Google Ranking - Wild Fluctuations

[ddwt]

Google is beginning to do my head in

Ever since I launched my site voucher code site - Discount Codes, Voucher Codes, Promotional Codes - Money Off Shop - back in January of this year it's ranking with Google steadily increases for a couple of months and then plummets for about 3 -5 days then starts to increase again

At the moment it's hit a low - just a few days after it reaching an all time high

Now I understand that the initial surge was due to it being a new site and after that it found its natural place in the rankings. But why the peaks and troughs every few 2 to 3 months? I though that Google didn't "dance" on a basis such as this anymore.

Can someone shed some light on this as it's driving me crazy insane grrrrrr

[eUKhost.com]

Hi Duncan,

Consistent growth in quality backlinks and updates in content have become essential for better rankings in google. Fortunecity was first in google for many years for the keyword "web hosting", you can now check and see where they are.

Google made some major changes in its algorithm in first quarter of 2009 and now you simply can't expect one permanent position for your website in google. You can check your posts on this forum, you had taken break of 3 months in between

[Ben]

Originally Posted by eUKhost.com

Hi Duncan,

Consistent growth in quality backlinks and updates in content have become essential for better rankings in google. Fortunecity was first in google for many years for the keyword "web hosting", you can now check and see where they are.

Google made some major changes in its algorithm in first quarter of 2009 and now you simply can't expect one permanent position for your website in google. You can check your posts on this forum, you had taken break of 3 months in between

Speaking of backlinks.....

[ddwt]

Originally Posted by eUKhost.com

Hi Duncan,

Consistent growth in quality backlinks and updates in content have become essential for better rankings in google. Fortunecity was first in google for many years for the keyword "web hosting", you can now check and see where they are.

Google made some major changes in its algorithm in first quarter of 2009 and now you simply can't expect one permanent position for your website in google. You can check your posts on this forum, you had taken break of 3 months in between

Well I update my site several times a day pretty much everyday with new content - so I guess it must be the backlicks that are my problem

Ok, anyone fancy exchanging links with my 'Money Off Shop'

Seriously though - thanks for the response

[stupha]

I also run a voucher site and see similar fluctuations for a number of target keyphrases.
Vouchers and coupons hve become an extremely competitive space to be fighting for ranking with all coupon sites working hard to gain position.

Watch the ranks of your competitors and you'll see most - but not all - fluctuate in the same way. Things were less stable earlier in the year, but lately for the terms I have to focus on, three sites have significant dominance and are pretty solid in the top three slots across the board. Researching the backlinks to those sites reveals some heaviweight, highly releant and high quality links coming into wht are very established sites. That is tough to beat with anything reletively new. Competitive research is the key to understanding hat you can do better to gain position. But of course, once you do, expect your competitiors to fight back to regain theirs!

As has been stated above, keep building those quality backlinks. It's tough to do, but that's why the SE's put so much weight in them.

[paul]

ddwt, there could be one more possibility that your competitors are more aggressive in Search Engine Optimization field than you, they don't let you sustain always in higher position. Don't blame Google Dance, it perfectly manages the delicate balance between search and visibility.

[ddwt]

Thanks for all of the responses guys - it's given me some useful pointers in my quest for the voucher code throne

Ta very much

[ddwt]

Well I don't know what changed but my site is now beginning to get back to what I'd call 'normal' ranking

Still bloody bizarre what happened though

[kendalbigson]

I get huge fluctuations, i haven't exactly figured out their rhyme & reason yet. i just keep picking up backlinks.

Kendal Bigson

[eUKhost.com]

Originally Posted by kendalbigson

I get huge fluctuations, i haven't exactly figured out their rhyme & reason yet. i just keep picking up backlinks.

Kendal Bigson

No one knows how google works, excluding their programmers

Google keeps on adding additional modules in their Algorithm, so no single programmer can disclose their complete algorithm.

You may manage to figure out 50% of what it is, but implementing that 50% is really difficult. Getting Quality backlinks is one of the biggest challenge as you can't expect backlinks from highly ranked corporate websites, no matter how much you agree to pay them.

Best solution is to contribute on external websites and ask them to provide you with a backlink in exchange. You can contribute on some big forums and post link to your website in signature. You can write articles on ezinearticles and post internal links in your content. Distribute Press Release every other month through some popular press release distributors like prweb.com.

Onsite optimization of your webpages isn't a big thing, but google will ignore all that onsite optimization if you don't have quality backlinks.

[ddwt]

You're spot on Mark - as bloody usual

It could be a coincidence but since I've upped my efforts in the backlinks and forum posting departments, coupled with the odd bit of tidying up on my site in terms of page titles and content - my rankings have improved. I also re-submitted my site to Google - first time since Feb '08.

It's an ever evolving path though and I suspect there'll be more bumpy roads ahead for me and my 'Money Off Shop' in 2009

[eUKhost.com]

Forgot to add one more thing.

Backlinks will never get instant results. Some people want instant result from backlinks and they loose their patience after 2 - 3 months. Quality backlinks bring their results after 3 - 4 months and most of the times your quality backlinks are lost due to some or other reason in these period.

Maintain one excel sheet and make sure your quality backlinks ( Quality backlinks means theme based backlinks ) don't get deleted.

[paul]

Originally Posted by ddwt

You're spot on Mark - as bloody usual

It could be a coincidence but since I've upped my efforts in the backlinks and forum posting departments, coupled with the odd bit of tidying up on my site in terms of page titles and content - my rankings have improved. I also re-submitted my site to Google - first time since Feb '08.

It's an ever evolving path though and I suspect there'll be more bumpy roads ahead for me and my 'Money Off Shop' in 2009

Apparently what I found there is no effective keywords in your title, if you could have used keywords like "Shopping Discount Coupon" "Off Shop discount coupon" rather than "Money Off Shop" it could have worked nicely ( to be realistic, the "Money Off Shop" title might be confusing visitors at first glance assuming it a website for finance or money making website). Also try to add more effective keywords in your pages ( which is currently very less ) and optimize them for better search results following the key points for organic Search Engine Optimization what Mark has suggested.

Target forums/classified sites/ social sites for "each niche" you're offering discount coupons and deals to find your prospective customers.

[ddwt]

Many thanks for the additional feedback Paul

I'm a relative newbie to most of the Search Engine Optimization stuff, so all of the feedback everyone has given has been extremely useful and most welcome

Not I just need to implement it all