An SEO glossary of terms every marketer should know in 2026
A practical, current glossary covering the essential SEO terminology every marketer should be comfortable with, from foundational concepts to 2026-specific terms.
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A manual action is a deliberate, human-reviewed penalty applied by a member of Google's search quality team, distinct from an algorithmic ranking change. It is communicated directly through Search Console's Manual Actions report, and requires a specific reconsideration process to resolve, unlike an algorithmic drop which resolves automatically once the underlying issue improves and Google reprocesses the site.
How to know if you have a manual action
Check the Manual Actions report in Search Console directly — this is the only authoritative source, and a manual action is never silently applied without this notification being available there.
- Search Console's Manual Actions report is the definitive source.
- The report specifies the exact violation type and, in many cases, example affected URLs.
- Some manual actions affect the entire site; others affect only specific pages or sections.
Common manual action types
- Unnatural links to or from your site.
- Thin content with little or no added value.
- Cloaking or sneaky redirects.
- User-generated spam (unmoderated spam comments or forum posts).
- Structured data markup that does not accurately reflect visible page content.
The single biggest mistake in manual action recovery is submitting a reconsideration request before genuinely, completely fixing the underlying issue — a rejected request restarts the clock and can feel like starting over from zero.
The reconsideration process
Thoroughly fix the specific violation cited — remove or disavow unnatural links, rewrite or remove thin content, fix cloaking, moderate spam content — then submit a detailed reconsideration request through Search Console explaining exactly what was found and what was done to fix it, with specific evidence where possible.
- Fully address the specific violation cited, not just a partial fix.
- Document exactly what was found and what was done in the reconsideration request itself.
- Be honest and specific — vague or evasive requests are less likely to succeed.
- Wait for Google's response, which can take days to a few weeks depending on the violation and current review volume.
Frequently asked questions
How is a manual action different from a core update ranking drop?
A manual action is a deliberate, human-applied penalty for a specific policy violation, requiring a reconsideration request to lift. A core update drop is algorithmic and resolves automatically as your site improves and gets reprocessed, with no request process involved.
How long does manual action recovery typically take?
The fix itself can take anywhere from days to weeks depending on scope, and Google's review of a reconsideration request typically takes another one to several weeks after submission.
Can a reconsideration request be rejected?
Yes, if Google determines the underlying issue was not fully addressed — in this case, continue fixing the issue and submit a new request rather than resubmitting the same one repeatedly.
If you have received a manual action and need help with the recovery process, talk to our team.
The takeaway
Fix the underlying issue completely and honestly before submitting a reconsideration request — a rejected request due to an incomplete fix costs you weeks waiting for a response, then starting the whole process again.
Written by Fibvo — Bengaluru and Erode, India — working with clients in other time zones. Questions, or think we have it wrong? Tell us.
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