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Before Florida our 'index' page ranked #1 for 'location 1', but now we still rank #1 for 'location 1', but with a different page - and now the page has less content about 'location 1' than the index page - so it's not that our sub-pages are more relevant than the 'index' page.
Can anyone tell me why that might be?
algarveb, how about telling us a little more about those pages. Couple of questions:
1. Are the interior pages that are now ranking instead of the index page located in the root directory of the site, or are they in /subdirectories/?
2. How do the page titles and <H1-6> tags compare? Do they all have <H> tags, and is the phrase used exactly and/or repeated more than once, either the entire phrase or one word out of it, in both those locations - page title and headings?
3. Internal linking: is that exact phrase used in anchor text in global navigation throughout the site?
4. Is the interior page that's now ranking linked to within the body text of other pages, either with or without using anchor text?
5. Is that particular phrase used on just that interior page, or on several pages within the site?
6. Are there inbound links to the site using that phrase in anchor text, and if so do they point to the interior page or the index page?
7. Without needing to be too precise, is there a noticeable difference in the density between the index and interior page that's now ranking?
1. Are the interior pages that are now ranking instead of the index page located in the root directory of the site, or are they in /subdirectories/?
Some are in the root directory (which contains around 24 pages) but most are in subdirectories.
2. How do the page titles and <H1-6> tags compare? Do they all have <H> tags, and is the phrase used exactly and/or repeated more than once, either the entire phrase or one word out of it, in both those locations - page title and headings?
In almost all cases I have used <H1> tags, and yes, the phrases appears in all areas - normally repeated, but sometimes just a single word.
3. Internal linking: is that exact phrase used in anchor text in global navigation throughout the site?
Always yes.
4. Is the interior page that's now ranking linked to within the body text of other pages, either with or without using anchor text?
No, the only Links to other pages is through the navigations system - basically, the pages that are now ranking are all Linked together by a navigation bar. I should point out that some of the pages have always ranked well - what's different now is that they have replaced my 'index' page - so perviously for example we held #1 for 'Villas in {country}' with the 'index' page, now that has gone completely, but we still rank (and this fluctuates a lot at the moment) #2 or #3 for the same keyphrase, but with page 'Villas in {locations 1 within that country}'.
5. Is that particular phrase used on just that interior page, or on several pages within the site?
Used on several pages - but not often.
6. Are there inbound links to the site using that phrase in anchor text, and if so do they point to the interior page or the index page?
There are no inbound Links using that phrase that I am aware of - although I made the page to appeal to people search for accommodation in 'location 1' it is not a primary keyphrase for us, so almost all inbound Links are to 'Villas in {country}'.
7. Without needing to be too precise, is there a noticeable difference in the density between the index and interior page that's now ranking?
I'm not sure what you mean here to be honest - the interior page that ranks very well now is designed to appeal for searches for 'Villas in {Location 1}', and the desity of keywords and phrases is set accordingly.
I'm no expert so I hope I've asnwered your questions well enough to shed some light on what's happening.
>>most are in subdirectories.
If there are no external links pointing to those subdirectory pages other than the global navigation, are there links *from* those particular pages linking to other pages on the site about the same topic - or to pages off the site on the topic - and if so, do those have the keyphrase in the anchor text?
I'm asking that because I'm trying to look further into how and what type of internal navigation is having certain affects. On one site I work with there's one keyword phrase used on a subfolder main page that's not doing as well as the rest of the site, and it's not linked to other than global navigation. It also has no other same topic pages it's linking to. It's a clean page and used to rank just fine, and there's nothing that could possibly cause a "penalty" so it's reasonably safe to assume it's something that's missing.
4. Is the interior page that's now ranking linked to within the body text of other pages, either with or without using anchor text?No, the only Links to other pages is through the navigations system - basically, the pages that are now ranking are all Linked together by a navigation bar
The reason I'm asking that is because on a site that's been hit not only are the keywords used in global navigation (which in itself is fine), but also within body text, and taking a good look, even though there are logical reasons, it truly looks over-done.
There's really no concern if you're ranking nicely, whether it's index page or interior, but it's a point of interest to try to dig out why it's happening if it's a change. Not that it's unusual, there are a lot of cases where it's been that way for a while.
Actually, I'm trying to see if you can help shed some light on a few things by what you're seeing.
If there are no external links pointing to those subdirectory pages other than the global navigation, are there links *from* those particular pages linking to other pages on the site about the same topic - or to pages off the site on the topic - and if so, do those have the keyphrase in the anchor text?
No problems Marcia - glad to be able to help!
There are some Links to other sites, but they do not have the keyphrase in - for example, the page is about Villas in a particular location, and the off-site links are to restaurant guides for that location - and those links have been there for a year or so.
I do have a link with the keywords which points to my 'index' page, but the subpage in question does not rank high for that set of keywords.
Of course I'm glad to be ranking still for the main keyphrases that our business targets, but what's annoying me is why our 'index' page has gone!
