Hello Rev. Brauer ~
If I search for www.willowwoodweddings.com in Google, I get the following results:
"WillowWoodWeddings.com
Google can show you the following information for this URL:
Show Google's cache of www.willowwoodweddings.com
Find web pages that are similar to
www.willowwoodweddings.com
Find web pages that link to
www.willowwoodweddings.com
Find web pages that contain the term
"www.willowwoodweddings.com""
- ://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&q=www.willowwoodweddings.com
Clicking on either "web pages that link to" or "web pages that contain
the term" show 0 results.
I also note that there is no description for WillowWoodWeddings.com,
which is because you are using frames, and the way the page is
designed, there is nothing for a search engine to index.
Using Google's toolbar, which can be downloaded from
http://toolbar.google.com , shows a greyed-out PageRank for
www.willowwoodweddings.com, which is in keeping with nothing on the
site for Google to crawl, and no relevant links TO your site.
================================
Getting Listed In Google
================================
As mentioned above, your use of frames is keeping Google from crawling
your site. In Google's "Reasons your site may not be included", they
specifically mention the use of frames:
"Your page uses frames. Google supports frames to the extent
that it can. Frames tend to cause problems with search
engines, bookmarks, emailing links and so on, because
frames don't fit the conceptual model of the web (every
page corresponds to a single URL). If a user's query matches
the site as a whole, Google returns the frame set. If a
user's query matches an individual page on the site, Google
returns that page. That individual page is not displayed in
a frame -- because there may be no frame set corresponding to
that page."
- ://www.google.com/webmasters/2.html#A1
To compound the problem, there is nowhere for the crawler to go,
because your left-hand menu is graphics, and search engine crawlers
cannot read graphics, either. Basically, because of the site's design,
search engines cannot find one thing to index - they are seeing what
amounts to a blank page.
There are better ways than the use of frames to create the same look
you have now. For instance, you can use either a table layout or
cascading style sheets to achieve the identical look, and either of
those methods would give Google and the other search engines access to
your site's content.
In its "Design and Content Guidelines", Google publishes specific
recommendations on site design to increase your chances of inclusion
and placement in its index:
"* Make a site with a clear hierarchy and text links.
Every page should be reachable from at least one static
text link.
* Offer a site map to your users with links that point to
the important parts of your site. If the site map is
larger than 100 or so links, you may want to break the
site map into separate pages.
* Create a useful, information-rich site and write pages
that clearly and accurately describe your content.
* Think about the words users would type to find your pages,
and make sure that your site actually includes those
words within it.
* Try to use text instead of images to display important
names, content, or links. The Google crawler doesn't
recognize text contained in images.
* Make sure that your TITLE and ALT tags are descriptive
and accurate.
* Check for broken links and correct HTML...
- ://www.google.com/webmasters/guidelines.html
===========================
PageRank Explained
===========================
The other thing you are missing is links TO your site. Google explains:
"The best way to ensure Google finds your site is for your
page to be linked from lots of pages on other sites.
Google's robots jump from page to page on the Web via
hyperlinks, so the more sites that link to you, the more
likely it is that we'll find you quickly."
- ://www.google.com/webmasters/1.html#A2
And it further explains its technology in "Our Search: Google Technology":
"The heart of our software is PageRank?, a system for
ranking web pages developed by our founders Larry Page
and Sergey Brin at Stanford University. And while we
have dozens of engineers working to improve every aspect
of Google on a daily basis, PageRank continues to provide
the basis for all of our web search tools."
and its PageRank in "PageRank Explained"
"PageRank relies on the uniquely democratic nature of the
web by using its vast link structure as an indicator of
an individual page's value. In essence, Google interprets
a link from page A to page B as a vote, by page A, for
page B. But, Google looks at more than the sheer volume
of votes, or links a page receives; it also analyzes the
page that casts the vote. Votes cast by pages that are
themselves "important" weigh more heavily and help to make
other pages "important."
Important, high-quality sites receive a higher PageRank,
which Google remembers each time it conducts a search. Of
course, important pages mean nothing to you if they don't
match your query. So, Google combines PageRank with
sophisticated text-matching techniques to find pages that
are both important and relevant to your search. Google
goes far beyond the number of times a term appears on a
page and examines all aspects of the page's content (and
the content of the pages linking to it) to determine if
it's a good match for your query."
- ://www.google.com/technology/index.html
Without RELEVANT links to your page, your chances of being listed in
Google's index are greatly reduced.
===========================
Establishing Links
===========================
There are many practical ways of establishing links which are
beneficial to get respectable position placement on search engines.
These methods may take time, but they also help in establishing
credibility and help with your page rank.
Approach like-minded or complementary businesses about linking to your
site (with a reciprocal link from your own). This works without
harming search engine positioning or page rank.
