Reconsideration Request

A formal way to ask search engines to review penalties or actions taken against your site.

Definition

When a website violates the guidelines set by search engines, it may be penalized, affecting its search visibility and ranking. A Reconsideration Request is a formal plea submitted through the search engine's webmaster tools, requesting the search engine to review the site after the owner has fixed the issues that led to the penalty. It's essentially a way to tell search engines that you've cleaned up your act and are ready for another chance.

Did you know?
Google manually reviews each reconsideration request, a process that can take from a few days to several weeks.

Usage and Context

SEO professionals or website owners submit a Reconsideration Request when their site has been manually penalized by a search engine for violating its guidelines. This could be due to black-hat SEO tactics like keyword stuffing, cloaking, or buying links. Resolving the issues, removing or disavowing bad links, and ensuring the site adheres to best practices are prerequisites before submitting a request. This step is crucial for restoring a site's reputation and search rankings.

FAQ

1. What triggers the need for a Reconsideration Request?
   • A manual action notice within your webmaster tool account, indicating a violation of the search engine’s guidelines.
2. How do I know the reconsideration request has been successful?
   • You'll receive a response through your webmaster tools account, indicating whether the manual action has been revoked.
3. Is submitting a Reconsideration Request against an algorithmic penalty possible?
   • No. Reconsideration Requests are only for manual penalties. Algorithmic penalties require you to make changes and wait for the search engine to re-crawl and process your site.
4. Can I submit multiple Reconsideration Requests?
   • Yes, but it’s best to thoroughly address all issues before resubmitting to avoid prolonged penalties.
5. How long does it take for a Reconsideration Request to be processed?
   • It varies but can take from a few days to several weeks.

Benefits

1. Restoration of Site’s Visibility: Successfully addressing the issues can lead to the lifting of penalties, restoring your site's visibility in search results.
2. Improvement in Ranking: With the penalty removed, your site can recover lost rankings, improving its position in search results.
3. Better User Experience: The process often involves fixing issues that negatively affect user experience, making your site more navigable and enjoyable for visitors.
4. Enhanced Credibility with Search Engines: Successfully passing the reconsideration process can improve your site’s credibility and standing with search engines.
5. Learning Opportunity: The process is a learning opportunity, helping you understand SEO best practices and how to avoid future penalties.

Tips and Recommendations

1. Comprehensive Audit: Before submitting, conduct a thorough audit of your site to identify all potential violations.
2. Clear Documentation: Provide clear documentation of the changes made in your Reconsideration Request to facilitate the review process.
3. Honesty is Key: Be honest and upfront about any black-hat techniques used in the past and how they’ve been addressed.
4. Patience: Be patient. The review process takes time, so don’t expect immediate results.
5. Seek Professional Help: Consider hiring an SEO professional if you’re unsure how to fix the issues or write an effective reconsideration request.

Conclusion

Submitting a Reconsideration Request is a critical step for recovering from manual penalties imposed by search engines. It involves acknowledging mistakes, correcting them, and appealing to the search engine to lift the penalization. Success in these requests can lead to restored visibility and improved rankings, marking an important milestone in maintaining a healthy, search engine-friendly website.