Lost Rankings

Had top(s) and now nowhere

[jdtanner]

I produce a number of sites which had good spots last month. A number of top 10 spots for good phrases.

After the last google update all were very bad if not totally off the radar - past 4-500 spot.

I had not changed anything.

I suspect the server was down during the Google visit but can't prove anything.

Others suggest that Google changed it's method of analysis. Could not envision such a great drop under that scenario.

Others suggest sabotage by someone else. Did not think anyone could do that to me.

Others suggest this and that but I didn't change anything. Other than a server down could other scenarios be at play here?

Thanks,

Jeff

[blaize]

Were you utilizing any risky techniques such as excessive crosslinking between your own sites, etc.? What's your PR on these sites? Is the toolbar gray? I had the same thing happen to me a while ago, and I am fairly certain it was due to heavy crosslinking - though there's no way to tell for sure.....Hope it was just a matter of the server being down in your case!:)

[jdtanner]

Risky Techniques: try to avoid anything questionable. Pretty much by rules and no tricks.

Excissive crosslinking between our own sites. They do refer to each other but it was not changed since I have been with the company for 6 months. Certainly no change from top positions down to bottom. I would not call it excissive either, just what seems appropriate to deliver information - not trying to over or under link anything.

What's your PR on these sites? Is the toolbar gray?
That's all kinda new to me (PR) but read about it a bit weeks ago when this came to be. Had never looked at it but saw and see still that the bar is about a third green. Not many link to us nor ever had but the bar has not gone gray which I understand to indicate that we fell out of favor so I have sort of ruled that (as far as a change/drop off planet reason).

Crosslinking problems?

The crosslinking you feel may have hurt you, do you mean links which were put there for purposes of crosslinking benefit or just links between your own stuff as seems appropriate - like someone interested in this would be interested in that kinda crosslinking. Not to clear on what kind of crosslinking can get one in trouble.

The site which suffered the most does link to it's own stuff but always has, always will and was ment to do just that.

[edited by: Marcia at 5:16 pm (utc) on Feb. 21, 2003]
[edit reason] url removed [/edit]

[kwngian]

jdtanner

I don't seems to be able to access the site that you mentioned at all, with or without the leading www.

DNS problems?

Another check shows that it is available for registration. Wrong URL?

kwngian

[blaize]

I would assume that since you still have PR, your sites haven't been penalized. Hopefully it was just a matter of your sites being down when they were crawled, and you'll see them return with the next update.

I had crosslinked a large number of my sites with no external inbound links. From what I've read here, it's best to keep a balance between the two (50%?)

I'm sorry I couldn't be of more help. I'm a relative newbie when it comes to Google/SEO. I too am very interested in learning more about the crosslinking issue. The site search function here is wonderful for this.

I'll be interested to keep tabs on what happens to your sites during the upcoming update.

[jdtanner]

I too am very interested in the next update and to see how my efforts stand after that.

I expect I may find my answers, but then again, I may never find my answers. There are so many possibilities. And there could be more than one variable playing upon the situation. All of which is beyond proof best I can tell.

Do check back as I will follow up (if the post is still here) and state my best guess at where I am and what happened.

I would expect I'm not the first nor alone on this scario (whatever it is).