Hi Unique16 ~
There are a lot of reasons and influences that can cause a page to
move around in search engine results page rank with Google, some of
which are easy enough to diagnose (such as the site being unavailable
during a crawl) to others which can be bad design (HTML) or that
others pages ranking better because Google determines their
information is more relevant.
There are also a few things that can get you banned or dropped from
Google entirely, and one of those is duplicate sites.
Here's what Google says about it in their "Quality Guidelines -
Specific recommendations",
"* Don't create multiple pages, subdomains, or domains
with substantially duplicate content.
* Avoid "doorway" pages created just for search engines,
or other "cookie cutter" approaches such as affiliate
programs with little or no original content."
- ://www.google.com/webmasters/guidelines.html
A search brought up the second URL you mentioned below, that being
www.texassecurityguards.com, as opposed to the domain you refer to in
your question.
Those two sites with identical content can definitely "result in
permanent removal from our [Google's] index..."
- ://www.google.com/webmasters/2.html
Please understand, too, that Google will not comment on why they
remove a page - and they may not reinstate a domain when the problem
is fixed.
I can understand having two domains to cover the different search
terms, but you really should permanently redirect one of those domains
to the other - and promote the site which is actually online.
To leave sites with duplicate content up is asking for removal from
the Google's index.
After you have taken care of the problem of duplicate content, you may
want to peruse the following information regarding the balance of
content, good user-friendly design, and the importance of links to
your site.
I am including important links from Google's site. This information
will help you understand Google's goals and responsibility to the web
searcher (and not the webmaster or site owner).
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
* Remove Content from Google's Index (just in case you feel
a burning need to start all over again)
- ://www.google.com/remove.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 of the 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.
There is too much recent evidence that those who don't follow Google's
general guidelines are getting 'penalized' by either a huge drop in
search engine results ranking or by being dropped from Google's index
entirely.
Any momentary increase in rank by not following those guidelines is
merely that - momentary, as Google works to bring the searcher the
most relevant results to his search inquiry.
Search terms ~
=================
I relied on bookmarked resources and references I use daily to answer
this question - plus whatever updated information that may appear in
search engine discussion boards, etc.
Hope this helps,
Serenata
Google Answers Researcher |
