What’s wrong with my site?

Discussion in 'Search Engine Optimization' started by Askold, Jan 30, 2009.

  1. #1
    The subject of my site is mortgages.
    I know it has already been in and came out of a sandbox. I have been working on this site for 3 months after it came out of a sandbox. Site positions were between 100 and 300 according to Google. At one point, positions jumped up quite dramatically, stayed for a week, then suddenly went down to its previous positions however with results slightly better than before. Three weeks later, positions suddenly went up again by 100 and 200 points.

    I am wondering wether or not in a week’s time the same story will repeat again and the site position will tumble down again.

    Does anybody know what caused it? What is it? Is it some sort of filter? Or is there another explanation for it?
     
    Askold, Jan 30, 2009 IP
  2. vansterdam

    vansterdam Notable Member

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    #2
    Most likely there is something spammy about your website or your link profile causing some kind of penalty. Examine your backlinks to see if you varied the link anchor text enough. Also have a close look at your website to find anything that Google might potentially not like.

    Since that is an extremely competitive niche, you will need a lot of quality backlinks and plenty of unique content. Perhaps you just don't have enough of either.
     
    vansterdam, Jan 30, 2009 IP
  3. catanich

    catanich Peon

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    #3
    It would help if you would tell us what the url was. But for the keyword Mortgages, you must have 1,000s of links that are proper SEOed. Rock solid On-Page SEO. And a site with over 100 pages with PR1 or above assigned to it.

    I would look closer to doing a "local search" strategy that is less competitive.
     
    catanich, Jan 30, 2009 IP
  4. Askold

    Askold Member

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    #4
    I have not found annything of that sort.
    All of the text on the site is constantly updated and it is and always has been unique and handwritten by us.
    Here is the link for the site www.e1buytoletmortgages.co.uk/
     
    Askold, Jan 31, 2009 IP
  5. magda

    magda Notable Member

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    #5
    I'd say there's a clear keyword spamming issue. How many times is the word 'mortgage' featured in those 2 paragraphs? to the naked eye it's overwhelming - to an algorithm sensitive to spamming, it's an obvious red light.
     
    magda, Jan 31, 2009 IP
  6. hmansfield

    hmansfield Guest

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    #6
    Um...Yeah. I have to agree. You use the word "mortgage" 77 times and "mortgages" 31 times.

    That is a lot:eek:

    Also:
    Title: Buy to Let Mortgages

    Meta keywords: mortgage, mortgages, buy to let, best, rates, remortgage, broker, rate, brokers, advice, uk

    Meta description: We will help you to understand about different types of buy to let mortgages, provide you with the most competitive buy to let mortgage quote without obligation
     
    hmansfield, Jan 31, 2009 IP
  7. Askold

    Askold Member

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    #7
    Yes, I know. We first targeted 5% keyword density, but nothing worked with Motgage subject, and we ended up with 9 and a half % on this keyword.
    However, if you look at Google.com, the first site with this keyword was wikipedia which had a density of 10% and the second site had 10% density as well.
     
    Askold, Feb 1, 2009 IP
  8. chris.stevo

    chris.stevo Active Member

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    #8
    Using Wikpedia as a guide is futile. Google will look upon Wikpedia in anentirely different perspective than it will your website [and prob 98% of all other sites too]

    We did some SEO for a UK Mortgage and Credit/Loans company, who incidentally, were spending upwards of £,3000 a week on national newspaper advertising, and it took us almost a year to make any real headway.

    Best advice is to identify and target slightly longer-tail key phrases, and get the site established that way. Better to be a bigger fish in a small pond.
     
    chris.stevo, Feb 1, 2009 IP
  9. sipltech

    sipltech Well-Known Member

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    #9
    I really appreciated the way you have explained everything in one line, OP must listen to this advice. :) also you have too long paragraphs, please think of a normal reader if it is easier for human to read, will be easier for SE's too :)
     
    sipltech, Feb 1, 2009 IP
  10. Provenzano

    Provenzano Active Member

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    #10
    Talking about mortgage contented-sites, you've got lots of components. If you are old for SEO game, keep on playing and holding your mortgage card but if you're newbie, I should say that it is a dead investment
     
    Provenzano, Feb 1, 2009 IP
  11. Askold

    Askold Member

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    #11
    Thanks for everyone's advice. Back to my initial question, does anyone know what is happening to my site? Why it is jumping up and down?
     
    Askold, Feb 1, 2009 IP