Help - Google has 'lost' my site.

[ppentertainments]

Well, after bragging about how well my website is doing in searches, it would appear that google do not like it anymore :(

3 days ago I checked a few search phrases and I came up really high. Now my site is nowhere to be seen :confused: :confused:

Any advise would be great and any SEO advice would be most welcome as I do not know what has happened.

[discomobiledj]

Google puts your site high over the first couple of weeks. This is called sandboxing. Unfortunately it will "drop off".

Go to www.sitereportcard.com and put your site in there, see what it comes back with.

[Danno13]

Yeah, you do get a honeymoon period with google, so it may have fallen down the rankings - can you not find it by just searching for your domain name?

Also have you got your website registered with google so that you can see it under their webmaster tools? That's where I would start...

[ppentertainments]

I am just amazed that it has taken only 3 days to go from really high rankings to zilch.

Danno - I do register with google and can find my site by searching for the name, but want more than that :D

[Vectis]

Well I haven't looked much further than the META DESCRIPTION and the stupendously long list of "areas we cover" on the index page, but if other pages are stuffed full of supposed keywords like this, it's no wonder you've been demoted.

Try to keep META DESCRIPTION to 25-30 words MAX.

Oh, and where's Morthumberland? :D

[Danno13]

You could do with some better title tags for some of the pages too.. Disco's (which shouldn't have an apostrophe) has the same as Weddings for example..

Better alt tags on your images are needed too, especially the banners at the top of the page as these are what google will see first.

[Marc J]

Google is well aware of your site: Click Here (http://www.google.co.uk/#hl=en&safe=off&q=site%3Awww.ppentertainments.co.uk)

Only if that had zero results should you worry that google have "lost" or "dropped" you.

All that's happened now is that after some initially good results you are now "bedded in" and are showing where Google ranks you. As some have said - there is a "honeymoon" period with new sites on Google which can give you a flase indication of how a new site will rank in SERPS.

There are loads of threads on here about SEO, a lot of people (yourself included) clearly disregard a lot of the advice given...or haven't read them. See http://www.forum.mobilediscodirectory.co.uk/showthread.php?t=17422 and http://www.google.com/webmasters/docs/search-engine-optimization-starter-guide.pdf

[ppentertainments]

Cheers Guys, I knew about the descriptions and tags and will get round to it. I am amazed how some sites appear top on most searches and others don't. I know he won't mind me mentioning but Colin Cook always turns up high - will have to badger him next time I am talking to him :D :D

[ppentertainments]

Just a quick update - A few 'fixes' and I am now back up there where I belong :D :D

Cheers for the advice, guess I need to keep a closer eye in the site :)

Now to update my others.

[ppentertainments]

Suprising how few replies to this thread considering my site has received 54 hits from this very thread :confused: :confused:

[Marc J]

Suprising how few replies to this thread considering my site has received 54 hits from this very thread :confused: :confused:

The original post asked: -


Any advise would be great and any SEO advice would be most welcome as I do not know what has happened.

And as far as I know that's pretty much been answered, here and elsewhere...

[Vectis]

And as far as I know that's pretty much been answered, here and elsewhere...

:agree:

Aside from which I'm tiring of responding honestly to threads on this and similar subjects and getting a bad reaction to good advice, so I'm becoming increasingly choosy about what I post :cool:

[ppentertainments]

The original post asked: -



And as far as I know that's pretty much been answered, here and elsewhere...


:agree:

Aside from which I'm tiring of responding honestly to threads on this and similar subjects and getting a bad reaction to good advice, so I'm becoming increasingly choosy about what I post :cool:
Your advice was VERY much appreciated and did not mean the previous post in any bad way. Just with so many direct links to my site from this thread it appears more people may have queries about SEO / google and would welcome any discussion as it may help others, and help improve all ;) :)

[Vectis]

Your advice was VERY much appreciated and did not mean the previous post in any bad way.


