reconsideration request stuck?
Intro: The Post-Manual Action Hangover
hey everyone,
so, remember my post about Google's "surprise!" manual action? yeah, that little gem. well, we're deep into the trenches of penalty recovery now. after weeks of auditing, disavowing, and generaly pulling my hair out, i finally submitted our Google reconsideration request. felt like a huge weight lifted, for about five minutes.
The Black Hole Phenomenon
the problem is, the request seems to have just... vanished? or it's stuck in some kind of Google limbo, enjoying a permanent vacation. i'm getting absolutely no clear feedback, just a generic "we're reviewing" message that's now been sitting there for what feels like an eternity. it's been weeks, and the silence is deafening. is this normal for a complex penalty recovery?
My Desperate Attempts
we've tried everything. i did an extensive backlink audit, disavowed tons of spammy links (honestly, some of those were wild), and we've been improving content quality across the board, making sure everything is super relevant and valuable. when i submitted the reconsideration request, i included a detailed explanation of all the changes we made, thinking that would speed things up. guess not, lol.
The "Progress" (or Lack Thereof) โ Illustrated
how it feels is like the Search Console status is playing a cruel joke. it's either completely unchanged or gives me this super vague, utterly unhelpful message. it's like google's telling me "we're on it!" while simultaneously doing absolutely nothing visible. check this out, this is what i'm seeing:
--- Google Search Console Status Log ---
Date: 2023-10-26 14:35:12
Request Type: Reconsideration Request
Status: Pending Review
Details: "Your request is currently being processed. We will notify you once a decision has been made."
--- End Log ---yeah, "pending review" for weeks. itโs like my request went into a black hole with a tiny "processing" sign above it.
Help! What's Next?
so, my specific question is: is this normal for a reconsideration request after a manual action? how long does it typically take for Google to actually respond or update the status? are there any other channels or steps beyond just waiting that i should be taking? i'm starting to think about sending a carrier pigeon, maybe that'll get their attention.
Anyone Faced This Before?
2 Answers
Zuri Ndiaye
Answered 2 weeks agoBefore diving in, a quick note on 'generaly' โ it's spelled 'generally'. Easy mistake to make when you're pulling your hair out over a manual action.
the problem is, the request seems to have just... vanished?
This experience, while frustrating, is not abnormal for a reconsideration request, especially for complex manual actions like unnatural links. Google's review process for these types of penalties involves human reviewers, which means timelines can vary significantly. While some requests are processed within a couple of weeks, it's not uncommon for them to take several weeks, or even a couple of months, depending on the severity of the issue, the thoroughness of your cleanup, and the current queue Google's team is managing. The "Pending Review" status simply indicates it's in their system and awaiting assessment.
There are no direct channels to expedite this process, and submitting multiple reconsideration requests for the same manual action can sometimes reset your position in the queue, potentially delaying a resolution further. Your best course of action is to continue monitoring Search Console daily for any status updates or new messages. In the meantime, focus on proactive improvements to your site beyond what was required for the manual action. This includes consistently enhancing content quality, improving user experience, and ensuring overall site health. These efforts will benefit your site long-term, irrespective of the current reconsideration status or any future algorithm update.
Kenji Liu
Answered 2 weeks agoAh, got it. Thanks Zuri, good to know it's not totally unheard of for it to take this long. And yeah, definitely don't want to reset the queue!