Manual action diagnosis
The action type, the URL patterns it covers, and its likely cause, checked against your site's history.
The Problem
A Manual Action Notice Arrived and Your Traffic Went With It
It shows up as a Search Console message or a sudden drop with no change on your side. Either way, the cause has to be confirmed before anything else gets touched.
Diagnosis
Nobody knows if it's a penalty or an update.
Diagnosis
The Manual Actions report and update dates checked before any fix starts.
Partial fixes
Only some affected pages get cleaned before review.
Partial fixes
Every URL pattern in the action listed and fixed before the request goes in.
Bad links
Old vendor links point at your site from spam networks.
Bad links
Removal outreach first, then a disavow file for the links that stay.
Weak request
A two-line request asks Google to look again.
Weak request
A request that explains the issue, the fixes, and the evidence behind them.
You open Search Console and find a message: unnatural links to your site, or thin content with little added value. Clicks fell sharply the same week. A past SEO vendor bought links you didn't know about, or a plugin filled your blog with spam comments. Someone suggests disavowing everything and sending a review request tonight. Google says fixing only some pages won't earn a partial return, so a rushed request just costs you more weeks.
We start by confirming what hit you: a manual action in the report, a drop dated to a spam update, or something unrelated like a broken release. For a manual action, we list every affected URL pattern and fix the cause on all of them. Links get removal requests first and a disavow file second. Then we write the reconsideration request with the issue, the fixes, and the evidence. You submit once, with a request built to be read, not rushed.
Cause confirmed first
Manual action, spam update, or a technical fault: we prove which one before anything changes.
Links cleaned in order
Removal requests to site owners first, then a disavow file only for the links that remain.
Requests with evidence
Each reconsideration request names the issue, lists the fixes, and links to the proof.
Our Google Penalty Recovery Process
From Free Penalty Check to Reconsideration Request in Five Clear Steps
You see the diagnosis, the list of affected pages, and the draft request before anything goes to Google. You approve every disavow entry and every page removal.
We review your Manual Actions report, Security Issues report, and traffic around Google's update dates. You learn whether you have a manual penalty, an algorithmic drop, or a technical problem, plus a fixed price for the fix.
What's Included
What You Get From a Google Penalty Removal Service
Each project covers the diagnosis, the affected page list, the fixes, the link cleanup, and the reconsideration request, with a record of everything submitted to Google.
Compare Options
DeveloperLook vs DIY Fixes vs General Agency
Fixing a simple action yourself costs nothing, and a general SEO agency may already know your site well. Here is where each approach holds up when a manual action is on the line.
| Feature | DeveloperLookBest fit | DIY Fixes | General Agency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diagnosis | Manual action, update, or bug confirmed | Easy to mistake an update for a penalty | Often assumes a penalty |
| Affected pages | Every URL pattern mapped | Easy to miss pages | Varies by agency |
| Link cleanup | Removal outreach, then disavow | Disavow only, often too broad | Often outsourced |
| Content fixes | Rewritten or removed by our team | Done by you, as time allows | Usually included |
| Review request | Issue, fixes, and evidence documented | Short request, little evidence | Varies by agency |
| Cost | Fixed price from $600 | Free, plus your time | Often added to a retainer |
| Speed to start | Diagnosis in 1 to 2 days | Today, if you know how | Depends on their schedule |
| Simple actions | May be more than you need | Fine for one structured data fix | Fine if they know the site |
DeveloperLook
DIY Fixes
- Diagnosis
- DeveloperLook: Manual action, update, or bug confirmedDIY Fixes: Easy to mistake an update for a penalty
- Affected pages
- DeveloperLook: Every URL pattern mappedDIY Fixes: Easy to miss pages
- Link cleanup
- DeveloperLook: Removal outreach, then disavowDIY Fixes: Disavow only, often too broad
- Content fixes
- DeveloperLook: Rewritten or removed by our teamDIY Fixes: Done by you, as time allows
- Review request
- DeveloperLook: Issue, fixes, and evidence documentedDIY Fixes: Short request, little evidence
- Cost
- DeveloperLook: Fixed price from $600DIY Fixes: Free, plus your time
- Speed to start
- DeveloperLook: Diagnosis in 1 to 2 daysDIY Fixes: Today, if you know how
- Simple actions
- DeveloperLook: May be more than you needDIY Fixes: Fine for one structured data fix
Projects We've Built
Review, Store, and Rental Sites We Have Designed and Built
These are review, store, and rental sites we designed and built. They are not penalty cases, but they carry the user content and link profiles a penalty review checks.
