May 21, 2008
Help - Google Slapped Me With A -12 Penalty!!
As you can clearly see by searching Google for [seo book], my site is nowhere to be found on the first page…
In fact, there's some guy named Aaron (probably not even his real name) ranked #1, 2, 3 and 4… obviously he has some kind of "in" with Google.
Proof that "Aaron Wall" gets special treatment!
Even though Google "claims" to treat subdomains like folders, he still has 4 listings, including one with a bunch of extra links! Clearly Google's "organic' engineers are HAND EDITING this SERP out of fear that this Aaron fellow will come over to the Googleplex and eat all their free organic hot dogs.
But it gets worse!! After investigating, I discovered that he doesn't even *sell* a book any more. That's right - not a book to be found, and Google still dedicates 14 links on page 1 of the SERP to this clearly irrelevant site.
If the definition of SPAM is "sites positioned above mine," this Aaron character is clearly a SPAMmer in the extreme… even if you overlook all of the "thin affiliate" sites for his "product" that are also Positioned Above Mine (TASPAM?).
Clear evidence that the -12 penalty exists!
Well, not only do I have an SEO book, it's even free. Clearly Google has slapped me with some kind of penalty or filter. I can prove this, because you have to go all the way to page 2 to find my site at #13:
Now, since my book is obviously better than no book at all, for people who are searching for an SEO book, my site, quite obviously, should be ranked #1. Why isn't it? Clearly, further research into this "-12" phenomenon is required.
You can help advance this "SEO revolution" - act now!
Since I can't "prove" that the -12 penalty exists without attempting to escape from this filter, I need everyone who likes my book, and believes that it's better than no book at all, to link to my site with anchor text like "seo book," "free seo book," "aaron wall sucks organic hot dogs," "best seo book," "this site actually offers an SEO book you can read," and "world's best SEO book slapped by -12 penalty."
In a cause like this, there's no room for the wishy-washy. If you believe in good search results… if you believe in truth, justice, and fair play… you know what you must do.
We'll talk more soon, comrades.
Thanks!
Dan
Comments on Help - Google Slapped Me With A -12 Penalty!! »
Don't worry, Dan. Google Search Engine Report Pages are somewhat like the weather here in British Columbia. It often rains but when it's sunny, it's superb. The only thing you know is that there are no constants. Just keep on a happy face and who knows what we'll see in the next roll of the Google slot machine - sorry search machine.
The good news is that they lifted my earlier "-18 penalty" about a week ago… but they replaced it with this -12 thing. It's a sad commentary on Google's search quality if you ask me.
LOL! I nearly fell out of my chair reading this post, Dan. Great sense of humor!
Seriously though, your book has helped me and others to whom I've referred it out tremendously. You'll definitely get my vote (link) for sure.
I checked the SERP you gave, and you’re right. If his site isn’t offering an ‘SEO book’, why isn’t than ranked on #1? They should at least put webpage’s that actually provide an SEO book, like yours.
Maybe the ‘quality’ raters that G have, should hand edit the SERPs more better.
I am going to get with my contacts inside Google and sort this out ASAP.
Thanks, Dude… those who want to help Google sort things out should fire "seo training" links @ training.seobook.com.
LOL Dan!
I have the same problem - two of the sites pushing me off page 1 for Lego Instructions no longer have lego instructions on them, and haven't for years. Mind you, one of the other sites above me is my own Squidoo lens, so I guess I only have myself to blame for that one.
See, if your Squidoo lens weren't Positioned Above, it wouldn't be SPAM.
Probably best to use a slightly more universal search yardstick
http://www.google.com/search?q=seo+book&pws=0&gl=US
That penalty might be worse than first thought, and you were given a slight reprieve due to link velocity.
I need to do an update on my WordPress SEO Masterclass soon so no doubt you will get yet another highly relevant link.
Have you experimented with using "SEOFastStart" instead of "SEO Fast Start" in the title - that way you get slightly more keyword prominence at the expense of the opening SEO as a separate word.
You could probably use the search term used a little more in the content such as "Yes, the SEO book is free"
Obviously you are kidding, but Aaron's subdomain spam is nowhere near as bad as what WordPress.com were up to recently with their translated tag subdomains.
LOL, you've been spending too much time in the SEO forums again. In fact… if you're not careful we'll start seeing "Dan Thies says there's a new -12 filter".
I was thinking of a headline like "Google Officially Confirms - I'm Not #1" but I hate the fake-official-story angle.
The problem in all this is that Google does not adopt a smoothing process in how it applies its algorithm. It just cranks its levers to the new settings, and lets it roll. For the past month. I have seen extreme reactivity in the results from week to week. Currently subdomains seem to be treated as independent. What will it be next week? Who knows.
Now thats link bait! Should strike up a lot of comments too.
-12 filter? Did you just make that up or do u have proof of this? I didnt think Dan Thies got any penalties
Dan, it was very funny. I even thought for a second you were serious. I had the same problem recently but with a -56 filter. Now it is ONLY -28. Still it is painful as I was 3rd! Good luck. Maybe you should speak to this Aaron guy about buying his domain or maybe putting a link to you on his website
Google has relaxed the penalty a bit, to -11, but I'm not fooled one bit.
sir, you are very wrong about the -12 today. yours fell to #14 in my browser. lol
oh and another thing, it must've been just the rest day of the one hand editing yours so it fell -12,,,,,and so on. "peace"
i rarely visit here but I always like what I see on top of your posts.