:beer1: Wasn't getting at you... just the handful of folks in the recent past who've invited us to critique their site only to go a bit grumpy (or even get a ban!) when the advice is posted back ;)

Also, if you KNOW that your site needs a tweak here and there (take your META example), why not fix it prior to posting for critique? When you put a website live, the spiders will find it. Put it up wrong, and you face an uphill battle removing the mess.

[ppentertainments]

Also, if you KNOW that your site needs a tweak here and there (take your META example), why not fix it prior to posting for critique? When you put a website live, the spiders will find it. Put it up wrong, and you face an uphill battle removing the mess.
Probably because I have not got a clue what I am doing and have fluked my way through :D :D
When search engines a working I like to leave alone as every change I make may bring risky results :D :D :D

[discomobiledj]

Aside from which I'm tiring of responding honestly to threads on this and similar subjects and getting a bad reaction to good advice, so I'm becoming increasingly choosy about what I post :cool:

It's funny isn't it. People ask you to be blunt and then moan about it!

[ppentertainments]

:Censored: :Censored: :Censored: :Censored:
After enjoying a couple of weeks 'at the top', the same thing has happened again. Ironically I have changed nothing to cause this and on other search engines I come out top in the key searches I require :confused: :confused: :confused:

Going to do nothing, and see what happens :D

[Vectis]

:Censored: :Censored: :Censored: :Censored:
After enjoying a couple of weeks 'at the top', the same thing has happened again. Ironically I have changed nothing to cause this and on other search engines I come out top in the key searches I require :confused: :confused: :confused:

Going to do nothing, and see what happens :D

Still stuffed full of keywords.

