Question about spamming

site listed on google for widgets, but not blue widgets

[sasha]

This is my first post - sorry if I posted in the wrong sub-forum.

After latest monthly google update (1/25/04) my site stopped coming up in searches for "blue widgets", but comes up just fine for "widgets".

Is it possible that I got penalized for using the word "blue" too many times: ie. <INPUT type="hidden" name="hidden" value="blue widget, blue widgets, blue widgetations, etc." field

If so, can they penalize so selectively?

[ScottM]

Is it possible that I got penalized

Penalized? Not necessarily. Filtered? Possible.

I'm not sure there is any SEO value in a form's attributes as you've described. (Not sure if 'attributes' is the proper term...but you get my point.)

I also want to be the first to welcome you to WebmasterWorld!

[sasha]

Actually, after I made my first post, I realized that there's been a major update that affected a whole bunch of people.

The reason why my site stopped coming up on Google for "blue widgets + geographic location" was because word "blue" (heavily used medical/dental term) in combination with my geographic location got 'tagged' by google in the new update.

Essentially anybody who was using the word 'blue' or its derivative in combination with my geographic location got dropped.

I am still #1 for 'widgets + my location' - the reason for this - is 'widgets' is not really as big of a commercial term as the word 'blue'.

The problem is that there are no searches for 'widgets + location' as that term is just too ambiguous and needs to be qualified either by "blue" or "red" (both of which got tagged)

I am looking for ways to re-optimize the site again.

[kaled]

I haven't studied this daft over-optimisation policy of Google, however, my observation is that if a filter is working against you, make sure that the keywords do not appear together in both the title and body.

e.g. if you are targetting "blue widgets" you may use "blue widgets" in the title or the body but not both. Use, say, "blue and purple widgets" in the body.

This is my conclusion from limited observations. Don't take it as Gospel truth.

Kaled.