Airline Review Community Website for Business and First Class
- Travel
- Portal
- Website
Borna's General Hardware Ecommerce Website
- Retail
- E-commerce
- Website
Exclusive Holiday Homes Vacation Rental Website
- Vacation Rental
- Booking System
- Website
Modeverse Ecommerce Web Design & Development
- Fashion
- Retail
- E-commerce
What Our Clients Say
What Clients Say After Launch
Feedback from teams we have built and improved websites for.
We had a pretty specific idea of what we wanted our website to become, but I wasn’t sure how easily we could explain all of it to a development team. There were quite a few moving parts, and we were working toward a deadline, so I expected a few things to get lost along the way. That never really happened. They understood what we were trying to achieve, kept us updated throughout the process, and got everything ready within the agreed timeline. The final site feels much easier to navigate, works beautifully on mobile, and is noticeably smoother for our customers. It was a huge relief seeing the original idea actually turn into the website we had in mind.
The mobile experience is probably my favourite part of the new site. We had spent a lot of time making sure the desktop version looked right, and the team kept pushing us to think about how everything would actually feel on a phone too. They were right. The navigation is clean, the interactions feel natural, and everything we’ve tested so far works exactly as it should. They also went through the links, forms, integrations, and other details more than once before launch, which I really appreciated. And even after going live, we could still reach out when something came up. The whole process felt friendly, organised, and surprisingly straightforward.
What I appreciate most is that the website is actually easy for us to manage now. We can update content ourselves instead of sending a developer a message every time we need to change something small. They also paid attention to the technical SEO side, which mattered to us because we didn’t want a new website to create problems for the traffic we already had. I’ve probably asked more questions than I should have since launch, but every question has been handled patiently and without any fuss. The team is easy to work with, they explain things clearly, and when we need something changed, they focus on getting it done rather than making the process complicated.
1,250+
Projects shipped
10+
Years of experience
Top 3%
Upwork Top Rated Plus
5 stars
Average review score
1,250+
Projects shipped
10+
Years of experience
Top 3%
Upwork Top Rated Plus
5 stars
Average review score
Want results like these?
Tell us what you are building. You get a reply within 24 hours on business days, then a written estimate.
Work Culture
Why Site Owners Trust Us With a Google Penalty
Penalty recovery can go wrong in ways that make things worse, like deleting pages that were fine or disavowing good links. These habits prevent that.
Diagnosis before treatment
We don't touch a page until we know whether you have a manual action or an algorithmic drop. The wrong diagnosis sends weeks of work in the wrong direction.
Disavow with restraint
Google calls disavow an advanced feature that can hurt visibility if misused. We disavow only links we couldn't get removed, and only where a manual action calls for it.
All pages, not some
Google says fixing only some pages won't earn a partial return. We work through every affected URL pattern before the request goes in.
No promised dates
Nobody outside Google can promise when an action will be lifted or how far rankings will return. We tell you what is likely for your case and why.
History checked without blame
Past link buying or thin pages are common causes, and we ask about them openly. A request that owns the history reads better than one that hides it.
Your account, your request
Requests go out from your own Search Console account after you approve them. You keep the full record: page lists, outreach log, disavow file, and request text.
Overview
What do Google penalty recovery services include?
DeveloperLook provides Google penalty recovery services for sites with a manual action or a drop after a spam update. We confirm the cause, fix every affected page, clean up unnatural links, and write the reconsideration request with evidence. Projects start at $600 and take 2 to 6 weeks before review, and we don't promise a date for Google's decision.
