Website Keeps Going Up And Down In Google Search Engine

**-Kammy-** · 20-07-10

Hi there everyone, and thank you for reading this :-)

I am no longer a novice (that's what I used to write down in the past), and I'd like to think I know Google and how it works well enough. However something is going on with one of my websites which is confusing the hell out of me (to put it mildly) and I can't seem to find an explanation anywhere.

To begin with the site is just over 1 year old and has been indexed in Google for that period (its not that new). A few months back I started adding new content and building links. This helped it jump up in the search engines.

HOWEVER...this is the problem.

I have good rankings for one or two days, and then bad rankings for one or two days....then good rankings for one of two days, and the bad rankings for one or two days.

For my main search term the site goes from a number 2 and 3 ranking all the way down to past 50 ranking. And then it jumps back to 2 or 3.

So my site's traffic from Google is good for a few days, then bad, then good - THIS has been going on for about a full month now, and it keep happening.

Each time my ranking gets good, I just hope it will stick. But it never does - and so my excitement leads to disappointment, which has led to research on this but no good answers.

DOES anyone know what is going on here? Can anyone give me good information on how to prevent this? Has it happened to you?

All useful information will be greatly appreciated :-) If anyone has any input on this please feel free. I'm sure this happens to others, so it would be good to see this particular thread ranking in Google for someone in my own position.

Thank you for reading and interest - if you have any questions please ask. Unfortunately, I won't be able to disclose the name of the website.

- Kammy

**traphic** · 20-07-10

Hi Kammy

I've noticed a similar issue with sites using duplicate content, for example, I look after a lot of white label sites which promote my main client site, but most have the same content and large ranking fluctuations like yours happened regularly when all sites were indexed. I removed all the white label sites from the index and our ranks returned and have since stabilised.

This might not be the problem you have, but I thought I'd share in case it helps.

best of luck

Barrie

**-Kammy-** · 21-07-10

Hi Barrie

Thanks for your reply - you make a good point.

I never use duplicate content, so it can't be me - but having said that, I did come across one website which had ripped off paragraphs from my website a month back - I contacted the owner and he did eventually remove it. But the problems which I talk of started thereafter. I really hope Google is not penalising me for this, as I could do the same to a competitors site - to bring their rankings down. I'm sure Google (hope so anyway) recognises the first origin of the content.

I will browse through my pages and see if I can see any duplicate content. Also, occasionally, I have other write articles for me and that may also have resulted in duplicate content. I will take a look.

Thanks for your suggestion and the well wishes...

**JonasHastings** · 22-07-10

This may be just another Google dance. But then again nothing is permanent in Google rankings since algorithms change very fast. Consider also that your competitors are all working to steal the spot from you. If you want to retain the spot or at least near it you must continuously do a lot of link building in a constant velocity.

**tbomedia** · 24-07-10

Generally you need to allow 3months for a site to properly settle if you have built a lot of content and links.

I should settle down sooner, and normally back to the 'good' position you had seen briefly before it dropped - if not higher.

**Evilboy** · 24-07-10

Its quite normal. What you have to understand is your competitors are also trying for the 1st spot. When you take the 1st spot, others will try to regain it again.

**JayNic** · 22-08-10

Possibly the result of the algorithm change (Google Caffeine) a lot of people experienced the same issues. Silo Structure is the solution but it's time consuming.

**crambel54** · 25-08-10

you need to do SEO daily for a stable position. If the competitors do more work with efficiency, you go down . So do your work correctly and continuous.
______________
internet marketing business

**Brendon** · 21-09-10

G is probably just trying to establish the "reliability" of the high ranking, checking CTR data from both positions. Possibly you are seeing dataset flipping instead, getting results from one datacentre, then another, as your postion is changing rapidly. Keep the faith, keep adding content / links and you should see the higher position stick

**thelibster** · 07-10-10

When you did your keyword work did you target one keyword or a variety? I wonder if google is not to sure about the links that have been built up as whether they look natural or not.
Might be worth toning down on page seo or targetting another keyword to make the link building look more natural

**whiteknight** · 14-10-10

I have been through this and am oly now ocming out of the other end. I found the following to be affecting it

- Duplicate/too much content for such a young site with not enough authority as a result of...
- Not enough links from a variety of places (eg. not just forum profile links) linking to my site with different anchor text and linking to deeper urls

If you are jumping around now, you need to tone down creating any new posts for the moment and start building good quality links into a variety of pages within your site. When I say good quality links I mean articles, content exchanges, blog posts etc. Not just spammy little links in forums and blogs...

The problem is definitely to do with Google's perception of quality with your site though and the best way that I know of to assure them is to have other reputable sites talk about you. That means good quality links.

**aero_mansoor** · 15-10-10

Just to echo Brendons thoughts.. I too belive this is more of a trust/links thng.. assuming nothing fishy is going on..To look for things that might be fishy you need to be looking in the following places..

1) Dupe Content (you say yours is not)
2) Sites on your server. If you have a shared hostings check other sites are not distributing malware etc..ALL site rankings will be effected if one site is doing this
3) You content being ported..(should really be number 1 in your case). So Forexample is somone hotlinking your pictures? or taken exact duplicate content of yours? In my opinion usually big G doesenot know who to trust first (these are just my opinions). If it is copied content it all depends on when yours and thier was indexed, who has a higher authority/age (and inturn trust).

You can always include a resubmission request.

M

**ethandavis157** · 18-10-10

you have to work daily in order to maintain stability in search engines positions...

**Garda1** · 18-10-10

If its bouncing around a bit it could be down to several reasons:

1) Recent algorithym change ( ie Caffeine)
2) Something you have done to the website or linking
3) The google dance

Usually it will settle down after a while, give it a couple of months