<meta name="Description" content="Professional DJ, Disco's, Karaoke's, Race Night's, Prom Night, Race Night, Quiz Night's, Kids Parties, Childrens Parties, Mobile Disco and Professional Wedding Photographer " />
<meta name="Keywords" content="Disco, Karaoke, Race Night, Quiz Night, Kids Parties, Prom Night, Prom Nights, Childrens Parties, Discos, Birthday, Wedding, Mobile DJ, Christening, Engagement, General, Party, Graduation, Race Nights, Karaoke, Karaoke's, Nights, Evening, Daytime, DJ, Richmond, Darlington, Catterick, Catterick Garrison, Bedale, Leyburn, Hawes, Northallerton, Thirsk, Ripon, Harrogate, Knaresborough, York, Wetherby, Tadcaster, Malton, Bridlington, Scarborough, Whitby, Saltburn, Redcar, Middlesbrough, Stokesley, Marske, Stockton, Billingham, Hartlepool, Sedgefield, Newton Aycliffe, Shildon, Bishop Auckland, Spennymoor, Skipton, Ilkley, Keighley, Hornsea, Pickering, Otley, Beverley, North Yorkshire, County Durham, Cleveland, Teesside, Tees Valley, Teesdale, Yorkshire Dales, North Yorkshire Moors, Driffield, Consett, Chester Le Street, Washington, Gateshead, Sunderland, South Shields, Newcastle, Newcastle Upon Tyne, Gosforth, Tynemouth, Hexham, Morpeth, Ashington, Easington, Peterlee, Seaham, Sunderland, Blyth, Tyneside, Wearside, Wear Dale, Tyne Dale, Penrith, Carlisle, Northumberland, Alnwick, Berwick, Edinburgh, Galashiels, Hawick, Jedburgh, Kelso, Coldstream, Berwick Upon tweed, Scotland, Glasgow, Greenock, Kilmarnock, Dumfries, Workington, Whitehaven, Cumbria, Barrow, Barrow in Furness, Ulverston, Windermere, Kendal, Keswick, Morecambe, Lancaster, Settle, Clitheroe, Lake District Aldbrough St John, Aycliffe, Barnard Castle, Beamish, Billingham, Bishop Auckland, Blackhall Colliery, Bowburn, Bowes, Brandon, Burnhope, Burnopfield, Carrville, Castleside, Chester le Street, Consett, Cornsay Colliery, Cotherstone, Countywide, Cowshill, Coxhoe, Croft on Tees, Crook, Croxdale, Darlington, Durham, Eaglescliffe, Edmondsley, Esh, Ferryhill, Fir Tree, Forest-in-Teesdale, Frosterley, Guisborough, Hartlepool, Haswell, Haswell Plough, Houghton Le Spring, Hunwick, Ireshopeburn, Lanchester, Langley Moor, Langley Park, Lartington, Low Pittington, Mickleton, Middlestone, Middleton St George, Middleton-in-Teesdale, Newton Aycliffe, Peterlee, Piercebridge, Portobello, Birtley, Quebec, Romaldkirk, Rushyford, Sacriston, Seaham, Seaton Carew, Sedgefield, Shildon, Shincliffe, Shotton Colliery, Spennymoor, St Johns Chapel, Stanhope, Stanley, Stockton-On-Tees, Thornley, Tow Law, Trimdon, Trimdon Grange, Ushaw Moor, Weardale, Wearhead, West Auckland, Wheatley, Whitworth, Witton Gilbert, Wolsingham, Acomb, Allendale, Allenheads, Alnmouth, Alnwick, Amble, Annitsford, Ashington, Bamburgh, Bardon Mill, Barrasford, Beadnell, Bedlington, Belford, Bellingham, Belsay, Berwick upon Tweed, Berwick-upon-Tweed, Blanchland, Blyth, Brampton, Cambois, Carterway Heads, Cawfields, Chathill, Chatton, Chillingham, Chollerford, Chollerton, Choppington , Consett, Corbridge, Cornhill on Tweed, Cornhill-on-Tweed, Countywide, Cramlington, Craster, Druridge Bay, Eglingham, Ellingham, Embleton, Eshott, Etal, Falstone, Felton, Fenwick, Gilsland, Goswick, Great Whittington, Greenhead, Haltwhistle, Haydon Bridge, Heddon-on-the-Wall, Hedley on the Hill, Hexam, Hexham, Holy Island, Humshaugh, Kielder, Kielder Water, Kirkwhelpington, Longframlington, Longhorsley, Lowick, Morpeth, Netherwitton, Newton on the Moor, Otterburn, Ovingham, Ponteland, Powburn, Powfoot, Prudhoe, Rennington, Rochester, Rothbury, Seahouses, Simonburn, Slaley, Spittal, Stannersburn, Stocksfield, Throughout Northumberland, Tweedmouth, Warden, Warenford, Wark, Warkworth, West Mickley, West Woodburn, Widdrington, Wooler, Wylam, Northumberland, Durham, Chester-le-street, Sunderland, Newcastle, Tyne and Wear, Stanley, Consett, Haltwhistle, Hexham, Quality, Corbridge, North East, Tyne &amp; Wear, Hotel, Club, Presentation Night, Awards, Entertainment, Resident DJ, Wedding Photography, Photo's, Photographer, Wedding Photography and Entertainment Package" />

You only need to put 'DJ' and 'Disco' once, no need to hypenate, apostrophise etc.

And in any case the tag is too long.
:beer1:

[ppentertainments]

Was about to shorten, then noticed the searches were working again so left alone - strange how other search engines work fine. Then again Google is undoubtedly the one you need good results on.

Cheers Vectis :beer1:

[Goodfellows Discos]

Was about to shorten, then noticed the searches were working again so left alone - strange how other search engines work fine. Then again Google is undoubtedly the one you need good results on.

