@Richard~

There is no ‘hidden code’, ‘hidden links’, or anything like it in our themes, nor has there ever been. One is based on a very popular Creative Commons License theme, the other custom built by us to duplicate the layout, color scheme, etc. of a particular site design we had developed as a static HTML site.

Michael Ullman

Sorry, Jen, I messed up the html for one of the links in this post. Hope you can fix it – all links point to either Cutts or Mullenweg – no hidden code here! No need to publish this reply, either.

@FH Harris – In addition to your response to me, above, you said this to Gary, below:

“I have yet to hear of a single site that was quality getting banned, deindexed, or even losing rank due to a theme.”

With all due respect, it is well-known that Google is on the lookout for certain themes that it suspects are hiding sponsored links. (Google does not want anyone to buy rankings in the SERPS by paying for do-follow links, whether overtly or covertly. But if you buy an Adwords position from them, they’re totally cool with that.) Matt Cutts discusses the problem of hidden links here, and subsequently endorses the view of Matt Mullenweg on sponsored themes. Mullenweg has warned WordPress users away from certain theme-distribution sites, like Blogstheme.com, whose themes often contain hidden code.

Thus, themes can absolutely be a liability, and it is irresponsible to suggest otherwise. Many of Jen's followers are at the other end of the experience scale from you, and they need to be steered away from practices that could destroy their hopes. They could invest a great deal of time and effort creating fine sites, only to be deindexed because of links hidden deep in the theme's code.

Now, have I gone too far in worrying about Flexibility? Note I did not say that Flexibility is problematic today; rather, my concern is for the future, and stems from a nervous expectation regarding algorithm changes to come. I completely agree with you that Google has no problem with profit (especially for themselves) when a site adds some kind of value, but – as this thread illustrates – plenty of people are using WordPress blogs to put up dross. Thinly-veiled affiliate sites are already likely to be deindexed. Since Google is already looking at themes, I prefer to avoid themes that could find themselves tainted by these rotten apples. Risk-aversion is a matter of individual preference, thank you.

That is the great thing about being an internet marketer. The choices are near limitless and there are so many themes out there that just like Pot Pie Girl, we can change them whenever we want. None of us can read the mind of Google but by diversifying and watching our eggs, we can help to determine why certain posts, pages, and sites act as they do.

Paul

If that is the case how are thousands making money using these themes. Granted not 100K (most people buy and die) but hundreds are seeing significant success.

Jen…..

MFA sites by definition are

If a web page is made for the sole purpose of showing advertisements, and devoid of any meaningful or original contents, then such a page will not meet the requirements of AdSense (or, for that matter, Google Webmaster guidelines), therefore liable to be banned from AdSense.

Therefore a site that has QUALITY UNIQUE CONTENT would not qualify. Thirty five years as a business coach and been a tech since 1984. Worked for Intel tech support and trained many at Convergys, the worlds largest tech support company and learned that most of the issues that we dealt with were customer error. There are a bunch of things in the TOS. Since G does not tell you why a site is (fill in the punishment) it is only speculation that the issue was that they were primarily an MFA site and that brought the wrath down upon them. I dont believe it . There are plenty of other mistakes that could cause a violation but in my experience most folks would rather blame anyone other than themselves.
An adsense creation course? Yes Google gives all sorts of information that would qualify as that. But since this one stresses the very thing that Google and Cutts and all the rest have said that is what they want, I take exception to the continued insinuation that the a100K course is
QUOTE
the Exactly! And that “whatever reason” was because there was a big ol’ “sign” on the site that said they were making sites following an AdSense site creation course.
END QUOTE

I feel that the footer recommendation is excellent and Micheals presence and prompt fix should have been enough to not repeat this as a dire warning of doom and gloom. ESPECIALLY WITH NOTHING OTHER THAN ANECDOTORY EVIDENCE.

No the police would not arrest everyone with a purple hoody. That is simply asinine and against at least our US constitution. But you would be subject to a more than cursory glance. But if you are where you should be doing what you should be then there is nothing for you to fear. However if you are carrying burglary tools and all then you might be held or even arrested.

I have yet to hear of a single site that was quality getting banned, deindexed, or even losing rank due to a theme.

Your Quote
I refuse to use Flexibility on the grounds that, sooner or later, Google is going to see that theme as a big red flag that the site in question is intended primarily to make money.

Can you introduce a single shred of intelligent proof to back that statement up?

If I had a dollar for every cry like that I could retire.

Since when does Google feel that making money is bad?

However if there is no intent to educate inform or entertain in addition there might be a problem. There are tens of thousands of folks making a full time income from the proceeds who are unaware of this type of post who go merrily on their way cashing checks. QUALITY UNIQUE CONTENT!

This type of remark is absolutely one of the top problems with our industry. To put the name of a product out there and say that this product is responsible for accounts being banned or being non compliant without a shred of proof is reprehensible and actionable in a legal venue.

