TL;DR
Check if blacklisted: Search your domain on Google and use site:yourdomain.com to verify indexing. Run domain through Google Safe Browsing, MXToolBox, Spamhaus, and Google Transparency Report. If blacklisted: identify cause (malware, spam links, policy violations), fix issues (clean malware, remove bad links, improve content), then request review through Google Search Console. Prevent by updating site regularly, monitoring backlinks, and following Google guidelines.
Symptoms
Domain or pages don't appear in Google search results
Visitors see warnings: "Site is unsafe" or "Contains malware"
Google Safe Browsing flags your site with security warning
Blacklist checkers report domain on spam or security lists
Search operator
site:yourdomain.comreturns no results
Environment
For website owners relying on organic search traffic. Focuses on domain-level blacklisting by Google (not email deliverability). Requires access to website CMS and Google Search Console.
Step-by-Step Fix
1. Confirm blacklisting
Manual check:
Search your domain name on Google
If site/pages don't appear, may be de-indexed
Use search operator:
Type
site:yourdomain.comin GoogleNo results = likely de-indexed
Automated tools:
Run domain through Google Safe Browsing
Check MXToolBox blacklist lookup
Check Spamhaus database
Visit Google Transparency Report and enter domain
✅ Verify: Tools confirm blacklisting or de-indexing
2. Investigate the cause
Check for:
Malware or hacked content - Use a security scanner
Phishing or spam warnings - Review Safe Browsing messages
Spammy backlinks - Analyze backlink profile
Policy violations - Duplicate content, keyword stuffing, black-hat SEO
Review Google Search Console → Security Issues and Manual Actions for notices
✅ Verify: Identified the specific cause of blacklisting
3. Fix identified issues
For malware/hacked content:
Clean infected files
Update software and plugins
Change all passwords
Enable security measures
For quality issues:
Remove or improve low-quality pages
Publish fresh, high-quality content
Fix duplicate content issues
For bad backlinks:
Contact sites to remove spammy links
Use the Google Disavow Tool for links you can't remove
For email/domain reputation:
Set up proper authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC)
Maintain consistent sending behavior
✅ Verify: All identified issues resolved
4. Request review from Google
Go to Google Search Console
Check the Security Issues and Manual Actions sections
Document all fixes made
Click Request Review
Explain what you fixed and why site now complies
✅ Verify: Review request submitted successfully
5. Monitor and prevent recurrence
Set up ongoing monitoring:
Regular security scans
Backlink monitoring
Google Search Console alerts
Monthly blacklist checks
Prevention:
Update the site with quality content regularly
Monitor the backlink profile for spam
Follow Google SEO and security guidelines
Keep software/plugins updated
✅ Verify: Monitoring tools active
Confirm It's Fixed
✓ Domain and pages appear in Google search results
✓ site:yourdomain.com returns indexed pages
✓ Google Safe Browsing shows no warnings
✓ Google Transparency Report shows domain clean
✓ Blacklist checkers (MXToolBox, Spamhaus) show clean status
✓ Google Search Console shows no active security issues or manual actions
Why It Happens
Domains get blacklisted due to malware infections, hacked content, spammy backlinks, or violating search guidelines. Sometimes, only specific pages are affected, making diagnosis difficult.
Prevent this: Keep the site secure, monitor backlinks, follow SEO best practices, publish quality content regularly, and maintain proper email authentication.
Alternatives
Hire a security/SEO expert - For complex cases, professional cleanup may be faster
Migrate to new domain - Last resort for severely compromised domains (impacts brand and SEO)
Use CDN/security service - Services like Cloudflare or Sucuri provide ongoing protection
Escalate If Unresolved
If the domain remains blacklisted after fixes, provide:
Screenshots of Google Safe Browsing results
Google Transparency Report results
Search Console security notices
Timeline of when the issue was first noticed
Documentation of fixes implemented
Any error messages received
Contact Google via Search Console support or consult a professional SEO/security expert.