Site vanished from Google (and almost everyone else)

Still on DMOZ; don't even show up in Google Directory

[DMitchA]

Any ideas?

I was accepted at DMOZ and within two weeks was showing up on Google and other search engines via direct searches. Suddenly, I don't even show up when I type my name into Search. I'm not in the cache, I'm not in the directory... I can't figure out how the site just vanished from all the sites it used to show up on.

I've read every page I can find here and have learned a LOT. But I definitely didn't pad my metatags or cross-link or even try to affect my PR. I just maintained the site.

I sent a note to Google, per the suggestion of several of these replies but wonder if there's something ridiculously obvious that I'm too green to understand... dma

[Nick_W]

Welcome to WebmasterWorld DMitchA!

How old is this site?

Nick

[DMitchA]

Hi, Nick --

Thank you for the welcome!

The site is two months old. It has been in DMOZ only one month. dma

[piskie]

Welcome to WebmasterWorld.
If you put the URL into your "UserProfile", it will get looked at and sugestions should be posted thick and fast. You are not allowed to post the URL but declaring your site in your User Profile is OK.

[DMitchA]

Thanks, Piskie. I updated to include my Web address in the profile. Here's to figuring out what I have/n't done... dma

[Nick_W]

Don't see anything dreadfully spammy so I can only assume it's one of the weird G glitches that happen from time to time...

I have a client who was dropped from G for two months... now he's back in. No apparent reason for it...

Sh*t happens, hang in there and keep working on your incoming links...

Nick

[DMitchA]

Thanks for checking the site and the feedback on random drops. I resubmitted to Google and the other sites who allow free submissions. We shall see...

Now, I will dedicate myself to getting linked, having picked THAT thread up a few dozen times on these pages. Very helpful! dma

[Typester]

Hello all

I'm glad I stumbled across this forum because this is exactly what happened to me. My site has totally vanished, except for sites that link to me.

I'm still listed at DMOZ and Google directories but a search turns up nothing.

I'm confused as to whether I should resubmit but it doesn't seem necessary when I'm already listed. I've noticed Googlebot is visiting my site but has spidered "0" pages. What gives?

Is this one of those s**t happens things?

*Typester*

[Nick_W]

Hi Typester, welcome to WebmasterWorld! We're glad you stumbled upon this forum too ;)

Unless you've done anything "spammy" like excessive crosslinking, hidden text, duplicate content etc.. all should right itself in the end.

Have you been given PR0?

Nick

[Typester]

Nick,
Thanks for the quick response.

Forgive my ignorance...what is PRO?

Typester

[Nick_W]

Well, for the full scoop do a site search here.

But in short: Google's algo is partly based on PageRank. You can check yours by picking up the Google Toolbar [toolbar.google.com]

Nick

[Typester]

Did I forget to mention I use a Mac? Googlebar isn't available for me :-(

I know my page rank is very low but when I do a search for the name of my site, shouldn't it come up somewhere? What amazes me is sites who are ranked higher than mine and don't even exist anymore!

I don't believe I've done anything spammy to p*ss off the search engines, not to my knowledge anyway.

Do you think I should re-submit or just wait till everything rights itself?

Thanks for your help.

[Nick_W]

If you have incoming links, like DMOZ, Y! directories / related sites etc... just wait.

If not, get cracking!

I use Linux so can't check your site for you but maybe someone else folowing the thread might?

Nick

[Typester]

I definitely have links from DMOZ and various other places.

I would REALLY appreciate it if someone would check out my site (it's listed in my user profile, or I can email the URL if need be) and make some suggestions.

Thanks muchly!

[Typester]

I think I'm hooked on this site...SO much information!

OK, so PR0 means Page Rank Zero. Got it. If that is what happened to my site, how did it happen and how do I fix it? Jeez, this is more complicated than I thought.

Would someone please help me out and check my site to see if I should do something differently?

If it's a matter of waiting until I get indexed again, I can wait but I would like to ensure I GET indexed.

TIA

[Typester]

I think I'm hooked on this site...SO much information!

OK, so PR0 means Page Rank Zero. Got it. If that is what happened to my site, how did it happen and how do I fix it? Jeez, this is more complicated than I thought.

Would someone please help me out and check my site to see if I should do something differently?

If it's a matter of waiting until I get indexed again, I can wait but I would like to ensure I GET indexed.

TIA

[defanjos]

Typester

Looked at your site

It appears to have a PR0 - Gray PageRank Bar

It is listed on DMOZ under Computers > Software > Fonts > Foundries

Not sure why you got PR0ed

[defanjos]

Typester

Checked a bit further, if you enter on Google your site without "www." and ".com", you will see a bunch of sites linking to you, BUT many of those sites are PR0 - This could be a problem.

Other people on this board will now better, but I think several links from PR0 sites is a problem

[WebGuerrilla]

You are experiencing a trickle down penalty. A grey toolbar can happen when sites that link to you get a penalty of some kind. You haven't been penalized directly. It just a matter of the sites that provided you your PR have lost their PR, so you get hit as well.

IMO, this is the biggest problem with manipulating PR to combat spammers.

[Typester]

Thanks defanjos, WebGuerrilla for your information.

I guess I don't have much control over who links to my site. I'm obviously new to all of this so I'm not sure what my next step is.

There probably isn't an easy fix for this but do you have any suggestions?

Thanks again,
Typester