Jen’s remark didnt sit well but she at least pointed out an issue that combined with other issues (none of which are recommended in A100K) could identify a perpetrator. This remark about CTR is totally without foundation and there are tens of thousands of users who can verify that this theme is compliant and would and should in no way be considered the reason why a site would be banned.

As someone above said look at the hundreds of thousands of sites using the xfactor non-theme. They are not getting banned (for that reason) but as a micro niche they are being replaced in the SERPS. CONTENT CONTENT CONTENT. Not graphical themes.

And no I am not affiliated with the publishers of CTR. But after 17 years on the net I get real upset seeing unfounded swipes at products being written as if they were fact.

I also used the theme, which I’ve already changed since I read this. No problems yet, but no sense in tempting fate.

Please keep informing us of both the good and the bad in the IM world. We all appreciate you.

A few observations:

1. As others have said I take exception to the idea that this course teaches people to ‘game’ Google. I admit i had too look past the slightly silly title – I’m not expecting to- and don’t need to earn 100k per year. I want to earn much less than that and have time to spend in the garden with my girlfriend! But it seems the title is the only real bit of hyperbole in the whole package. That said i am not saying it ISNT possible to make 100k per year with the strategy.

Yes – When it comes down to it the business strategy (and it IS a business strategy) is to create sites that have commercial potential. And to that extent they use some SEO techniques. Big deal! There’s no reason to have an issue with this.

I see my ‘job’ as finding search terms on Google that have some commercial potential and then working to put relevant content and links to more detailed info in front of the people who use those search terms. My ‘payment’ for doing this job is revenue from Adsense. I get paid because i’m doing what Google wants. Yes- some people will only pay lip service to the business model put forward in a100k and try to get the results by putting up a few crappy paragraphs of spun text that don’t correctly address the search term query. People will always try to take the shortcut.

2. Far be it for me as a green newbie to comment but this whole footer thing seems just a little bit silly. It is just as likely that the footer becomes an indicator to Google that these sites are more likely to have half decent content. It depends on how many people carry out the business strategy responsibly and how many try to abuse it.

From my own search into how Google functions I’ve yet to be convinced that it gives one damn about how a site looks if it has original and relevant content. And that even includes human review by Google staff when it happens. An example of why this might be the case- I came across a real nice looking site the other day- very well designed and ‘unique’ looking. Not a WordPress plug-in to be seen. It was for a product that scams people out of hundreds of dollars every month.

good luck all!
simon

Thank you for all your input. I’ve learned a lot.

I would like to add my view that you also have to be careful with using Analytics and Webmaster. Analytics in particular.

Best is to get banproof traffic, so that you couldn’t care less about what big G is up to. Make sites that you like, not Google, because they are perpetually in the process of making up their minds.

Don’t use adwords for traffic. The moment you get good at it, they’ll kick you out, because Google can make more money off people who are not so sharp.

For monetizing preferably use your own [plr] products, so that you don’t have to worry about adsense, amazon or whatever affiliate network .

Build a list.

Have a mobile friendly version of your sites.

Finally don’t just rely on wordpress only for sitebuilding. Be careful with all free themes.
Diversify. God knows what happens to wordpress because of some hack.

All the best,
JanPaul

I personally try to limit those footprints by not choosing some of the automated tools on the market. In the long run, quality content which is written with the reader in mind wins. Unfortunately quality content that is tied into these money making themes and plugins still may end up paying the price.

Exactly! And that “whatever reason” was because there was a big ol’ “sign” on the site that said they were making sites following an AdSense site creation course.

Which would be the entire point of this post…lol!

@ Drew – Thank you for stopping by! I know, and have said, that your site was not “low-quality” nor was it duplicate, thin, or spun garbage. It was a really good site that I believe was following the quality guidelines the course set out for you.

The only problem was that big ol’ sign on your site.

Hang tight, Drew, we’re working on getting you straightened out. It’ll be a good learning experience for both of us to see how things go and I’m happy to be helping you through this! Thanks for letting me!

Thanks for reading and commenting everyone!

Jennifer

I lost sites too that were unique and what replaced them was worse. Google never tells you all the rules.
But in the end I found Google viewed them as doorway pages designed to rank for a specific keyword and promote a product. In other words they viewed these sites as having little value despite the fact they had quality unique content.

My guess is something similar may have happened here. They decided the site was MFA for whatever reason.

I

The site that was de-indexed was nearly 60 pages, and each article was over 500 words all hand-written by me. I also just entered a few of my urls into copyscape,and it said no results found.

Now, maybe my content isn’t award winning, but it’s hardly garbage. Take away the adsense, and the site still provides some value.

I also have sites that are much worse. I even have a one page site. Guess what? They are still indexed…

I have recently heard on the a100k private forum of two more people following a100k having their sites de-indexed. Now, there are lots of people who are doing fine, so I don’t have enough data to formulate any conclusions. However, I would like to get to the bottom of this either way.