Have I been Dropped from Google Search Index?
As much as I hate to admit this… I continue to get more and more email from people asking if they have been dropped from the Google index. The one thing I WILL admit, is that anytime someone asks me to look at a site for ANY reason, the first thing I do is check to see if they are still indexed.
Overall… it’s probably been a 1 out of 25 situation where drops have occurred, but the trend is picking up quite quickly!
How to Know if your Site is Dropped from Google
There are really no secrets here… head on over to Google and type:
site:yoursite.com
Into the google search box and press go. If nothing comes back on the screen, you can try a few variables to the first search, with your fingers crossed the whole time! Keep in mind that there is NO SPACE between site:<>yourdomain.com, string it together in one long sentence!
Alternate Ways to Check
-
site:www.yourdomain.com
-
-adfhadfhadha site:yourdomain.com
I don’t exactly know what adding the -adfh… to the front of the url string does, but I have done it that way for MANY years. From what I recall, you are searching every page for the specific string. Since Google has refined their site: operator, it may no longer be needed.
Just to be clear – on the right side of the search result page it will generally say something like: Results 1-10 of 120. If it says… no results found… well, that’s not good.
Cool Little Javascript Browser Shortcut
If you feel like automating the index process versus going to google and typing each time, head over to this older postand follow the instructions for creating a toolbar shortcut. There are also instructions for adding an automatic Whois shortcut to your browser.
After you have the shortcuts created, you just browse to your site and click the button on your toolbar. It automagically takes you to the search results within Google, for whatever page you were on! If you chose to add the Whois shortcut, it works the same way… click the button and see the whois, without having to add further info.
I know some of you use FireFox regularly… I have used a plugin in the past but don’t remember which it was… Please do tell!
And now for the poll…
Previously Published Articles You May Like to Read:
- Digging Out of The Google Supplemental Index
- Cool Google Indexing Tool
- Google Chrome – Search Engine Launches its Own Web Browser
- Google Gives Back – with Real Search Volume Numbers!
- Google Releases an SEO Search Optimization Starter Guide!
- All is not Lost when Dropped by eBay Partner Network
- Google Likes Highly Engaged Traffic Too!
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I have been doing my part to "Build the Internet" since 1994, when I built my first website! Since then, I have built hundreds of niche websites for myself and many others, focused on design, applications, ecommerce, search optimization and internet marketing.
http://www.seoquake.com/
Interesting to see other people have been dropped, too – now I don’t feel like such an outcast!
My question is – what can we do to get back into Google’s graces?
@ James -
I have successfully gotten one site reinstated in the engines…
I added a blog and started writing unique content.
Mark
The only store of mine that was dropped was a .info
I had only had it up for a couple of months, so I just started again with a .com
Everything is good with 47 pages indexed and earnings of $133 and $155 for June and July.
I have also added a blog to this site a couple of weeks ago.
I do not seem to be indexed on Google,however on my Awstats for August Google seems to be the higest search engine sending people to my site-What does that mean-that i have just been droped in the last few days?
@ John Treby -
You are well listed if it is the same site youused in your signature link. 199 pages in the G index and doing fine.
Mark
Thanks Mark-I re checked all my sites and Phew-they are all ok-I am not sure what the hell I did wrong-getting old and to much Johnnie Walker! Thank you for you prompt reply-Your Niche Store Builder site gives such amazing help,I truly would have given up with out your help and advice. Your time and effort put into this site is much appreciated.
John Treby
I seem to have been dropped by Google completely. Like most people I don’t know why. I was on the first page for some time and then suddenly disappeared completely. I have tried all the site:yourdomain.com searches as suggested above but all of them return “cannot be found” message.
The root of the site is a BANS store and also there is a blog on the site which is updated regularly with fresh content. The main part of the site is also updated on a daily basis with RSS news feeds. It is all very baffling. I have other BANS sites with less content etc; and they are listed. Any ideas anyone?
Regards
Frank
Frank,
Is your sitemap there with Google?
Yes my Sitemap is in my Webmaster account in Google. Mind you there is a warning message in red alongside the domain name. When I look at the error pages after clicking on the “warnings” it seems that there are certain Ebay listing pages that Google could not find.
Since I’ve noticed it de-indexed I have added even more content. Is it worth a re-submission?
Thanks
Frank
Frank,
In my opinion Google will routinely come back and list it again.
I think there is no need to take any action.
@ Frank -
Its really hard to say WHY google chooses to deindex a site… but I can tell you it takes a long time and alot of changes to get it reindexed. I have completely changed the format of one of my sites… put the blog on the root of the domain… and update it 2-3 times each week with new content, it has not been accepted back in 6 months of trying.
Googlebot visits daily and still indexes the content, but nothing from the site is in the google index.
Mark
@GB Singh and @ Mark,
Thanks for the feedback guys. It is so frustrating, especially when you spend so much time on the site. The visitor figures are dropping off considerably. Previously, checking my Hostgator Cpanel stats each month showed that figures were increasing considerably but then around about the middle of last month (when my visitor figures were well on course to beat the previous month) I noticed that for two days my visitor figures were particularly low.
Up until that point I was placed at about number 4 on the first page of Google for my main keyword phrase. Since the middle of last month, nowhere to be seen. I have other sites but this one in particular was one of my two best performing sites and, as it has been touched on previously in on this site, it was a site built around a subject I have a genuine interest in.
Another galling thing is that Google don’t even tell you why they are de-listing you. Like many people on here I work on my internet business in my spare time (weekends and evenings after a long day at work) in the hope that some day it will replace my main job income and I can concentrate on it on a full-time basis. I suppose, in a way, I’m fortunate to not have to rely on my internet business for my main source of income at this stage because effectively Google can wipe out an online business without, it would seem, any justification or explanation. Of course now I’ll be half expecting the EPN email telling my account has been dropped because figures will invariably drop.
I realise there is not a lot that can be done but after spending so much time on this particular site then to have it “disappear” is quite de-motivating. Even when I post a new blog entry the post does not appear in the Google Blog Search either.
In a way this type of thing lends itself to having “more eggs in more baskets”. On the one hand it seems to be better to remain focused on one source of internet business and not get bogged down and spread yourself too thin so that you become more adept and efficient in your line of “expertise”. But on the other hand if Google decided to de-list all my other BANS sites what then?
I will continue to build my BANS sites and add content to them but I will also turn my eye to other online ventures. I’m not sure what works though. Any suggestions? You can fall into the trap again of looking at everything that the “gurus” throw at you and again achieve very little. As I’ve said previously I feel very fortunate to have found this site and so my main “guru” site will be this one.
Anyway, enough of my Google moan. I just needed to get it off my chest. Onwards and upwards as they say.
Regards
Frank
Hi Frank,
As I write my blog posts everyday and click publish, I find myself at number 1 in Google Blog Search almost invariably; but then there are days when Google just doesn’t ‘take’ a post. Once not taken, it never takes it (I doubt and I have reasons to doubt it, that Google finds the ‘matter’ of those posts ‘objectionable’ hurting its political and business interests – Google is not a very democratic thing, I can say for sure!). After two days it again starts taking my posts and ranking them number 1.
As I made my BANS stores (30+) and added adsense on them, Google disabled my account, so I am no more using adsense now… but hardly matters!
Although Google ranks my sites quite OK, but a few of them it has thrown as back as 20th page of it, but then they are my best earners since Yahoo has placed them not only at the first page but also at the 1st position!
So don’t lose heart… SEs are no Gods – yes, I have experienced it… they are no Gods, they are as much fallible in every respect exactly the way you and I are.
Take heart.
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