Hi all,
I'm doing an audit for a potential new client. They came to me with a suspended Google listing, which seems to me is in compliance with the guidelines and any non-written rules that I could possibly think of.
The client let me listen recordings of 2 phone calls they had with Google reps. Both reps claim the listing is looking fine and the problem was in their website. The reps also say Google has blacklisted the website (because it is not in compliance with Google's policies and guidelines) and even after following one of the reps advises and creating a brand new listing in a new account (after deleting the old one), the listing had gotten suspended right after verification.
The website url was then removed from the Google page and it's now awaiting review from Google's internal team.
So my question is, does this happen often? They suspend a listing because of the website, instead removing the site from the page?
Needless to say, I've checked the website for any viruses, malware, anything you can think of. Checked in RBL databases, but nothing. The only thing suspicious I could find was a couple of bad IP subnet neighbours (not on the same IP) and also some duplicated content. But don't think this is it, as the website still ranks pretty good in organic, and their Webmasters account looks fine, too.
Does any of you have similar experience? What does Google mean by "blacklisted" the website? And is there anywhere to check if Google has "blacklisted" a given website? And could the problem really be in the website, as it is not penalised in organic, but in local.
I am sorry I could not share the listing and website in question, but it is against my company's policy. It isn't needed, though, as all I'm asking is to hear your experience with similar problems.
Thanks in advance, have a great Friday.
George
I'm doing an audit for a potential new client. They came to me with a suspended Google listing, which seems to me is in compliance with the guidelines and any non-written rules that I could possibly think of.
The client let me listen recordings of 2 phone calls they had with Google reps. Both reps claim the listing is looking fine and the problem was in their website. The reps also say Google has blacklisted the website (because it is not in compliance with Google's policies and guidelines) and even after following one of the reps advises and creating a brand new listing in a new account (after deleting the old one), the listing had gotten suspended right after verification.
The website url was then removed from the Google page and it's now awaiting review from Google's internal team.
So my question is, does this happen often? They suspend a listing because of the website, instead removing the site from the page?
Needless to say, I've checked the website for any viruses, malware, anything you can think of. Checked in RBL databases, but nothing. The only thing suspicious I could find was a couple of bad IP subnet neighbours (not on the same IP) and also some duplicated content. But don't think this is it, as the website still ranks pretty good in organic, and their Webmasters account looks fine, too.
Does any of you have similar experience? What does Google mean by "blacklisted" the website? And is there anywhere to check if Google has "blacklisted" a given website? And could the problem really be in the website, as it is not penalised in organic, but in local.
I am sorry I could not share the listing and website in question, but it is against my company's policy. It isn't needed, though, as all I'm asking is to hear your experience with similar problems.
Thanks in advance, have a great Friday.
George
