
2 – Domain resolves with both www AND no www in the address bar (Dup content, but not a deindex issue)
3 – No real 404 page! Every site page delivers a 200 status to the headers.
4 – Remove Paid links (I had a paid directory)
5 – Remove links created to boost other sites PR (I linked to other sites so they could get indexed)

Essentially… I dont think it was an issue with BANS, just the way I blogged about using different methods, which skirted the rules.

Kinda like speeding when their is no traffic on the highway… your a sitting duck! When you speed with a crowd, you have a much better chance they wont pinpoint you alone.

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]]> By: John Pash http://www.thenichestorebuilder.com/get-rid-of-those-soft-404s-in-bans.htm#comment-13219 John Pash Mon, 18 Aug 2008 15:59:11 +0000 http://www.thenichestorebuilder.com/get-rid-of-those-soft-404s-in-bans.htm#comment-13219 Mark, Man, that sux. But that traffic just shows just how much we really AREN'T dependent on the big G. It must be MSN and all the others. I'm always waiting for my BANS sites to go missing from the index, which is why I'm trying to Blogify them. I think it's really unfair how Google tries to police the internet. Who are they to say that affiliate marketing isn't a legitimate business? In a related issue, I would love to read what you know about manual reviews. Is there a way to detect and/or defend?<div class="comment-remix-meta"><a href="#" class="replyto" onclick="replyto('13219','John Pash'); return false;">Reply</a> - <a href="#" class="quote" onclick="quote('13219','John Pash','Mark,\r\n\r\nMan, that sux. But that traffic just shows just how much we really AREN\'T dependent on the big G. It must be MSN and all the others.\r\n\r\nI\'m always waiting for my BANS sites to go missing from the index, which is why I\'m trying to Blogify them. I think it\'s really unfair how Google tries to police the internet. Who are they to say that affiliate marketing isn\'t a legitimate business?\r\n\r\nIn a related issue, I would love to read what you know about manual reviews. Is there a way to detect and\/or defend?'); return false;">Quote</a></div> Mark,

Man, that sux. But that traffic just shows just how much we really AREN’T dependent on the big G. It must be MSN and all the others.

I’m always waiting for my BANS sites to go missing from the index, which is why I’m trying to Blogify them. I think it’s really unfair how Google tries to police the internet. Who are they to say that affiliate marketing isn’t a legitimate business?

In a related issue, I would love to read what you know about manual reviews. Is there a way to detect and/or defend?

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