Has Google changed this year?

Mooncat · Post by **Mooncat** » Sat Nov 08, 2008 9:09 pm

My website has appeared in Google results lists for seven years when included words, whether in keywords meta tags, or in the body text, were searched for. But since June 2008, Google has ignored my words even unique phrases, although other sites which have copied my content do appear, so that there has been a sharp drop in hits. There has been no change to my metatags or content. I also have a messageboard containing similar text, which gets 40 to 60 hits per day, The website and the messageboard are cross-linked, and are both hosted on sub-domains from separate companies. Has Google changed its methods, or does my source-code need modifying?

Geewizz · Post by **Geewizz** » Sat Nov 08, 2008 10:17 pm

Google are constantly changing the algorithms for their search engine. They have to do this because people catch onto the methods they use and then devise ways to get artificially high rankings for websites that nobody is actually looking for and rendering the search engine useless.

Only today I got a mail from someone telling me that they had added a link to my site and wanting a reciprocal link. Thankfully, the days of link lists being used to rank sites by search engines are long gone and i believe that it's now a factor in down-ranking a site.

The algorithms being used now are extremely complex and your best bet for high rankings is to make a site with good old fashioned relative content that people will find and revisit.Keep your metatags concise and take care to make the first few lines of your page content self explanatory.

Updating your pages is worth a try. I believe that one of the criteria that affects ranking is the rate of change of content on a site.

Mooncat · Post by **Mooncat** » Sat Nov 08, 2008 10:58 pm

A few years ago I had several Googlewhackers, but now even a unique combination of words isn't found. But I will rewrite some pages, I can't change the meaning though, and will add to the keywords metatags. The index page does describe the exact purpose of the site, but I'll change it as well.

lockie · Post by **lockie** » Sat Nov 08, 2008 11:28 pm

I think you answered your own question without knowing it.Google doesn't like duplicate content and you say others have copied your content.If i were you i would be getting the duplicate content removed asap and then see how your site is listed.Also remember the moment you stop working on your seo it doesnt mean your competitors dont and they could move higher than you.

Are there any warnings in your webmaster tools ? Have you looked at your competitors sites in depth ? Ie links,keyword density etc ?

Cellarman · Post by **Cellarman** » Mon Nov 17, 2008 5:13 pm

I've noticed recently that Google is much less efficient at finding content. I have been searching for quite specific products and giving precise wording, but Google comes up with some weird sites, that have nothing to do with what I'm searching for. I think that too many "sponsored" links are getting in the way. Frankly I'm tired of Google and am looking for a better search engine.

Foggy · Post by **Foggy** » Mon Nov 17, 2008 6:26 pm

Cellarman wrote:I've noticed recently that Google is much less efficient at finding content. I have been searching for quite specific products and giving precise wording, but Google comes up with some weird sites, that have nothing to do with what I'm searching for. I think that too many "sponsored" links are getting in the way. Frankly I'm tired of Google and am looking for a better search engine.

glad you said that ,thought i was cracking up there

having the same problems this end as well

Stoday · Post by **Stoday** » Mon Nov 17, 2008 6:52 pm

Google always comes back with the same sort of stuff when you search for "Porn".

Foggy · Post by **Foggy** » Mon Nov 17, 2008 6:59 pm

Stoday wrote:Google always comes back with the same sort of stuff when you search for "Porn".

haha thats where im going wrong then

Mooncat · Post by **Mooncat** » Mon Nov 17, 2008 9:40 pm

"Are there any warnings in your webmaster tools ? Have you looked at your competitors sites in depth ? Ie links,keyword density etc ?"

I don't mind being at the bottom of a list of ten results, if they are relevant, but I'm not there at all, BUT the messageboard URL with the same phrase is there. I'll ask the webhost if they know what the problem is.