Can You Get Banned From Google?

Google is one of the most widely used search engines on the Internet. In fact, there are approximately 8.5 billion searches done on Google every day. Companies spend thousands of marketing dollars every year on SEO, white-hat link building, website design and content writing to help improve their chances of being found on Google. With so much seemingly at stake when it comes to being found organically on the world’s most popular search engine, one question many small business owners ask is “Can you get banned from Google?”.

Unfortunately, yes, you can get banned from Google. Google can suspend or terminate your account for suspected misconduct or violation of its terms and policy statements. 

The last thing you need for your small business is to log in to your Google account only to realize you cannot access it. A ban from Google would greatly impact your business’s visibility and the traffic you used to get on your website.

Getting Banned from the Google Search Engine

Imagine this: you wake up to find you have been banned from Google. Your mind starts whirling with possibilities about how you got here. Unfortunately, figuring out what happened might be more challenging than you think. A Google ban could mean suspending or terminating your entire Google account or only specific Google services due to violating Google’s terms and policies.

Types of Google Bans

There are two types of bans that Google can place on your account.

• A temporary ban is for a specific period, usually for minor offenses or first-time violations.
• A permanent ban results in a complete loss of Google services forever, usually for severe or repetitious violations.

It is best to follow the rules in Google’s terms and policies and avoid a ban altogether.

Common Reasons for Getting Banned

Google does its best to provide the world with safe and secure online conditions. Some of the common reasons people get banned from Google include:

• Misuse of Services: sending spam messages through Gmail or illegal file sharing through Google Drive
• Privacy Violations: sending other people’s sensitive information with or without consent
• Security Threats: spreading malware or phishing that threatens Google services or its users
• Hate Speech or Harassment: this includes posting or sharing anything that might be considered hateful or harassing of an individual or group.
• Keyword stuffing or hiding keywords violates Google’s terms and policies when it comes to on-page SEO and can get you banned.

As long as you keep these common reasons for getting banned by Google in mind, you will have a better chance of it not happening to you.

How Do You Know if Google Banned You?

The best way to find out if you have been banned from Google is to log in to your Google account. If you were banned, a message will pop up when you log in. This message will help you understand what is going on with your account. Another option is to put your website into the Google search engine as follows: site:domainname.com. If your website shows up, it is still active. It is safe to assume that a ban was put on your account if it does not.

Avoid Getting Banned from Google

Unfortunately, you can get banned from Google for several reasons. However, if you follow the rules in the Google terms and policies you accept when signing up for an account, this will be less likely. Also, ethical SEO practices should be used, such as not using keyword stuffing tactics or hiding keywords.

This is where we at BKA Content can help. With our SEO Blog Writing Plans, we take on the responsibility of making sure all Gooogle best practices are met, and you can sit back, relax, and do what you do best: run your business.