What is a manual action?
A manual action is a penalty Google applies after a person, not an algorithm, reviews a site. In Google's words: "Google issues a manual action against a site when a human reviewer at Google has determined that pages on the site are not compliant with Google's spam policies" [1]. For example, a site that bought links across dozens of blogs may find a notice for "Unnatural links to your site" in Search Console and see some or all of its pages drop.
The consequence is direct: "If a site has a manual action, some or all of that site will not be shown in Google search results" [1]. Affected pages are ranked lower or omitted entirely [1].
Manual actions are also called manual penalties or, loosely, Google penalties. Only a manual action shows up as a named notice in Search Console.
How do you know if you have a manual action?
You know you have a manual action if the Manual actions report in Google Search Console lists one. Google says it will notify affected sites "in the Manual actions report and in the Search Console message center" [1]. The report is at search.google.com/search-console/manual-actions [1].
Each notice names the type of issue and its scope. Google shows scope as a URL pattern, such as every page under one directory, or as "Affects all pages" for a sitewide action [1].
If rankings dropped but the report is empty, the cause is not a manual action. It may be an algorithmic change, a technical problem or competition.
What are the types of manual action?
Google lists 16 primary types of manual action in its Search Console help [1]:
| Manual action | What Google found |
|---|---|
| Unnatural links to your site | A pattern of manipulative links pointing to the site |
| Unnatural links from your site | A pattern of manipulative outbound links |
| Thin content with little or no added value | Low-value pages such as scraped or doorway content |
| User-generated spam | Spam posted by users in comments, forums or profiles |
| Site abused with third-party spam | A significant portion of the site abused with spam |
| Back button hijacking | Interfering with the browser's back button |
| Cloaking and/or sneaky redirects | Different content shown to users and Google |
| Hidden text and/or keyword stuffing | Text hidden from users or stuffed with keywords |
| Structured data issues | Markup that misrepresents the page |
| Spammy free host | Most sites on a free host are spam |
| AMP content mismatch | AMP and canonical pages differ |
| Sneaky mobile redirects | Mobile users sent somewhere unexpected |
| Cloaked images | Images shown differently to Google and users |
| Major spam problems | Aggressive spam techniques |
| News and Discover policy violations | Breaches of News or Discover policies |
| Site reputation policy violations | Third-party content exploiting a host site's ranking |
For link building, the two that matter are the unnatural links actions. Google describes the inbound version as "a pattern of unnatural, artificial, deceptive, or manipulative links pointing to your site" and adds that "buying links or participating in link schemes in order to manipulate ranking in Google Search results is a violation of our spam policies" [1].
What is the difference between a manual action and an algorithmic penalty?
A manual action is applied by a human reviewer and is shown in Search Console, while an algorithmic demotion is applied automatically and is never reported to the site. Google detects spam "both through automated systems and, as needed, human review that can result in a manual action" [2].
| Manual action | Algorithmic demotion | |
|---|---|---|
| Applied by | A human reviewer at Google [1] | Automated systems such as SpamBrain [4] |
| Notification | Manual actions report and message center [1] | None |
| Fix confirmed by | Reconsideration request [1] | Recrawling and reassessment over time |
| Scope shown | Yes, as URL patterns or all pages [1] | No |
Many SEO guides call any traffic drop a "Google penalty". That is inaccurate. Google's systems, including Penguin since 2016, mostly devalue spam rather than penalize a whole site [5], and none of that appears in the Manual actions report. Only the reviewed, reported action is a manual action.
How do you fix a manual action?
To fix a manual action, correct every issue on every affected page, then submit a reconsideration request from the Manual actions report. Google requires all issues to be fixed before review; a partial fix does not earn a partial lift [1].
For an unnatural links action, the steps are [1][3]:
- Find the manipulative links using Search Console's link data and any other backlink sources.
- Ask linking sites to remove the links or add
rel="nofollow". Google says: "If you can get a backlink removed, make a good-faith effort to remove the link first" [1]. - Disavow what you cannot remove with a disavow file [3].
- Request reconsideration.
For outbound unnatural links, remove the paid or manipulative links on your own site or qualify them with rel="nofollow" or rel="sponsored" [1][2].
What should a reconsideration request include?
A reconsideration request should explain the problem, the fix and the evidence. Google says a good request "does three things": it "explains the exact quality issue on your site", "describes the steps you've taken to fix the issue" and "documents the outcome of your efforts" [1].
For a links action, the outcome usually means a record of which links were removed, which site owners were contacted and did not respond, and which were disavowed. A short, specific request with a linked spreadsheet beats a long apology.
How long does a manual action take to remove?
A manual action review takes "several days or weeks", and Google warns that "link-related reconsideration requests" may take longer than usual [1]. Google publishes no average and no maximum. If Google finds the site is no longer in violation, it will "revoke the manual action" [1].
Google's help page does not say whether manual actions lapse on their own if nothing is done. Treat any claim that they simply expire after a fixed period as unconfirmed.
How have manual actions for links changed over time?
Manual actions have stayed the human layer of Google's spam fighting while the algorithms took over routine link spam. Since 2016, most spammy links are devalued automatically [5], leaving manual actions for deliberate, large-scale manipulation.
2012: Penguin adds an algorithmic layer
Google launched Penguin on April 24, 2012, to demote sites manipulating links to their pages [6]. From then on, link problems could come from an algorithm or from a reviewer, and the two were often confused.
2014: manual actions against private blog networks
In September 2014, Google issued manual action penalties to sites using private blog networks [7]. Search Insider does not support or suggest using private blog networks.
2016: Penguin devalues instead of demoting
In September 2016, Penguin became part of the core algorithm and began devaluing spam "rather than affecting ranking of the whole site" [5]. Google's ranking systems guide now lists Penguin as retired, folded into core ranking systems [4].
What should you do about a manual action?
If you have a manual action, fix it completely and file one thorough reconsideration request. If you do not have one, do not act as if you do: disavowing links or deleting content "to avoid a penalty" when the Manual actions report is clean usually solves nothing.
Check the report after any sharp drop, after buying an existing domain, and before starting work on a new client site. The Manual actions report is the only place Google confirms a manual action, so it is the first check, not the last.