Rankings dropped

Saw a drastic downfall in rankings

[Bigdream]

I have optimized a sie and have also done a link exchange campaign.
The site was optimized in jan 05 and link exchange campaign have got 100 reciprocal links till date.
But the rankings are still not stable.
Can anyone through a light why the rankings are not stable in google,yahoo and msn?
Also please suggest possible solutions that can be implemented to get a stable rankings in search engines like google, yahoo and msn.

All suggestions are welcome.

Thanks in advance for taking your time to help.

Bigdream

[specter]

What do you mean exactly saying that your ranking is not stable?
Are you dropped Page Rank?
Are you gone down in the SERP?

It seems a SEO problem:
Probably You have to optimize better your page for search terms and review your inbound and outbound links.
Missing more specific description of the problem I cannot tell you more.

[StevenScott]

Google just announced a big change in their algorithm.
That could have "shaken-up" a lot of established rankings.

[ken_b]

Google just announced a big change....

Source please.

[Bigdream]

Hi Specter,

Thanks for you reply.

Actually its like this, the keywords which were selected for optimization were properly optimized with all the things kept in mind.
For many of the keywords the optimized site was in top 10 results (i.e. in first page) but now its not even in first 100.
Besides let me give you some more info- The site was optimized ethically so there is no question of it getting banned.
So can u tell me whether there is any update in google's index or is there any change in their algo?

Thanks

[specter]

Hi Bigdream,

I'm not aware of "algo" changes by Google or others; also, my sites are all right,so the "thesis" of a secret algo modification doesn't seem to have concrete bases.

If you're drastically gone down I would look for a different explaination:

The first,you should try to search your site typing directly its URL in the search bar of the SE:this to be sure that you're still in the index.It could seem obvious but maybe your site simply has been removed from the index...and this also if you're optimized "ethically" it.

If it is still in the index ,then,maybe you've made some substantial modifications to the web site such as changing page name/path or hosting server?

Finally, If you 've a few inbound links you could verify them to be sure that you have no links coming from banned/penalized site/s.

Verify and let me know.

Regards

[Bigdream]

Hey Specter,

I got ur point.

But the real reason found was change in the URL directing.

As the site is having 2 domains the programmer has directed to another site.

So it is rectified and got it properly.

Thanks for your advice.

Can u tell me 1 more thing :
Since I m starting to take clients for seo.. I wud like to know following things:
1) What is the time/promise that I shud give to client that his site will start showing in se, after which the client shud start giving money.
Basically what I mean to say is-- After doing seo when the site starts appearing in se what is the terminology at which client shud start giving money.

Basically this needs to be discussed right at the beginning of the contract.

Please fell free to let me know even the smallest point that u fell wud be helpful.

Thanks in advance

[specter]

Hi Bigdream,

As you say these things have to be discussed at beginning.
A reliable and reasonable time is in the order of a month for the first results if you work properly;after that it's all to play...
Remember that no one can guarantee a secure result,so "fly down " for the moment.

Good luck

[oddsod]

I'm not aware of "algo" changes by Google

There are 822 posts here [webmasterworld.com] followed by another 610 here [webmasterworld.com]. I reckon there just may have been an algo change since Jan. :)

And don't miss the March one [webmasterworld.com].

the optimized site was in top 10 results (i.e. in first page) but now its not even in first 100

The drop could have been purely as a result of recent changes at Google.

What is the time/promise that I shud give to client that his site will start showing in se

What makes you think that you have any control over fulfilling any such promise?

[Bigdream]

Hi oddsod,

U r correct that there is no such promise which I can give to a client for rankings, as it solely depends on SE algo.

But what shud i do in these cases:
1) A client asked me what is the time for which the keywords selected will remain in top rankings.
Or
2) What is the normal practice(conditions discussed)of an SEO contract?

Will be greatful for your answers.

Thanks

[oddsod]

1) A client asked me what is the time for which the keywords selected will remain in top rankings.
Or
2) What is the normal practice(conditions discussed)of an SEO contract?

1. See previous reply about you being able to make guarantees/promises.

2. Consult an suitable lawyer in the relevant country, SEO contracts vary substantially.

[specter]

There are 822 posts here followed by another 610 here. I reckon there just may have been an algo change since Jan. :)

And don't miss the March one.

OK! Here we have a Professor!...

But also The Professor can't confirm a REAL algo change,right?

Moreover The Professor hasn't noticed that his opinion about the "downfall" is in late...

And that ANY possible algo change doesn't result in a drastic downfall of all the indexed sites.It would be ridicolous!
Assuming that algo change/s happen it wouldn't have effect on the current ranking but ONLY on FURTHER higher ranking that become more hard to reach.