A WORD OF WARNING:
==================
Google specifically warns "Don't participate in link schemes designed
to increase your site's ranking or PageRank. In particular, avoid
links to web spammers or "bad neighborhoods" on the web as your own
ranking may be affected adversely by those links." (See Google's
Quality Guidelines - Basic principles)
- ://www.google.com/webmasters/guidelines.html
It stands to reason that what's good for Google, currently ranked as
the number one search engine is good rule to follow for other search
engines.
Articles on Link Popularity
===========================
A couple of excellent articles on how to establish the right kind of
links are available in Traffick's "Ten Steps to Building Links to Your
Site", Craig Fifield - 5/3/2002
- http://www.traffick.com/article.asp?aID=77
and "The Right Way to Improve Link Popularity", By Paul J. Bruemmer -4/14/2002 -
- http://www.traffick.com/article.asp?aID=41
Notice both articles offer suggestions which can be easily adapted for
use on any website without resorting to link farms. They both point
out the differences and offer easy ways to get started to the kind of
linking search engines prefer.
"Link Building Is Important", which discusses link building from A to
Z and also provides a good reference page with linking resources.
- http://www.linkingmatters.com/WhyLinkingIsImportant.html
The information contained in the above articles offer suggestions
which can be easily adapted for use on any website without resorting
to link farms. The differences in "good links" and those which may be
harmful are discussed, and the articles offer simple ways to get
started to the kind of linking search engines prefer.
==========================================
Important Google Links For Your Reference
==========================================
I am including some important links from Google for your information
and reference as you redesign your site to be user-friendly and search
engine-friendly. I strongly you read the first link to understand
Google's position relative to the results it presents to searchers.
Webmasters who follow the guidelines and avoid Google's "Thou shalt
nots" usually have no problem getting listed and showing up under the
search terms they desire.
* Google Today (absolutely the best information you
can read about the "how and why" of Google's results
- ://www.google.com/corporate/today.html
* How Do I Get My Site Listed on Google?
- ://www.google.com/webmasters/1.html
* My Web Pages Are Not Currently Listed (a good 'primer'
on how and why Google works so well)
- ://www.google.com/webmasters/2.html
* PageRank Information (covers both Google's PageRank and
SERPS)
- ://www.google.com/webmasters/4.html
* Webmaster Guidelines (contains both the dos and don'ts)
- ://www.google.com/webmasters/guidelines.html
* Google Facts & Fiction (can you buy your way to a
high ranking in Google?)
- ://www.google.com/webmasters/facts.html
* Search Engine Optimizers (some good advice on what to look
for if you're going to hire a Search Engine Optimizer)
- ://www.google.com/webmasters/seo.html
* Frequently Asked Questions (pretty much what it says, but
definitely worth wading through)
- ://www.google.com/webmasters/faq.html
================================
Other Sources of Information
================================
There is also good information from many of the top search engine
optimization experts, such as
* Detlev Johnson, Search Engine Guide
- http://www.searchengineguide.com/detlev/
* Danny Sullivan, Search Engine Watch
- http://www.searchenginewatch.com/
* Jill Whalen, High Rankings
- http://www.highrankings.com/
* Shari Thurow, Web Pro News (and quoted all over the Internet)
- www.webpronews.com/
who all have columns or newsletters to which you can subscribe and
keep abreast of the best way to use good content for better
positioning in search engine results.
In addition, Webmaster World - http://www.webmasterworld.com/ - has
discussion boards on most of the search engines. While some of the
discussions are anecdotal and/or questions for information, there is
usually enough discussion to keep abreast of what seems to be
happening.
There is an entire section devoted to Google at:
- http://www.webmasterworld.com/forum3/
It never hurts to keep track among these discussions, but remember,
trying to optimize for search engines only is like trying to hit a
moving target. You'll notice among the more experienced contributors
to the discussions - plus the SEO experts listed above - that there
really is no substitute for content, relevant links and good HTML.
=================
Summary
=================
Your page isn't included in Google's index for a couple of reasons.
First, there is the fact it is constructed in frames. And in this
particular way, there is no way for Google's crawler (or other search
engine crawlers) to find site content. In essence, they are seeing a
'blank page'.
In addition, there aren't links TO your page, which Google clearly
states weighs heavily in its search results. You need to establish
links - but not just 'any' links - RELEVANT links in order to increase
the chances of being included in Google's index.
You need to include keyword rich CONTENT within your pages to be
listed under the search terms you want; and lastly, you should become
familiar with Google's recommendations and suggestions which, if
followed, enhance the chances you will be included in Google's index.
Search strategies used ~
Except for the searches specifically listed above, I relied on
personal knowledge of Google's recommendations and guidelines and book
marked material used on a daily basis.
With a redesign to eliminate the use of frames, including keyword rich
relevant text within your pages and establishing relevant links, you
should have no problem being included in Google's index.
Best wishes for success,
Serenata
Google Answers Researcher |
