5 replies to this topic

[Peprmint]

Our page rank dropped from 4 to 3 some time ago due to a site that was linked to us (Findlaw) being penalized by Google. This was a while ago and even though we didn't do anything wrong and weren't part of "that" linking program, I have had a heck of a time getting our page rank back up there. I guess we were considered guilty by association.

I have worked my fanny off slowly adding links. Between blogs, social media, bookmarking, legal directories, more, but still have had no movement. Something is just not right!

I thought the links were removed, but recently discovered a couple were still there. Once they are completely removed, will I see an increase in our page rank? If not, what can I do to prove to Google that we had nothing to do with their scheme?

[Jill]

You are mixing up cause and effect. It's highly unlikely that your toolbar PR fell due to a link from FindLaw.

PageRank via the toolbar is only updated quarterly and it often goes down across the board for no reason other than Google lowers it across the board (new pages that come online, etc., make less to go around).

My question for you is why do you care what your toolbar PR shows, and why would you work your fanny off to increase it? Has the lowering of it affected your website traffic and conversions?

[Peprmint]

My question for you is why do you care what your toolbar PR shows, and why would you work your fanny off to increase it? Has the lowering of it affected your website traffic and conversions?

I haven't been working my fanny off to increase the page rank. I have been working my fanny off in general to increase our rankings and ultimately our leads. Over time, our quality of traffic is better and or leads are better. However, we have plateaued as far as our visitors. This seems to coincide with when our page rank dropped. Also we are advertising in NYC & Long Island now so there are millions more hearing our ads on tv and radio and seeing our billboards. You'd think the traffic would be kickin butt. Rankings aren't bad and we continue to get better. The traffic numbers just haven't moved. I don't want crap traffic, but you'd think something would have happened.

Page Rank comes into play for me because my understanding when building links was to get links from sites with a higher page rank. So that's what I've been doing. If pagerank isn't important (other than Google "real" pagerank), then I'll just ignore it and keep researching the sites to determine if they are a good fit.

I'm just frustrated Jill. I think I've been doing the right things and the pagerank is just another slap upside the head. I learned a lot at your seminar and take what I do very seriously. I don't take short cuts or expect the magic fairy to make things better. Thanks for your ear.

[Jill]

If pagerank isn't important (other than Google "real" pagerank), then I'll just ignore it and keep researching the sites to determine if they are a good fit.

Bingo!

[Randy]

FWIW this is the part I'd be concentrating on a lot more:

Over time, our quality of traffic is better and or leads are better.

My reasoning being that too often people fall into the trap of thinking more traffic is better. This is especially true of people who don't truly understand SEO or Marketing (read Bosses.)

If the quality of traffic goes up, quality leads go up and conversions go up the gross amount of traffic is a fairly useless statistic upon which to rely.

I always look at it this way...

If I can average converting 100 people per day into being paying customers, why should I care that I only got 200 visitors to my site? Personally I'd much rather have a 50% conversion rate, be able to really focus on those visitors individually and get to spend less on hosting & bandwidth costs than I would waste a lot of money on window shoppers and have to get 1,000,000 visits per day to get those same 100 customers.

So your quality of traffic and quality of lead is better. Now would be a good time to really focus on making sure you're speaking to those people's individual needs and make sure you show them how you can provide them with the solution they're looking for. Quality is a lot easier to convert, but it still takes a little work and thought.

[lister]

That sounds so true. In fact I was in a Japanese supermarket near my house and when I was walking around I noticed that the type of people in the shop were basically exactly who might be interested in what I have to offer. Having spoken to the owner I can place a paper ad in there for like $15 a week. The point I am making which I hope kinda agrees with you is that if you spend time on selective marketing rather than carpet bombing the entire landscape I think you will do better.

Isn't that the 80-20 rule or something?