Google provides the answers on the duration required for a website to regain its ranking eligibility after addressing content quality issues.
Google recently provided information on the duration required for a website to recover from an algorithmic penalty caused by content quality issues during its SEO office hours. However, the new format of office hours, which does not permit follow-up questions, may result in less nuanced and less informative answers than the previous format, where Google representatives could ask clarifying questions.
For instance, the specifics of the “algorithmic penalty” referred to in the question are unclear. It needs to be specified if the site in question was removed completely from search results or experienced a significant drop in ranking. The outcome of these two scenarios would be vastly different.
This is the question: “If a website receives an algorithmic penalty for inadequate content, what proportion of the website’s content needs to be revised for the penalty to be lifted?”
The question raises several important considerations that need to be addressed. For example:
- Has Google communicated to the publisher that their content has been penalized by an algorithm?
- Is the person asking the question operating under the assumption of a penalty, or do they have confirmation of such a penalty?
With this additional information, it is easier to respond comprehensively.
The Answer: “It is advisable to remove any low-quality or spam-like content that may have been previously created on your website. Regarding algorithmic actions, it may take several months for our system to re-evaluate your site and determine that it is no longer violating spam policies.”
The Evaluation of Site Quality by Google Can Take Several Months
It is crucial to address and rectify as much of the low-quality content as feasible. However, once this is accomplished, the site may take several months to regain its ranking in search results. John Mueller echoed this sentiment in November 2021 regarding the duration it takes for a site to recover its rankings.
According to John Mueller, assessing a website’s quality and relevance takes time and effort. It takes significant time for Google to understand how a website fits into the context of the internet as a whole. He stated that it could take several months or even half a year or longer to identify significant changes in the site’s overall quality, as the method involves evaluating how the website fits in with the overall context of the web.
In a Google video, Aurora Morales, a company representative, discussed the consequences for websites that violate Google’s policies, including the policy on thin content. At the 5:21 minute mark, the representative advises on the course of action.
“Websites that do not comply with the guidelines for monetization and organic search may be terminated from the Search index and have their ads disabled.”
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