DEVELOPERLOOK
Project facts · Google Penalty Recovery Services
- Service
- Google Penalty Recovery Services (diagnosis, page fixes, link cleanup, reconsideration request)
- Typical timeline
- 2 to 6 weeks before review, then 60 to 90 days of tracking
- Platforms
- WordPress, Shopify, WooCommerce, Webflow, and custom sites
- Built with
- Search Console, Semrush, Screaming Frog, and Google's disavow links tool
- Experience
- 10+ years of development experience and 1,250+ shipped projects
- Post-launch support
- 30 days of email support to 90 days of tracking, by plan
- Communication
- Calls in US, UK, and AU business hours
- Starting price
- From $600 USD, fixed scope after a free penalty check
Reviewed 28 Oct 2026 by Saimul Islam
Good fit
Sites with an unnatural links action
Your Search Console shows a manual action for unnatural links to your site, left by an SEO vendor who bought links years ago.
Publishers hit for thin content
You received a thin content action after publishing hundreds of short, templated pages that add little to what's already out there.
Forums and review sites with spam
Your users or bots filled profiles and comments with spam links, and Google issued a user-generated spam action.
Owners unsure what hit them
Your traffic dropped, and you need to know if it's a manual penalty, a spam update, or a broken release before spending anything.
Agencies with a penalized client
Your client got a manual action, and you want a specialist who can fix it quietly under your agency's name.
Not a fit
Drop after a core update
Your traffic fell during a core update and no manual action is listed. Google doesn't treat that as a penalty, and Google Algorithm Update Recovery Services covers it.
Hacked site with spam pages
Your site was hacked and Google shows Japanese or pharma spam pages under your domain. Japanese Keyword Hack Cleanup handles the code side first.
Small structured data warning
Your only manual action is a structured data issue on a few pages. Removing the markup and requesting review may cover it, and we'll tell you before we quote.
Rankings back by a deadline
You need rankings restored by a set date or a promise that the action will be lifted. Google makes that decision, so no honest provider can promise it.
Not sure we're the right fit?
Book a free call or message us. We'll tell you honestly whether we're the right team.
Pricing
Transparent Starting Prices for Google Penalty Recovery Services
These are starting points in USD. Your final price depends on the action type and the pages or links involved, and you get a fixed proposal after a free penalty check.
For Agencies
White-Label Penalty Recovery for SEO Agencies and Studios
You own the client relationship. We supply the diagnosis, the page and link cleanup, and the reconsideration request draft. Your team presents the plan and the result, and the request goes out from your client's own Search Console account.
How the partnership works
White label: your client only ever sees your brand
Your clientSees only your brand
You, the agencyOwn the relationship
DeveloperLookBehind your brand
Share the property
Add us to the client's Search Console and send the manual action details.
- Client needs
- You share the details
- Details received
We diagnose and quote
You get the cause, the affected pages, and a fixed partner price.
- Scope and plan
- Proposal to resell
- Your quoteYOUR LOGO
You present the result
Your team shares the fixes and Google's decision with the client.
- Done by our team
- Your brand on it
- Handed to your clientDone
- Your client
- You, the agency
- DeveloperLook
Share the property
Add us to the client's Search Console and send the manual action details.
- Client needs
- You share the details
- Details received
We diagnose and quote
You get the cause, the affected pages, and a fixed partner price.
- Scope and plan
- Proposal to resell
- Your quoteYOUR LOGO
You present the result
Your team shares the fixes and Google's decision with the client.
- Done by our team
- Your brand on it
- Handed to your clientDone
Partner with DeveloperLookDelivered under your brand
The Right Technology for Your Project
Technology Stack
We work from Google's own reports, then use crawlers and link data to find every affected page and link before anything changes.
Google Search Console
Google Analytics (GA4)- Bing Webmaster Tools
- Disavow Links Tool
Semrush
Google Sheets- Gmail
- Looker Studio
- Screaming Frog
Chrome DevTools- URL Inspection Tool
- Rich Results Test
WordPress
Shopify- WooCommerce
Webflow
01 / 04
Related Services
Penalties rarely arrive alone. These services cover update drops, hacked spam pages, content clean-ups, audits, and the code fixes a recovery can need.
SEO Services
DeveloperLook provides SEO services for growing businesses as one monthly program. As an SEO company with its own developers, we plan keywords, ship technical fixes in your site, publish content, earn links, and report the leads search brings in.
