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[jacobwissler]

Can Google read the navigation on this site (I did not build the site) or should I add a text navigation bar, for Google and the other search engines? www.swirled-ice.com Thanks

[brian.mark]

If you mean that top bar with the fancy JavaScript mouse events, then yes... it's fine. The HTML tags show the standard a href, so Google and any other engine can follow them. Alt text would help a lot for screenreaders and general accessability, although text links at the bottom of the page would work fine as well.

Brian.

[jacobwissler]

Thanks brian.mark, you even hang around on the 4th of July to help me.

[brian.mark]

Originally Posted by jacobwissler

Thanks brian.mark, you even hang around on the 4th of July to help me.

I don't have a life... or maybe I'm just bored and got the laptop out by the pool.

Brian.

[jacobwissler]

By the way, I made a MAJOR discovery. The reason I fell from first place for several search terms last week was that I "answered" a link from a high PR site. I had never linked to them before, because I wanted the value of a one-way link, but I just couldn't resist showing off who was linking to me. As soon as it became a two-way link, I fell in SERPS from #1 to #3.

[brian.mark]

Wow... the power(lessness) of a reciprocal link. Amazing. Thanks for sharing your revelation with us.

Brian.

[wrmineo]

Originally Posted by jacobwissler

By the way, I made a MAJOR discovery. The reason I fell from first place for several search terms last week was that I "answered" a link from a high PR site. I had never linked to them before, because I wanted the value of a one-way link, but I just couldn't resist showing off who was linking to me. As soon as it became a two-way link, I fell in SERPS from #1 to #3.

Jacob - thanks for sharing this.

Being in my web infancy still, I haven't gotten very good responses when I "conject" this very issue.

People keep saying links, links, links in regards to exchanging all they can simply to have the IBLs - not a good move in my opinion. Worse yet, they're not even caring with whom the exchange links, just so long as they're getting them ...

I went from PR0 to PR3 in the last update with less than 10 outside IBLs to one of my sites. The links that I did have were relevant and all one-way. BTW - this site also uses a js globalnav and Google likes it just fine.

Good post - thanks!!

Rob
w®m

[vicky1982]

Hi!
Kind of related. I have just managed to get a back link on a very relavant web page which has a page rank of 7. The market I am in is relatively uncompetitive - most search results return between 50,000 and 250,000 pages, so I assumed that this would give me a huge boost. Google crawled the page with the link on last week, but I have noticed no change in my positioning.

The anchor text of the link is just my URL, and my site is 8 months old. Despite being a new site, I have always ranked very highly in Google, I assume this is because of the uncompetitivness of the market.

Does anyone have any ideas on how long it will take before I notice an improvement in my positioning due to this link.

Many thanks..

[wrmineo]

Hi Vicky - and welcome to WPW!

In case you haven't seen me around the forums, I'm the guy who always gives very definitive answers like the one I'm about to impart upon you:

Yes and No ...

Google sandbags backlinks, why, who knows ...

You could try to do a G searh for "link:youdomain.com" and see if/when it shows up.

However, it's possible you'll get "credit" for it before it shows up.

When I turn on my microwave and the radio at the same time - the voice in my head says we're very near a PR update, so hopefully it'll get picked up soon for you to benefit from it.

Good luck and happy ranking!

w®m

[brian.mark]

Originally Posted by vicky1982

Hi!
Kind of related. I have just managed to get a back link on a very relavant web page which has a page rank of 7. The market I am in is relatively uncompetitive - most search results return between 50,000 and 250,000 pages, so I assumed that this would give me a huge boost. Google crawled the page with the link on last week, but I have noticed no change in my positioning.

The anchor text of the link is just my URL, and my site is 8 months old. Despite being a new site, I have always ranked very highly in Google, I assume this is because of the uncompetitivness of the market.

Does anyone have any ideas on how long it will take before I notice an improvement in my positioning due to this link.

Many thanks..

This could help a ton if your site's name is your primary keyword. Otherwise, it probably won't help all that much, even once G gives you full credit. Anchor text is what really makes the difference, not just some random link that says "Click Here" (although that works out well for Adobe Acrobat Reader.)

Brian.

[DMC_34]

Originally Posted by jacobwissler

By the way, I made a MAJOR discovery. The reason I fell from first place for several search terms last week was that I "answered" a link from a high PR site. I had never linked to them before, because I wanted the value of a one-way link, but I just couldn't resist showing off who was linking to me. As soon as it became a two-way link, I fell in SERPS from #1 to #3.

I doubt google looks to see if a link is reciprocal or not. Just by changing the content by adding the link could have caused this not necessarily by reason of one-way or reciprocal links. There has been much speculation about one ways counting for more than 2 ways but I doubt that is true. The processing power of keeping up with links as being reciprocal or not for purposes of on the fly algo rankings just isnt feasible. I saw a shift last week as well, we improved and hence probably just an algo tweak. One-Way vs Reciprocal...a link is a link, relevancy is what is important.

DMC

[cspelts]

Originally Posted by vicky1982

I have just managed to get a back link on a very relavant web page which has a page rank of 7.

Originally Posted by brian.mark

This could help a ton if your site's name is your primary keyword. Otherwise, it probably won't help all that much, even once G gives you full credit.

I really think it depends on the site. For a new site, even if the anchor text is not your main keyword, it'll still help.

[brian.mark]

Originally Posted by cspelts

I really think it depends on the site. For a new site, even if the anchor text is not your main keyword, it'll still help.

Let me rephrase that. For maximum benefit, keyword rich anchor text is the way to go. Links help some even without, but it's the anchor text that really makes links work, especially for new sites.

Brian.