Google banning keywords you are targeting?

google rankings killed

[kevin1023]

Hi,

Without talking about incoming links the bascis seo technique for a site would be keyword in title, keyword in description, keyword in H1, keyword as anchor text on site map and keyword spread throughout the text 10-15%. After Austin google seems to know you are targeting this word and so now my sites won't rank for that keyword. They all still have PR and rank for other keyword combos. For example if a page was optimized for green widgets, before austin it would rank well for gree widgets. Now it doesn't rank at all for green widgets but will rank for widgets information or something else.

I am thinking of maybe no h1's anymore and maybe no description or not having the keywords in the description. Also adding more words to target so the title is not just keyword - site name. Anyone have any success? I wonder if google has a threshold it is some filter that's for sure.

Kevin

[apollo]

The problem is, there is no way of knowing what weight the issues you raise have in determining the 'penalty'.

For example, other factors might also have to be considered such as the percentage of users bookmarking your site (the higher the percentage the more likely to get banned), the time users spend browsing your site (longer time - more likely to be banned), and the percentage of users who click your link and then click adwords compared to the percentage who click other links and then click adwords (lower adword clicking - more likely to get banned).

So it is really difficult to know where to start in dealing with this issue.

[shasan]

And it's only going to get harder. But it's fun to guess and to hear anecdotal evidence of all manner of SEO technique.

It's getting closer and closer to brick n' mortar. In B&M, you're found if you have a great product which means word of mouth, or if you pay to be found (advertising, sales, good location, etc).

I wouldn't pay too much mind to the enigma that is keyword placement. I followed brett's article and still got hammered in Google (not implying a causal relationship.. chill out). Traffic dropped off like nobody's business.

initiated a big push for backlinks. Got some good ones. Google situation remains the same, but my traffic is back up from the links.

location location location :)

[allanp73]

I don't think reducing keyword density and removing h1's will help. Look at the serps and you will realize what works now is developing a balance between links in and links out. The goal develop a strong directory style site.

[Jazzy]

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The problem is, there is no way of knowing what weight the issues you raise have in determining the 'penalty'.
For example, other factors might also have to be considered such as the percentage of users bookmarking your site (the higher the percentage the more likely to get banned), the time users spend browsing your site (longer time - more likely to be banned), and the percentage of users who click your link and then click adwords compared to the percentage who click other links and then click adwords (lower adword clicking - more likely to get banned).

So it is really difficult to know where to start in dealing with this issue.
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Best post I have read so far describing what has went on.

[kevin1023]

I don't think that is the case. Some words don't have adwords and those don't rank.

Say the keyword conbo is "blue widgets california buy"

The page wouldn't rank post austin anywhere for blue widgets california but ranks well for the word "blue widgets buy". Google seems to know the target word is blue widgets california and has deranked only for that word. This is what I am seeing.

[Teshka]

I have a site called Widget World and everybody links to me as Widget World (go figure), and now I've gone from #5 to not in the top 1000 for searches on widget. I definitely think links using keywords are the problem as I now have only 7 links showing up in google's backlink check, and they are from pages that linked to me as "neat site" or "click here" or some such. Previously I had about 50 pr4 or higher links that showed up (and if you check, the links are still there). What gets me is it's not at all a commercial site and it wasn't anything I tried to optimize.

Since it's not one of my money sites, I'm not going to worry about it, hoping it'll fix itself down the road, but I think it's pretty lame if that is actually factored into Google's algorythm, simply because it does not allow for keywords in your title (atleast if people are going to link to you).

I mean, if I've got a site on the life and times of Socrates am I now supposed to call it: Really old philosopher dude who was sentenced to death for corrupting youths in Athens? A tad unweildy :P

[apollo]

What really gets me is that I am banned for a couple of search terms but because I am listed in a couple of directories those directories are listed in the top 20 for my search terms. That is, my link in these directories is the reason these directories are coming up in the results.

[Teshka]

Erm misread your post (the without talking about incoming links part, lol).

To respond to your question, I see someally keyword dense sites still doing well. This one really seems to be more about links, atleast for me. Good luck.

[tigger]

the problem is how can you work out what G likes to see when she seems to be changing her mind every 5 minutes, I'm just working on building pages that aren't too optimised

[kevin1023]

Teshka may be correct, maybe links to your pages with a keywords as the anchor is being picked up by some filter if it matches your title, descrip, h1's etc. Sitemaps could also be doing that since most use the keyword on the site map. Interesting.