Each time i submit our default.asp for "forclosures.com" we end-up in
#2 ranking for the keyword "foreclosures" for anywhere from a couple
days to a couple weeks then we pop-up to #1. Is this because of
caching? And if so how can i make it so we don't have this wait time
before becoming #1 again?

Hello bungalowbill,

What a great question. We researchers are independent contractors, and
we don't work for the Google search department. I can still assist you
with an answer, although it may may not be the one we would all like
to hear.

Let me touch up on some of what you have stated, and offer some
insight as to how your position keeps changing :


Q. Each .. our default.asp for .. we end-up in #2 ranking for the
keyword...?

With Google, there is no need to keep submitting your URL. While
Google does not penalize site owners for doing this, it has no benefit
either :


Google Webmaster Help Page
"...Since this process does not involve human editors, it is not
necessary to submit your site to Google in order to be included in our
index..."
://www.google.com/webmasters/1.html#A1


You can see that submitting your site has no bearing on your position,
and this position changing is more than likely due to other factors.


Q. We pop-up to #1. Is this because of caching?

Google is always tweaking it's search algorithms. While no one person
outside Google knows the true mathematics behind the great search
engine, we do know that Google takes into consideration your DMOZ
listing, your *keywords*, and your overall site *content*. (and much
more)

Since your site bounces between the #1 and #2 listing, it can be for
many reasons, but nothing too dramatic :

- The other site changing content
- Google changing/fiddling with it's algorithms
- Small changes in your sites main content
- Small changes in the titles at either site
- Changes in sites close to yours


It also seems the other site in the running with yours uses the term
'foreclosures' more frequently than yours.

If you can accept a 'You can't do it' as a response, then this is the
answer. SEO experts can argue opposite views, but most of my
information is based on where my websites are positioned in Google,
and the information available to webmaster from Google.

I hope this helps -

SgtCory

Probably a combo of two reasons:

1) The most recent Google Dance went on for weeks instead of days, so
you could've been getting different results depending on which
datacenter supplied them.

2) Google constantly tweaks algos, and the importance of the keyword
in the URL may have been becoming less, then more, then less
important. If you check results on other keywords, that do not appear
in the URL, you might find them to be more constant.

Regardless, be happy with 1st or 2nd and don't change a thing.