Cheers Vectis :beer1:

Hi there PP,

Glad your rankings are back up to par! Just thought i'd let you know that Google completely disregards the keyword meta tag and has no effect on your ranking of Google - i'm not saying to completely discard the tag (as Yahoo still places some weight on it), but don't expect your ranking to change by modifying your keywords. Like you said, Google is the main search engine to rank well on in regards to traffic. Google uses hundreds of algorithms to rank your site, most of which is out of your control, but the important ones that you can apply to your site to increase your ranking is:

The quality of content
How relevant your content is
Number of quality links pointing to your site
How long your domain name is registered (Google LOVES sites that will be around for a long time)

Google can be a pain in the :Censored: sometimes, but the benefits if you get it right are invaluable. Hope this can be of help! :)

Alex

[Marc J]

Google uses hundreds of algorithms to rank your site, most of which is out of your control, but the important ones that you can apply to your site to increase your ranking is:

The quality of content
How relevant your content is
Number of quality links pointing to your site
How long your domain name is registered (Google LOVES sites that will be around for a long time)


I'd strongly disagree with that last point (although you have indicated that it is perhaps the most important). Matt Cutts (of Google fame) has been quoted as saying (http://searchengineland.com/do-links-from-expired-domains-count-with-google-17811): -


To the best of my knowledge, no search engine has ever confirmed that they use length-of-registration as a factor in scoring. If a company is asserting that as a fact, that would be troubling.

The primary reason to renew a domain would be if it’s your main domain, you plan to keep it for a while, or you’d prefer the convenience of renewing so that you don’t need to stress about your domain expiring.

[Goodfellows Discos]

I'd strongly disagree with that last point (although you have indicated that it is perhaps the most important). Matt Cutts (of Google fame) has been quoted as saying (http://searchengineland.com/do-links-from-expired-domains-count-with-google-17811): -

Well i'm not going to argue with Matt, but i've always gone on the basis of the Google search patent to state that the length of a domain registration could have an effect of a site's ranking.

With the amount of spam appearing on the net recently, it wouldn't be a bad move by Google if they did put weight on the registration period of a domain and their patent clears this.


Certain signals may be used to distinguish between illegitimate and legitimate domains. For example, domains can be renewed up to a period of 10 years. Valuable (legitimate) domains are often paid for several years in advance, while doorway (illegitimate) domains rarely are used for more than a year. Therefore, the date when a domain expires in the future can be used as a factor in predicting the legitimacy of a domain and, thus, the documents associated therewith.


In summary, search engine 125 may generate (or alter) a score associated with a document based, at least in part, on information relating to a legitimacy of a domain associated with the document.

Google Search Patent (http://appft1.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&d=PG01&p=1&u=/netahtml/PTO/srchnum.html&r=1&f=G&l=50&s1=%2220050071741%22.PGNR.&OS=DN/20050071741&RS=DN/20050071741)

While as it stands Google doesn't put any weight on a domain's registration period (came as a shock to me, but thanks for explaining that Marc), registering your domain for a long time does bring about many benefits in a non-SEO perspective. Nothing worse than search rankings being lost if anyone is a bit late off the mark renewing their expired domain, someone taking the domain once it is expired or even them annoying renewal notices.

Anyway, please disregard that point on the list ;)

Alex

[Marc J]

i've always gone on the basis of the Google search patent to state that the length of a domain registration could have an effect of a site's ranking.

With the amount of spam appearing on the net recently, it wouldn't be a bad move by Google if they did put weight on the registration period of a domain and their patent clears this.


That particular patent (which is actually credited to Matt Cutts, among others) is quoted a lot on this subject, mostly by registrars trying to get you to register your domain longer (Fasthosts were particulary bad for this at the time, IIRC). There's a good discussion here about it (http://forums.digitalpoint.com/showthread.php?t=44542) - I pretty much agree with the argument that any advantage gained by registration length is far too easily (and cheaply) abused as to render it useless. Companies file patents they don't intend to use all the time, and Google is no different.


While as it stands Google doesn't put any weight on a domain's registration period (came as a shock to me, but thanks for explaining that Marc), registering your domain for a long time does bring about many benefits in a non-SEO perspective. Nothing worse than search rankings being lost if anyone is a bit late off the mark renewing their expired domain, someone taking the domain once it is expired or even them annoying renewal notices.


I agree!

[Goodfellows Discos]

Anyway, I think a global rule of thumb with rankings on Google and any other search engine is quality and relevance of a website - one of the things that spam sites will never be able to bring to the table.