16 replies to this topic

[SmellieNellie]

I am a little confused but I hope someone here may be able to help. Here is the scenario:


I took on the optimisation of a page. This page was ranked #7 in Yahoo uk and #7 in Lycos and had a number of other top 10 and top 20 listings search engines and directories such as msn etc.

However, today, it has completely dissappeared, not just lost it's rankings but actually dissappeared from the indexes.

Why would this happen?

I personally did not submit it in the first instance, so I don't know when it originally submitted and whether it has just been sat around in the index for some time. But, on saying that - other pages within the website are still indexed so I don't understand why it would drop just this one?

Am I missing something here? Can anyone help???

[akuma]

Hi Nellie!

Did you make a lot of changes, like a total redesign? Could be that the search engines crawled the page and figured it's new, and relegated it to their mysterious sandbox. I know Google did that to a couple of pages I revamped a few weeks ago.

Or did you perform some secret black-hat no-good seo technique on that page?

Anyway, as long as other pages still link to this page, the search engines should find it again real quick, and you'll get indexed again soon...

My 2 cents...

[qwerty]

You didn't mention Google. Is it still in there?

I'm wondering if it's possible the page was in a paid inclusion program, and maybe its time is up. Maybe the owner of the page brought you in because they didn't want to do the PFI thing anymore.

[OldWelshGuy]

Are we talking about Yahoo, Google, or both here? If one or tother then ok, but if both, then I would go for server being down.

If Google, then G just had an update, so it could be a bad neighbourhood outbound link, but one would not do it, you 'should' need a couple to warrant removal. If Yahoo, then possibly like Bob said, it could be PFI ending or something.

[Jill]

Sites often get in fairly quickly and then are missing again due to variations with their databases. I wouldn't worry about it (assuming we're talking about Google). Give it another 3 or so weeks and it will probably be seen once again.

[SmellieNellie]

Hi all -

Thanks for the feedback. Yes, it is still in Google - I have to admit, my first thought was that the paid inclusion had lapsed too as Qwerty has said. Unfortunately, I did not submit it the first time so I don't know when it was actually submitted.

Still at least that can be rectified eh!

Thanks again!

Nellie

[qwerty]

If it is a PFI issue, you may want to leave it alone. You mentioned that other pages on the site are still indexed. Assuming they're not in there because of PFI, then links from them will get the page that was dropped spidered and reindexed for free.

[SmellieNellie]

Thanks Qwerty - the thing is - it is likely that they are there due to PFI as it is the Inktomi & FAST SEs and Directories that are affected and i thought the only way to get in them was through paid inclusion - is this right?

[OldWelshGuy]

Nope you only have to be found by inktomi slurp or yahoo slurp, and your in, they will then come back as and when they feel like. MSN bot is running around like a lunatic currently also.

[SmellieNellie]

Ah right - I see. So, is it possible that there was a server error at the time when botty visited?

[SmellieNellie]

OK - now this has moved on and Lycos have confirmed that the page was dropped because there was an error with the credit card details that were submitted for a different page submission.

So the conversation is going like this:

Lycos: "The page was dropped because we couldn't authorise the credit card due to an error in the number"

Me: "OK - I see, but, the page that was dropped was not the page the credit card order relates to, so can I please have the original page back please"

Lycos:"If you send us the order number, I will have a look at it for you"

Me: "Yes sure, here is the order number ....."

Lycos:"I have had a look at the order and the only thing I can suggest is that if you check your credit card details and correct them then resubmit the order we will process it for you"

Me: "But, you have taken out an un-related page!!!!!! The page you have removed was nothing to do with the order!!!"


Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaargh - and this was the condensed version! There is no contact tel no so what else can I do???

Any ideas, anyone?

[Randy]

umm....hire a really big guy to go get their attention? Just kidding!

There's really not a lot you can do if you can't get past the first level of customer service folks. They hold all of the cards and are likely following a script to make sure they get their money.

Maybe ask them for a contact phone number when you're talking to one of the reps so that you can speak to someone for real? Then immediately ask for a Supervisor/Manager?

[OldWelshGuy]

If the initial page was a paid inclusion page, and they have removed it, then tell them you are going to get in touch with your card company to sort out a chargeback, that may shake the tree enough to get a number, to talk to someone, who can give you the number, of someone who might be able to help. Or give yuo another number (normally the first one you called)

[bolo]

I have hit the same issue but have waited forever to see if things improve and they havent. The site I rebuilt used to have good rankings in google but since the rebuild it has not been within the top 11 pages. When I rebuilt it the only mistake I made was that I completely changed the site structure. I figured I would give it some time and it would come back - well it has been over 6 months and still there is no improvement. In the field that this site competes in it is tagged and worded in sync with all the other top listings but this one will not list up for some reason. Can someone offer me ANYTHING? I have busted my a$$ reading up on all kinds of things and nothing seems to be of any help...

oh yeah the site is:

http://www.budgetcayman.com

I sincerely appreciate if anyone has anything to offer me...

[OldWelshGuy]

Bolo, we have a site review request area here, but you need to be an active member to make the request. To become an active member make 20 valid posts.

I will not comment fully on your site as that would be a backdorr review and we don't do that. I would suggest you read a bit here, especially the advice for newbies section in the optimisation forum.

It would help however if you had the phrases in your title of your pages, acyually appearing, as a phrase on the page itself.

Have fun reading

OWG