Google Algorithm Update Recovery Services
DeveloperLook offers Google algorithm update recovery services for sites that lost traffic after a core or spam update. We date-match the drop, find the pages and queries that lost, and improve them by Google's own guidance, as an algorithm recovery service that shows its data.
Japanese Keyword Hack Cleanup
DeveloperLook provides Japanese keyword hack cleanup for hacked sites: rogue Search Console owners removed, the spam generator deleted, every spam URL returning 404, and the index tracked as Google drops it. SEO spam removed at the source, not page by page.This page
Google Penalty Recovery Services
Pairs with the 6 services around it
Content Audit Services
DeveloperLook runs content audit services for websites with hundreds of pages and posts. We score every URL on traffic, conversions, links, and accuracy, then mark each one keep, update, merge, or remove, with a redirect list and briefs for the pages worth fixing first.
Technical SEO Services
DeveloperLook is a technical SEO services company that audits and fixes crawl, indexing, rendering, and speed problems in your code. We work on custom, headless, WordPress, and ecommerce sites, and verify every fix after release.
SEO Audit Services
DeveloperLook runs SEO audit services for business websites. We read your Search Console data, crawl every page, and compare your content and links with your top rivals, then hand you a ranked fix list with the URLs, evidence, and effort behind each item.FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Straight answers on cost, timing, manual actions versus algorithm drops, and what recovery involves.
Saimul IslamFounder & CEO, DeveloperLookStill have questions?
Send a message or book a call with the team.
Recovery starts at $600 for a penalty diagnosis with a written cause and fix plan. Manual Action Recovery costs $1,250 for one action on up to 100 affected pages or 1,000 linking domains, including the reconsideration request. Complex Penalty Recovery costs $1,900 for up to 3 actions. You get a fixed quote after the free penalty check.
Fixing the cause usually takes 2 to 6 weeks, depending on how many pages and links are involved. After you submit, Google says most reconsideration reviews take several days or weeks, and link cases can take longer. Rankings return at different speeds once an action is lifted, so we track clicks for 60 to 90 days.
Penalty recovery is the work of fixing what caused a manual action or spam-related drop and getting the site back into Google's results. With a manual action, a human reviewer at Google has found pages that break its spam policies. Recovery means fixing every affected page, then asking Google to review the site again.
Recovering from a Google penalty takes three steps: confirm it, fix the cause everywhere, then ask for review. Check the Manual Actions report in Search Console first. If an action is listed, fix every page in the URL patterns it names, because partial fixes don't earn a partial return. Then submit a reconsideration request with your evidence.
A manual penalty is removed by Google after a reviewer accepts your reconsideration request. You can't remove it yourself, so the job is making that request easy to accept: affected pages fixed, unnatural links removed or disavowed, and the evidence documented. Don't resubmit while a request is pending; wait for the decision first.
Algorithmic drops aren't penalties in Google's terms, so there's no review to request. Google's systems reassess the site over time instead. After a spam update, Google says a site that complies may improve over a period of months, and boosts from neutralized spammy links can't be regained. Google Algorithm Update Recovery Services covers core update drops.
A consultant gives you a diagnosis you can trust and a plan built on Google's published rules. We separate manual actions from update drops, size the work, and tell you what you can fix yourself. When you want hands-on help, the same team runs the page fixes, link cleanup, and request, so nothing gets lost between advice and delivery.
Open the Manual Actions report in Google Search Console: if it lists an action, you have a manual penalty. Google also sends a message in Search Console and an email. If the report is empty and traffic fell, the cause is algorithmic or technical, and we check the dates against Google's update history to find it.
Only if many spammy links remain after removal requests and they caused, or will likely cause, a manual action. Google calls disavow an advanced feature that can hurt visibility if misused. We disavow at the domain level where it fits, keep the file within Google's 100,000-line limit, and save every version we upload.
Yes, though Penguin no longer runs as a separate update. Google integrated it into its core ranking systems in 2016. Link problems now show up in two ways. A manual action for unnatural links is covered by our cleanup and review work. Links Google's systems ignore get replaced by earning new ones.
Saimul IslamFounder & CEO, DeveloperLookStill have questions?
Send a message or book a call with the team.
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