Old WordPress Site Gathering Dust Turns Up In Google's Index

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Old WordPress Site Gathering Dust Turns Up In Google's Index

engine

3:58 pm on Mar 31, 2014 (gmt 0)

Many years back I set up a WordPress site to test and evaluate WordPress performance.

This test site was never linked from anywhere and it's been sitting there doing noting for longer than I care to mention.

In fact, i'd forgotten it was there.

All of a sudden, it's now turned up in Google's index.

My first thought was to take it down. However, i'm now thinking I should revive it and bring it back from the dead.

I'm not sure how it was discovered, and perhaps it won't last in Google's index.

Anyone else come across an old site gathering dust, and what did you do with it?

lorax

5:33 pm on Mar 31, 2014 (gmt 0)

I have but I've tended to leave them alone - only because of a lack of time to do much else. And these were NOT WordPress sites. I keep all of my WordPress sites up to date.

As for how it was found - some gossamer thread someplace. It's enough for Googlebot to chase.

mack

5:59 pm on Mar 31, 2014 (gmt 0)

I would tend to leave it a month or so before deciding what to do. If you do see a trickle of Google traffic then it may be worth adding some fresh content. Even making edits to bring the posted on timestamp up to date.

Could be an interesting experiment to see just how far you can take it.

Does it have a full domain, or a subdomain from WP?

Mack.

engine

5:08 pm on Apr 1, 2014 (gmt 0)

It's from a full domain, Mack.

I think i'll follow your advice and leave it alone. It'll be interesting to see if the traffic amounts to anything, or whether it disappears into obscurity, again. I suspect it won't now it's been found.

lorax

12:08 am on Apr 2, 2014 (gmt 0)

But please update the core files and plugins! :)

engine

8:03 am on Apr 2, 2014 (gmt 0)

I have made a diary note to revisit the site in a couple of months to see whether it's tanked or ranking. What's clear is that it's getting traffic, which is the completely unexpected part.

lucy24

9:02 pm on Apr 2, 2014 (gmt 0)

This is when search-term information would be really useful. Some unusual phrase shows up in the headlines-- maybe it was used in a politician's speech-- people go searching for it, and they land on your site by lexical accident. Heck, it's happened to me ;)