Where did my site go - bloody things vanished!

[crazihos]

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Googles a funny beast isnt it,

I bought the website Kefalonia recently as i thought it showed promise (plenty of history and had been google page 1 for a long time). When I got it it was about 7th in google for its main term Kefalonia.

When I bought it I re-designed its look and changed it to the new design (about 2 weeks ago now). I also built some backlinks using blog comments and added new pages, more content etc.. and the site pushed up to position 2 for a good week or so after the new design was added which was great.

Then it dropped back to pos 7 again but now its gone off the face of the earth - its still top for kefalonia.co.uk and shows for inner pages so its still in google but for the term Kefalonia its vanished?

Can anyone in the know take a look please, it may come back but I want to check i've not missed/done anything stupid?:blush

Cheers

Russ

[dougs]

When searching for Kefalonia there are 691 listings, so google is showing a reduced index as many times it will have 999

what is that:

Students Uncovered - student accommodation | nightclub reviews | freshers week | student forums

If you are going to play dodgy link Russ then make sure you kow what you are doing

Doug

[crazihos]

Hi Doug,

Thanks for looking mate,

That links been there for 3 months, its a sitewide link that the previous owner put on there - do you think its a dodgy one, if it is i'll as him to get it pulled?

I've built some blog comment links (60) quite quickly but I didnt think that would be a problem?

I know you said in pm it may come back but i'm trying to learn this seo lark so thought i'd better check i've not been dumb! lol

[aaclapham]

I bought a domain two weeks ago - was in position 4 with just a landing page.

Revamped the site and added about 12 new pages - same thing happened - just disappeared. It came back yesterday, and went again this morning.

Now wish I had just left it alone :cry

[startuk]

Siht happens...especially with Google. Certainly some funny things happening with it at the moment in my experience.

If you build loads of links quickly you might get whacked...but provided you haven't done anything too dodgy, you'll probably be OK in a couple of weeks (with any luck!)

[crazihos]

Cheers for the replys guys

I've noticed G jumping things round a lot recently so with luck it'll be back in a few days,

I mainly wondred if its got a penalty of some sort and if it has do I need to email google or anything?

I've litterally only changed the WP template, added some more content and about 60 blog comment links over a week - does anything there smell fishy enough to get a slap?

Could it be the studentsuncovered.com link (thats been there ages though)?

And if it is likely to be any of the above is there a solution?

[dougs]

Its here for this:

kefalonia.co.uk - Google Search

but not even in the index for the word kefalonia

we have seen this on a few sites recently

wait a little as I think G is in astate of flux at present

Doug

[findlite]

Whats your keyword density for the term Kefalonia on your home page?

Another thing..... did you change the whois data as that can cause issues.

[Dynamoo]

It doesn't look like a penalty, but it is always worth signing up for Google webmaster tools to check that there isn't a problem.

[dougs]

whois changes generally makes little difference

[crazihos]

Whats your keyword density for the term Kefalonia on your home page?

Another thing..... did you change the whois data as that can cause issues.

5.4% density on the HP which I thinks about normal?

The whois changed but as doug said i dont think this generally hurts as people often buy websites etc so I dont see why they would see it as a negative (unless it dropped and your buying it for pr).

It doesn't look like a penalty, but it is always worth signing up for Google webmaster tools to check that there isn't a problem.

Hi Dynamoo, thanks for checking - signed up for webmaster tools but i'm not sure how i'd spot a pen?

I've checked dupe content etc..on there if thats what you mean and that looks ok?

Would they say if there was a linking issue or doesnt it go that far?

Cheers again

Russ

[Lawcom]

I think google has got a lot more considered recently ?

And perhaps panics like this show that affiliates have too much emphasis on what google is doing to them .. maybe the answer is to stop allowing google to be your bit ch ..

For all the SEO techniques that work and are good practice, in essence if you have a site giving good unique content and genuine user interest, you will build you links your reputation and googles interest..

[dougs]

Yes lawcom...but that does not work in lots and lots of sectors

Russ - just wait

Doug

[Dynamoo]

Allegedly Google Webmaster Tools will sometimes show if there is a penalty (sometimes as a message), but it can also advise of other problems, and it lets you set the canonical name (i.e. www. or not). If you think you are under a penalty, then there's the reinclusion request feature.

I haven't had a penalty since the Webmaster Tools became live, so I can't be more precise.