Gah! What have I done to offend Google?!
Well, it's Friday night and I should be in a great mood because this week
has been an uphill trudge every step of the way, and the weekend has been my
shining ray of hope in the distance. I've been looking forward to learning more
on the WA site and writing more articles on the weekend, but instead, I'm
feeling confused, a bit hurt, and left wondering what the hell I've done to
upset Google?!
I'm contemplating wandering around the internet putting up virtual signs offering
a reward for my lost site. My first born, my first little foray into affiliate
marketing... just yesterday my tiny site was looking so happy sitting on the
second page of Google's search (where it's been since I created it about 2
weeks ago), but as of this morning - gone! I looked for it right up until page
15 of my usual Google search term, but all I found down there was a link to my
"About" page, and a link to the default "Hello World" post
that I deleted the day I set up the site. All very strange.
There's nothing offensive on my .org site, it's aesthetically pleasing, I've written good content, I haven't exceeded my bandwidth, and I'm confused about where my site's gone (literally overnight) in Google's search. There are pages and pages of far less relevant content coming up way in front of my site. On top of that, I've just linked to my very first Street Article, so I thought that would improve rankings! If anyone else has had a similar experience, or can shed some light on the sort of action I might need to take, my newbie heart would be forever grateful. Right now I'm just feeling completely deflated....and contemplating a second glass of red wine!
Recent Comments
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This is unfortunately totally typical of Google. I have been banned from Adwords yet I am earning good money with Adsense on exactly the same site, go figure! Apparently the site was adding little value to clients. If that is so why are they advertising on it and making money?
Google have no common sense just an urge to exercise their power over us. The dance is common in newer sites and also sometimes in well established ones when the algorithm changes. We all have to live with it and that is why it is important to stay up to date with the WAbinars and forums to be current on all the things that may matter to Google.
It's tough feeling you can't control where your website is. It's your site, your business, and Google can move you around like furniture. That's why it's so great to be in a community like WA where you can air things like this with fellow members. I'm glad you came back on top.
Great stuff, wouldn't it make more sense if they just left your site where it was while they decide to put it where it belongs.
And today, after 3 days of complete obscurity, my site is back on page 2 of my google keyword search....lesson learned :)
Thanks muskyblood and DABK, that's good to know. I've reigned in the initial panic :) I'm surprised that there's so much fluctuation - I expected some, but not to this extent. I'm starting to understand why so many marketers have such a love/hate relationship with the beast that is Google!
I'm working on a site for a client. This is the standing in Google for one of the keywords (started 3 weeks ago, the last one, the no is from this morning):
173 88 37 41 13 11 13 no
Here's another one:
184 63 1 8 7 no 7 8
No, means they were not in the top 200.
Hi, I agree with Incognito. This is nothing to fret over. Just keep building back links and adding content. Eventually your site will settle into a better spot. Google is bouncing sites all over the map these days, nothing we can do...
Thanks incognito for such a quick response, much appreciated. It's a relief to hear things will even out over time - even though it's frustrating and a bit disheartening at the moment. I'll add "learn increased patience" to my training regime this weekend :)
Thanks again.
Sounds like the common "Google Dance" - you'll hear that term being thrown around quite a lot. Essentially what it means is Google is still trying to work out where exactly to rank your website. It happens. Your website shoots up to the top, then goes on page 5, comes back up, then disappears, then reappears. It's the nature of the beast :) Best thing to do is keep adding quality content to your website and continue to build backlinks. Your website will return, just need to have patience.
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It is a bumpy ride for everyone. Just like in a rough ocean, keep your eyes on the coastline to fight getting sick. Keep working and you will give G no choice but to place you on page one. I have one site that all the sudden showed up on pos 12 from the abyss where it has been for months. Funny thing is all backlinks have been de-indexed. I am almost afraid to touch it...