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Google Manual Action: Penalty Causes and Removal Methods

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What is a manual action

A Google Manual Action is an official penalty applied after Google's quality evaluation team directly reviews a site and confirms violation of Google spam policies.

Unlike algorithm updates (core updates, SpamBrain, etc.), manual actions:

  • Are applied based on human judgment
  • Generate official notifications in Google Search Console
  • Provide specific violation reasons
  • Allow Reconsideration Request for removal

Sites with manual actions can check them in Search Console > Security & Manual Actions > Manual actions.

Main types of manual actions

Manual actions issued in Google Search Console are broadly classified as follows.

Link-related

TypeDescription
Unnatural links to your siteArtificial links to your site (purchased links, link farms, etc.)
Unnatural outbound links from your siteArtificial outbound links from your site to others

Content-related

TypeDescription
Cloaking and hidden textDifferent content for bots vs users
Thin contentLow-quality content providing little value to readers
Scraped contentUnauthorized copying from other sites
Hacked contentSpam content inserted via hacking
User-generated spamSpam allowed in comments, forums, message boards

Technical violations

TypeDescription
Pure spamAutomated content, sites composed entirely of spam
Malware and malicious softwareContent harming visitor devices

How to check for manual actions

  1. Log in to Google Search Console
  2. Left menu → Security & Manual Actions → Manual actions
  3. If no manual action: "No issues detected" is shown
  4. If manual action exists: type, impact scope (entire site or specific URLs), and description are shown

Regardless of manual action status, if traffic suddenly drops, also check:

  • Security issues: Search Console > Security & Manual Actions > Security issues
  • Algorithm update timing: Compare Google official update announcement dates with traffic drop timing

Step-by-step manual action removal guide

Step 1: Confirm issue and scope

Identify manual action type and affected URL scope in Search Console.

  • Applied to specific pages only (page-level action)
  • Applied to entire site (site-level action)

Step 2: Fix violations

Fix methods by type:

Unnatural links:

  • Remove or add nofollow/sponsored attributes to purchased links and link exchange links
  • Request Google ignore links you cannot remove via Disavow file
  • Audit all backlinks with Ahrefs, Moz, or Google Search Console and list spam links

Thin content:

  • Delete valueless short pages or merge into related pages
  • Strengthen remaining pages with substantive information, experience, and expertise for E-E-A-T
  • Rewrite as in-depth content of at least 300 words, preferably 1,000+ words

Cloaking and hidden text:

  • Modify code to serve identical content to bots and users
  • Remove text hidden via CSS or off-screen placement
  • Review JavaScript rendering approach

Hacked content:

  • Completely remove malicious code
  • Patch security vulnerabilities (plugin updates, password changes)
  • Confirm normal status via Google Safe Browsing check

Step 3: Submit reconsideration request

After fixing all issues, submit a Reconsideration Request in Search Console.

Include in the reconsideration request:

  • Clear acknowledgment of what the problem was
  • Detailed explanation of specific actions taken
  • Preventive measures to avoid recurrence
  • Supporting evidence (before/after screenshots, Disavow file, etc.)

Honest, specific reconsideration requests are key. Vague or generic requests are more likely to be rejected.

Step 4: Wait for result

Google states reconsideration requests typically take several days to several weeks. Complex cases may take longer. Check processing result notifications in Search Console.

  • Approved: Manual action removed; search recovery takes additional days to weeks
  • Rejected: Problems remain. Fix further and resubmit

Manual action vs algorithm change

Many site operators confuse manual actions with algorithm changes.

CharacteristicManual ActionAlgorithm Change
Search Console notificationYesNo
Reason providedYes (specific)No
Removal methodReconsideration requestContent and site improvement
Impact scopeClearly statedUnspecified
CausePolicy violationRelative quality re-evaluation

Frequently asked questions

Q. Traffic dropped sharply but there's no manual action. Why?
A. Likely impact from algorithm updates (core updates, etc.). Compare Google official update announcement timing with traffic drop timing. Ranking drops from algorithm changes are not resolved by reconsideration requests; content quality improvement is needed.

Q. Reconsideration request was rejected. How long should I wait?
A. Rather than resubmitting immediately after rejection, make sufficient additional fixes before resubmitting. Repeated requests without fixes may lower processing priority.

Q. Does a manual action remove my site completely from search?
A. Depends on manual action type. Page-level actions affect only those pages; other pages search normally. Site-wide actions (e.g., pure spam) may exclude the entire site.

Q. Will disavowing backlinks automatically remove the manual action?
A. No. Disavow is one remediation step. You must separately submit a reconsideration request.

Q. Can new sites receive manual actions?
A. Yes. New sites can receive manual actions for low content quality, hacking, or spam link profiles.

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