Website Blacklisted? Here’s What to Do Right Away (And How to Avoid It Next Time)
- Sam Favé
- Jul 8
- 3 min read
Updated: Jul 30
So, you just found out your website got blacklisted. It’s a horrible feeling, especially if you had no idea anything was even wrong. One day everything’s running fine, the next—boom—your traffic drops, users can’t access your site, and scary warning pages start popping up. But don’t worry too much just yet. It’s fixable. You just have to know what to do—and move fast. Here’s a breakdown of how to deal with a blacklist situation step by step, plus what you can do to make sure it doesn’t happen again.
First: Figure Out If You’re Actually Blacklisted
Before you dive into fixing anything, you need to be sure that your site is
blacklisted—and why. Not every traffic drop or weird behavior means a blacklist.
Here are a few signs something's up :
Visitors are seeing browser warnings like “deceptive site ahead”
You get notified by Google or your host about malware
Your search traffic takes a sudden nosedive
Antivirus software flags your site as unsafe
Want to double-check? Use these tools:
Google Safe Browsing – Check your site status here: Google Transparency Report
Sucuri SiteCheck – Fast and free scanner that tells you if your site’s infected or blacklisted.
VirusTotal – Also helpful for spotting malware using multiple antivirus engines.
MXToolbox – Useful if your site or IP is blacklisted for email spam.
Next: Find Out What Caused It
This part matters. You can’t clean up the mess if you don’t know what made it in the first place. The most common reasons for blacklists are:
Phishing pages published without your knowledge
Malware infections (perhaps from a compromised plugin)
SEO spam, such as keyword stuffing or implanted links
Sending bulk emails or hosting spam from your server
Using outdated software or having inadequate security
To examine your site files, use programs like Sucuri or the scanner offered by your hosting company. Also, hop into Google Search Console. If Google flagged you, they’ll usually give you a clear reason. Look for things like new files you didn’t add, weird code, or anything that feels off.
Clean It Up (Properly!)
Now it’s cleanup time. This is where you roll up your sleeves.
Backup your site first—yes, even if it’s infected.
Delete anything suspicious—malicious scripts, weird code, rogue files, or strange plugins.
Update everything—WordPress, themes, plugins. Don’t leave any gaps.
Change all passwords—admin, hosting, FTP, database. Just to be safe.
Use a security plugin like Wordfence, iThemes Security, or MalCare to do a deep scan.
If you’re not sure how to clean it yourself, it’s totally worth hiring a professional for this step. A half-done cleanup can lead to getting blacklisted all over again.
Request a Review from the Blacklist Source
Once your site is clean, it’s time to get off the blacklist.
If Google flagged you, go to Search Console > Security Issues, and click Request Review. Be honest—tell them what you found and fixed.
For other blacklists (like Norton, McAfee, Yandex), visit their sites and submit a recheck request.
If your IP address was blacklisted, especially for spam, reach out to your host—they can usually help get it swapped or delisted.
Heads up: This part might take a few days. Keep your website safe and refrain from making any changes or adding any new plugins while you wait.
Ways to Prevent This Scrub in the Future
The good news is that you can lessen the likelihood that this will ever occur again. Simple behaviours can make a big difference.
Use a security plugin that runs regular scans.
Install an SSL certificate (HTTPS). It’s safer, and Google likes it.
Keep everything updated—themes, plugins, CMS. No exceptions.
Delete what you don’t use. Extra plugins are just extra risk.
Scan your site regularly (once a week at least).
Use strong passwords and turn on two-factor authentication for logins.
Avoid sketchy plugins or free themes from unknown sources.
Also, if you have a team, make sure everyone follows the same rules. The entire website can be exposed by a single weak link.
Concluding
Without a doubt, becoming blacklisted is awful. However, it doesn't have to destroy your business, your website, or your SEO. Moving forward, it's important to take swift action, clean up completely, and secure everything. You'll know exactly what symptoms to watch out for and how to remain ahead of the game once you've gone through this once.
Speak with a site security specialist if you're still having trouble or don't feel comfortable handling this on your own. Although it may cost a little up front, it can save a lot of trouble down the road.
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