I have a cheap website design site that really sucks. Fortunately I have a new site design in development that I feel is MUCH better for SEO and more reflective of my design style. The current site pushes all content to an Iframe in the center of the page with javascript links, so it is seen by search engines as a one page website. Google hates it (duh - no wonder - what exactly was I thinking...?) **My question is whether or not I am already 'sandboxed'. Initially I was ranking in the top 1-5 spots across all search engines with a PR3 (not a very competitive term ) then suddenly I dropped from the serps...COMPLETELY and dance between PR1 and PR3 on the toolbar (lot of good that is) - PR checker tools say PR1. I have waited for several weeks but the site is NO WHERE on google. With the assistance of the fantasic DP Keyword/Link tool I see that google has ZERO pages indexed for me now. but still registers my measley 6 or 7 low/no PR backlinks. **Is this proof positive that I've been sandboxed..? I assume this to be true so I move on to my next question. **What should I do now. Should I go ahead and impliment the new site design now (couldn't get me sandboxed if I already am ...right..? What is my best scenerio comeback plan..? The new site should be fairly optimized for my keywords, and content should be more conversion friendly. Do I ignore Google for now and work on other streams for traffic, or do I do something special to get back in Googles good graces..? Best guesses and suggestions are welcome. Curses, scoldings and taunting laughter should be directed to my PM where I will weep over them in private.
Are people just tired of speculating on 'sandboxed' 'not sandboxed'..'banned' 'not banned'....? A forum full of SEO's and no opinions...? Whats this world coming to..?! hah
I guess I'm on my own on this one ...? Okay. In case anyone wonders I've decided to go ahead and make the new site live and just see what happens. Still...any additional insight or advice is welcome ...
go ahead and upload your new site, you may as well take the opportunity now, and then work on getting links to it. if you think you are sandboxed then you probably are. (5-6 months) so changing it won't matter, and from your description....it sounds like the sandbox has you
Sandboxed or not - it doesn't really matter. The whole search engine game is a long race and you should be looking to more than Google alone to market your site. You need an overall strategy that takes in other search engines as well as exploring other opportunities for developing your design and ebay template business. As a footnote: the search engines don't do javascript. They like straightforward text and image links of the <a href> variety.
yeah! responses at last !! - I was beggining to think no one loved me which was hard on my ego since usually EVERYBODY loves me The site is now live, although I have several pages to finish and a bunch of things to correct and fix, I hate to have unfinished work 'live'. I still get traffic from MSN, Yahoo, various links out there in the ethereal, Ebay listings (lots of inbound referals from Ebay shoppers - checking me out I have never really actively marketed, except for Ebay, but DP has 'opened my eyes'. Thanks for the advice, and words guys. Now lets see what sort of damage I can do
This doesn't mean we need to get married or anything does it? I was thinking ... since you are redesigning your site, it could be worth inviting criticisms and suggestions in the Website Review forum. It can be a painful experience sometimes but it can also give you some great suggestions too.
yeah - I plan on asking for reviews here but only after I build up my ego a bit. I know there are a billion things to do and a gazillion things that can be said about the new site - so I have to wait until I've eaten my wheaties before I plummet into the old "Your site still sucks even if you did spend countess hours tinkering with it." hah - I don't think I could stand that sort of rejection..er..judgement right now. hehe