Fluctuations in ranking

[gissle]

Hi,

It's strange, sometimes I rank really well for certain keywords, then suddenly I will not rank well for them.

It seems to coincide with webmaster tools updating my backlink list.

Does anyone know what's going on? My only guess is that Google doesn't like the backlinks.

 

[webgeek]

If you bounce around, down and then back up again to where you were, it sounds like a Google dance.

If you drop and don't return, then it sounds like you've got issues (whether it's weak links, bad ones, etc, is another matter).

 

[gissle]

It definitely dances down then back up again. Strange!

 

[siljajoseph]

I think the reason is your domain age because Google is determining the real value of your website and sometimes it ranks your site high and some other days, your site doesn't rank high. If you continue the right way for optimizing your website, after some weeks your website gets a more fixed position in Google.

 

[fisicx]

Not strange at all. It depends on the time of day, if you have uploaded a new product set, the items on the homepage, reindexing of the sites linking to you and so on.

It's not the google dance. That myth died years ago when google updated it's data centres in order and there could be a few days when the US used a different data set to the UK.

 

[OldWelshGuy]

Are you building links constantly? If yes, then often times Google will drop a page then pick it up again shortly after.

 

[Fresco_Creative]

Hi,

It's strange, sometimes I rank really well for certain keywords, then suddenly I will not rank well for them.

It seems to coincide with webmaster tools updating my backlink list.

Does anyone know what's going on? My only guess is that Google doesn't like the backlinks.

As an overview, what kind of links are you building and how natural / relevant are they?

 

[GreatSEO]

Personalised results when you are logged into google?

Dave

 

[seoswat]

You tend to go into a google dance when you suddenly start creating backlinks,

My only advice to this, if this happens, DO NOT stop building them (if they are quality backlinks), just ensure you keep building them consistantly over time rather than week 1 = 1k backlinks, week2 through to week 9 = 0 backlinks, then week 10 another 1k links.

Much better to build them consistantly over time

 

[LiamPugh]

It depends on how big the drop of your keywords is. If you are on 1st page and a few days later you are on 3rd page, then this is a big drop and probably your site have some issues. You should check your webmasters account regularly for any emails about quality issues. However, if the drop in the rankings is not big, then you shouldn't be worried at all. Keep using quality backlinks and make sure your onsite optimization is properly done.

 

[vutshuvo]

it is happing with all people now a days
do not worry.
just continue your link building and other stuffing .
do same flow, do not make so much, and do not make less.
hope you will understand now, what should you do

 

[gissle]

Thanks everyone,

I have been link building, been trying to keep it to quality links now. The drop does seem to coincide with when I have been link building - i.e. when I stop for a few days it seems to creep back up the rankings.

This stirs up all sorts of other issues - should I keep link building? I guess yes, providing that they are quality links.

The drop is major as in from page 1 to nowhere to be seen!

Judging from what you have said, I will continue building quality links.

Also I have issues with my site which is due to be updated soon.

 

[OldWelshGuy]

How many links are you building are you varying anchor text, what sort of links are you building?

 

[gissle]

All sorts really. Must admit some of them have probably not been of the highest quality. But I am trying to avoid low quality links now.

I have been putting links on niche directories, and posting to quite a few forums. Tried to spread the links a bit.

I had been adding say 1 to 3 or 4 links a day, but have stopped for the time being.

I try to vary the anchor text, but it does get a bit difficult after a while, so I end up recycling the text.

Not sure where to go now, pretty much run out of directories, so I am just posting on DIY sites etc.

 

[clara_butler]

These tricks are ok but you should try to get some no-follow links also from some of high PR sites. I have read that now Google likes the combination of no-follow and do-follow.

 

[Chunkford]

It's not the google dance. That myth died years ago when google updated it's data centres in order and there could be a few days when the US used a different data set to the UK.

You better dust off those dancing shoes then - http://marketingland.com/the-return-of-the-google-dance-22206

 

[webgeek]

I frequently see rankings dip after a strong link building campaign, then peak and finally level off somewhere above where they started and below the peak. It looks like a cardiac EKG going up an incline plane when it's done properly.

You can call it whatever you'd like, but I'll stick with Google Dance.

 

[stanelly]

It happens..keep on collecting quality backlinks to get your ranking back

 

[Ishine window cleaning]

ok , im a bit of a dunce when it comes to seo, what actually counts as a back link?
I have submitted to directories,posted on forums etc .

When i use different back link checkers the results are very different between them, why is this?

They also dont show many (if any) links to the directories i have submitted to.

:|:|

 

[Matt121]

If there seems to be a random spike (positive or negative) in the rankings of your keywords, then Google is probable testing something out with their new algorithms.