Manual action
A penalty applied by a human reviewer at Google against a site that violates spam policies, reported in Search Console with an appeal process.
In depth
What it really means
Manual actions are the opposite of core updates in every practical respect. A person reviewed your site, Google tells you in Search Console, there is a stated reason, and you can appeal once you have fixed it.
That makes them frightening but tractable. Unnatural links and thin content are the most common causes, and recovery is genuinely possible, though reconsideration reviews take weeks.
How it works
- A reviewer identifies a policy violation.
- The action is applied and reported in Search Console with a stated reason.
- Affected pages or the whole site lose visibility.
- You fix the issue and submit a reconsideration request, reviewed within days to weeks.
Pros & cons
Pros
- You are told what is wrong, unlike an algorithmic drop.
- There is a defined recovery path.
- Recovery is usually complete once the issue is genuinely fixed.
Cons
- Impact can be severe and immediate.
- Reconsideration takes weeks and can be rejected.
- Cleanup, especially of unnatural links, is laborious.
Common mistakes
- Assuming any traffic drop is a manual action. Check Search Console before investigating anything.
- Submitting reconsideration without genuinely fixing the problem, which extends the process.
- Using the disavow file as a substitute for removing links you controlled.
Best practices
- Check the Search Console manual actions report before diagnosing any drop.
- Fix the underlying cause completely rather than partially.
- Document exactly what you changed in the reconsideration request.
- Remove links where you can, and disavow only what you cannot remove.
FAQs
What is a manual action?
A penalty applied by a human reviewer at Google for violating spam policies. It is reported in Search Console and can be appealed once fixed.
Manual action or algorithmic drop?
Check Search Console. Manual actions are reported there with a reason. If nothing appears, the drop is algorithmic and there is nothing to appeal.
How long does recovery take?
Reconsideration reviews take days to weeks. Recovery is usually complete once the violation is genuinely resolved, but a rejected request restarts the wait.
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