Welcome to the Google Webmaster Help group!

This community is intended to be a comfortable and useful meeting place for English-speaking site owners* to ask questions and share information with each other and participating Google employees ("Googlers").  Anyone is welcome to sign up as a member and begin posting immediately (though, as you'll see below, we strongly encourage you to read through this page and our FAQ document first).

*Note that we are pleased to have Webmaster Help groups in many languages.

How do I know which posters are Googlers?
You'll spot little "G" badges (icons) next to the username of Googlers here.  While you'll find lots of helpful and interesting posts within the Group, only the notes from these badged Googlers should be seen as official information.

What are the roles of Googlers in this group?
We're regularly reading posts, spotting trends, internally noting issues of concern, and then sharing this important information with key colleagues around the world to help make Google Search better for everyone.  We may also post replies from time to time, but the bigger stars here are the wonderful non-Googler community members who offer thoughtful and friendly advice and commentary. 

But I am too busy to read through threads... I want instant and official answers from Google!
Then you'll appreciate Google Webmaster Central (http://www.google.com/webmasters -- bookmark, memorize, tattoo that URL!), where you'll find links to our Webmaster Help Center (with help in almost twenty languages!), our blog, and tons of useful tools to help you with your site.

I have ideas and questions about Gmail!  Reader!  Blogger!  Sketchup!  YouTube!  And... and... and...
Got questions or feedback on a Google product other than search?  You can peruse our product offerings by visiting http://www.google.com/options/. For assistance with any of these products, just visit that product's Help Center or perform a Google Groups search for discussion groups related to the product.

I love / hate / have feedback or questions about how Google Groups works.
Have suggestions about the user interface, questions about how to make a profile, and so on?  Though we're eager to help and also get your feedback, this Google Webmaster Help Group is not the right place.  Instead, please check out these resources:

- Google Groups Help Center

- Google Groups Discussion Group

I want to reach someone at Google.
This is the place to do it!  As noted above, we have a great many Googlers in different offices regularly reading, escalating, and -- to the extent possible -- replying to posts here.  But please do not write "Hey [insert Googler's name]!  HEEEEELP!!!!!"  These posts are less likely to get our attention (because, let's face it, would you really want to see an entire group filled with those sorts of subject lines?) 

Sorry, we do not offer phone or e-mail support for Webmaster issues at this time.

Before you post, please read these important tips and guidelines!

Search before you ask.

You'll find a bevy of smart and helpful regulars here, but -- as you can imagine -- their patience can wear thin when answering the exact same question 42 times a week.  So for their sanity and yours, please see if your question has already been addressed.

• Do a search of this group using the search box at the top of the page.
• Browse and/or search our Help Center.

Please include all relevant details in your post, including your site URL, any error messages you see, etc.
Also, make sure to use descriptive subject lines for your posts.  All of this will enable other group members to help you more quickly and it will also enable us to troubleshoot issues internally.

Be kind, helpful, and constructive.  Avoid making or responding to personal attacks!
This is a welcoming place for webmasters to share advice and expertise. Remember to be patient and courteous with all users seeking help, especially those who are just getting started.

And keep it clean and be polite, please!  If you disagree with a person or organization, note this respectfully.

• BAD: "I can't believe you could be so stupid!  And you dress your Web site funny!"
• GOOD:  "I think you're mistaken on this point.  This article in Google's Help Center suggests..."

Note that we do reserve the right to immediately and permanently ban abusive folks from the group without notice or regret.

Don't share personally identifying or private information in the group.
Remember, your posts can be read by users around the world. Posting personal information or anything you don't want to be read or archived isn't a good idea. No Google representative will ever ask for your mailing address, phone number, credit card number, account passwords, or other personal information in a group post!

Stay on topic and don't treat the group as a classified (advertising) venue!
For instance, if you have a question about our Webmaster Tools, please post your inquiry in that subgroup, not in the Crawling, Indexing, and Ranking subgroup.  And please refrain from advertising your business (of any sort), shilling products, or otherwise spamming.  As with abusive posters, we have an itchy trigger finger in this context, and such posts are likely to get you quickly banned from the group.

And lastly...

Please read the Google Groups Terms of Service.

Thank you, and again, welcome to our Webmaster Help community!

P.S. -- You're perhaps more likely to receive attention from Googlers and other Group members if you sincerely note the secret phrase: "I have read the Group FAQs and checked out docs in the Help Center."