Google Merchant Center Flags Website As Parked Domain

Google Merchant Center Flags Website As Parked Domain

On rare occasions, you may find your website being flagged by Google as a parked domain.

Two main factors cause a website to be flagged. 1) Google can not assess your website 2) Website content does not meet Google’s requirements.

Below is a list of possible reasons for getting flagged for parked domain:

Failed Website Crawls

  • Disallowed URL is returned (check your robots.txt file)
  • URL with connection error (check user agent or IP address blocking)
  • Incorrect base domain (check https vs http, and check www vs non-www)

New Domain Names

  • Your domain name had a previous owner and was disapproved (check using https://archive.org/web/ or use a whois tool)
  • Your domain name had payment issues with Google (new or previous owner)

Content

  • If the content on your website is copied from another website (add original content)
  • Not enough unique and or valuable content
  • Cookie-cutter content (websites that are created to hold multiple spots on the first page)
  • Low-quality content
  • Violation of editorial guidelines (you can check the list here: https://support.google.com/merchants/answer/2877578?hl=en)
  • Unprofessional content (such as poor grammar, non-clear content)

IP Modification

  • If you are showing different content to Google and or users based on IP detection and modification
  • If you are showing different content based on browsers or devices

Google Cache

  • If the cached version of your website is different from the live website (check by using cache:www.feedarmy.com in your browser address bar)
  • Low-quality content that is still visible in the cache

Slow Response

  • Having a website with a slow response time (make sure its 3seconds or faster)

Redirection

  • Redirecting URLs (check you are not redirecting www to non-www or HTTP to HTTPS), (Always submit the final URL)

Trust

  • Domain name details don’t match website or business details (all must match)

Server Issues

  • Any server issues (check your server logs for non 200 response codes)

Advertising

  • If you are using AdSense or other advertisements on your website
  • Content that looks like its an ad

Pricing

  • Having pricing issues, such as missing currency
  • Using automatic currency conversion

Availability

  • Not enough products in stock (make sure more than 50% of items are in stock)

Products

  • Not having enough physical products
  • Not having any products stocked (POD, Print on Demand is not allowed)
  • Only offer software downloads

Layout

  • Website layout that looks like a one-pager
  • Content that looks like its template content
  • Using template images or text
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