Google’s sandbox is a filter that Google created years ago to fight spam. If you have a new website or if you made major changes on your website, then Google’s sandbox filter might be the reason why your website’s rankings have dropped.

How can I find out if my website is in the sandbox?

If the following criteria apply to your website, it is likely it is in Google’s sandbox:

1. Your website cannot be found if you search for the exact title tag.
2. Your domain is less than 2 years old or you just made major changes to your website content.
3. Your website had good rankings and now it dropped off 30 plus positions.
4. Your website has good rankings in Yahoo and MSN/Live but not in Google.
5. You are using gray or black hat optimization techniques on your website.

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