Google indexing directory pgs over single sites.

[hillhouse]

Hello,

I am curious if anyone might have an idea as to why, for a certain search phrase, Google returns listings for pages from "directories", rather than individual business sites that match the description (search phrase). For the search term: seattle bed & breakfast, (which does provide different results than the plural version), there is only one singular B&B business site listed in the first 5 or 6 pages (I stopped going back as the results started becoming irrelevant).

Many of the local B&B businesses used to be indexed quite highly for this search phrase with their own domain sites listed. Now, some are listed as pages of other directory sites, but only the one B&B has it's own domain listed highly in the index.

I understand that these bigger sites likely have more links in and out, but the indexed sites become less and less relevant, still without individual properties indexed. And given that just a particular page of these directories is indexing, (not the main page or index), could there really be that many links back and forth to just one posting page for a particular site to put it ahead of my site and other individual B&B sites? The search phrase is location specific, and the directories are not, only single pages from their sites would be location specific.

Any ideas as to why this is so?

*Also, why does Google use the DMOZ description for some sites when they have a meta description and plenty of body text (I don't much care for my "composed by DMOZ" description.)

Thank you,

Alea
http://www.seattlebnb.com

[Mel]

Hi Alea
Since the infamous Florida update, Google appears to be using some sort of expert site filter or algo mod, and since directory pages seem to fit their idea of Expert sites, they seem to get better rankings at the moment than individual sites which are actually a more relevant match for the search term.

I sincerely hope that google tones down this element of their algo. The way it is now the relevancy for many specific search terms is just not too good. I think that most people recognize that when you search for bed and breakfast Seattle, and Google returns a site that lists all the B&Bs in the US above sites which are specific to the search you are not as relevant as you could be.

Google has always been about relevancy and I am sure that at least one or two of their 150 PHDs must recognize that relevancy is not as good as it once was.

<rant> IMO Google has thrown the baby out with the bathwater and in attempting to reduce the incidence of "spam" has actually reduced relevancy. When I search for size 6 blue widgets I want to see pages about just that, not a general catalog of widgets.

I would much rather see some over optimized sites that at least go to relevant pages ranking well than what we have now for many terms.</rant>

[hillhouse]

Hi Mel,

Thank you very much for your insights. Makes me feel like there's nothing I can really do to rank better w/ Google. Except there's that one individual business that happens to rank #2. Any ideas as to why one individual B&B is indexing, and there are at least several dozen others, indexed with the Open Directory and attempting to promote themselves, yet no one else appears on the first 5 or 6 pages but this business?

I think this particular individual site used to "pay per click" for certain search phrases, would this make a difference in the general indexing? (The #1 position holder does not pay per click.)

Thanks again,

Alea
www.seattlebnb.com

[Mel]

Hi Alea,

Actually there is quite a lot you can do to improve your Google rankings.

Looking at that site that is number two, they have done a lot of link work for thier site, they have not one but four DMOZ listings (note: I don't recommend this as DMOZ only allows a listing in the topic category and one in the regional category) and they have several links from educational sites in Seattle. DMOZ and educational sites appear to be classed as expert sites by Google, and I would suspect that the regional and national listings of BNBs would too.

Chamberednautilis has a total of 443 inbound links reported by the Link Popularity tool while you have 261.

Work on getting more links, solicit links from various places with .edu extensions (tip look at the #2 sites links in google) and make sure you have listings in as many Bnb directories as possible. Get good anchor text links if possible and don't neglect the SEO aspects of internal links on your site.

Google has no PPC programs except Adwords and the use of Adwords does not affect the rankings in the organic list at all. The same is true of most other search engines.

I do recommend doing PFI for at least a few pages in Intkomi since that gives you and opportunity to tweak those pages every couple of days until the rankings suit you, and when Ink becomes the default search provider for Yahoo could do wonders for your traffic if you are ranking well.

[hillhouse]

Hi Mel,

Thank you very much for your suggestions!

Yes, I'm realizing that when I added a 2nd B&B w/ a new site and started dividing directory listings between the two, I didn't help myself much. My site www.amaranthinn.com has a popularity of 218, if I would've concentrated on one, I might be doing better (maybe in the 400's). I thought more sites in more places was better. I have multiple sites now, but I try to concentrate on 1 search phrase for each.

I ran the SEO Doctor on my sites and will work on them even more. It's interesting that the "chamberednautilus" website doesn't seem to be optimized highly for this search phrase, so like you said, the .edu links and the DMOZ listings must give it a good boost.

When you refer to "anchor text links", does this refer to sites linking back and actually using the search phrase as the highlighted link? I will also work on getting all of MY sites to link to each other and to link internally.

Thank you for your suggestion for the PFI with Inktomi. I will sign up for that, does it seem to matter which reseller to use? Is there a best portal to check ranking with?

Thank you so much for your help,

Alea

[Mel]

Hi Alea
yes anchor text links are links where you hypertext link the keyphrase you are targeting to the web page you want to rank for that phrase.

Here are a couple of searches that will show the power of anchor text:

Computers - see if any of the top tree ranking sites have the keyword on the visible page, if not the ranking must be coming form off page factores.

pizza - same as above.

As far as Inktomi PFi some prefer one provider and some another. Ihave had good luck with position tech.

[ronniethedodger]

As far as Inktomi PFi some prefer one provider and some another. Ihave had good luck with position tech.

That is who we use as well. Very reliable company.