Finance Directory in UK- Facing Problem in Google

[seekuk]

Hi to ALL!!!!!!

When so ever I have posted any query over here. The response has always been good. I hope this time , U guys can really help me out.

I have a finance directory catering to UK. http://www.seek.uk.com
Google has crawled 17, 500 pages of my site. Though my site has 5000 html pages only, Google shows 17, 500.

My site has many affiliates. I don't think that is wrong ?

During the course of time, I have done all promotional activities present on the earth, Articles, PR, Navigation, content, removal of bad links, kept only those links which were relevant. I kept adding fresh content in the website, now & then.

I have created a Sitemap.XML, thru which Google is showing some results, An RSS feature is also there. But still ????

The ranking is coming with very few few words like secured, online financial directory UK, online Spreadbetting, SIPP providers UK, etc. ( not relevant words)

Recently I have also launched a forum in my site, though it has very few users, so, very less traffic is there. It is also coming in Search results, but non relevant ones.

Google is crawling my site, daily, but not showing in new search results.
What is MISSING???? What do I do ?

Waiting for your reply.
-SeekUK

[kgun]

Your site contains the following words / categories that I don't think are loved by Google:

MORTGAGES

CREDIT CARDS

INSURANCE

online Spreadbetting

How old is your site? You know of Google's aging delay?

[Duncan Pollock]

Whether or not Google is ecstatic about "mortgages uk" (no quotes) they offer more than 11million results for such a search.
It's called competition!
And that, I'm sure, is the problem you're faced with. There are (countless) other business/trades/industries with thousands upon thousands of sites all dealing with the same thing -- and only ten of them can show in the first page of the SERPs.
As has been suggested here in WPW quite frequently, your need is to have a Unique Selling Proposition, something that sets you apart from everyone else of your kind, something that will let you create a website that has a unique focus, something that, like as not, you're going to have to complement with the use of AdWords to increase your chances of appearing on the TopTen page (and, for good measure, those that usually follow it and repeat your ad).
As it is, your site is clear and clean and obviously leads to a ton of information via umpteen hundred links. But is this enough? Does it do anything that makes people say "Hey, these are the guys/gals I just gotta deal with"?
M'mm. Am I being too unkind to wonder about all this on your behalf?

Duncan

[seekuk]

Hi kgun,

My site is nearly 3 years old, so the problem of age is not there. I just wanted to know, what should I do to increase my chances of coming up in the Search Results, though I am aware that the competition
is tough.

Looking for some help form your end.

Thanx

[kgun]

1. Submit you site to the right category in the dmoz and Yahoo directory and other directories and portals.

2. Continue building unique (new) content.

3. I have a financial / IT ad driven news and link collection site (ranked and ordered by me as a professional - 20 years experience from the research department of the central bank of Norway). It is difficult to get traffic. Some even copy links and leave.

4. There are so many directories and portals out there. It is my view that a few will survive in the long run. Ask yourself. How long are my horizon? In theory infinite? What is your aim? Make money or be a free service to the world? I see that you have the heading "UK's leading finance portal" in the upper left corner. Finance is very special. Your psyche has to be stronger than that of people working in the force and you have to be absolutely earnest. Therefore I would be very careful with the heading. Where is the links to the Bank of England? Where is the link to the ministry of finance, bureau of statistics and other government sites related to finance? Where are the links to Financial Times, and the most important institutional investors? You have to include them for free in my view, and where it is easy to find them. In my view, the most important financial link in the UK is the link to the Bank of England. What does "UK's leading finance portal" mean? Is it a niche portal? What should I expect to find there?

5. Study anything about good SEO practice here and elswhere. Build it into your site. If possible write a new story on your site, at least once a week.

6. It is all about traffic, if you are able to get high traffic, companies will pay for placing Ad on your site. Do you think you find many big banks and institutional investors among merchants by affiliate providers? May be in 10 to 20 years in the next stage of the digital revolution. May be never. KW's visual Ad through WebTv, Podcasts etc. It is here today, but financial institutions are slow.

7. In the long run, you have to be better than the other financial directories / portals out there. Work with the aim of being the preferred financial directory in the UK, Europe, Globally.

8. Always, think what is best for the surfer? If you think that my site is of value to your surfers, include it in your directory.

9. Magnetic, banners, links, content and design. Try to make it. Example from the front page of MultiFinanceIT The value line banner "should be a magnetic banner." The table of exchange rates from a Swiss bank (that does not function when I write this - the devil is in the details. First time it happens) should be magnetic content.

10. Stability of links, banners. Bad day for my site. The table of exchange rates is down for the first time, and the link to a central banner on the front page is broken. Try to get stable links and banners, links that are live even in weekends.

That was my advice to a competitor.

P.S.
I think it was Thomas Jefferson that said something like this. The bank system is more dangerous than a standing army.

[DrTandem1]

I have noticed a lapse of Google indexing new material on several established sites. I'm not sure why. Maybe a mutated version of sandbagging.

[seekuk]

Hi kgun,

Thanks for giving me a very clear picture.

Thou I have some queries regarding the points, mentioned by you:

1.As per submitting the site in DMOZ & yahoo, I have submitted in DMOZ two months back, thou no response. In Yahoo, in a couple of days, I would be doing the paid submission. I have added in all good Directories, be it paid of free.

2. As per the content is concerned, I add new content, once in a week, in specific categories. On an average I write two articles in a day, which I publish on my site. Do I need to add more ???

3. How can I have this financial / IT ad driven news and link collection site. Thou I have added my site link in various news & magazines sections. Apart from that any other resource be it paid where I can submit.

4. Your 4th point is very good. I will try to incorporate that in my site.

5. As per writing a new story, I publish 2 articles daily related to finance on my site. These are written by me & are not copied from anywhere. These deal in all the topics listed in my website.

6. In case if I remove those affiliates from my site & place some general content. Do I have a better chance as per ranking in Google is concerned.

7. When you say KW's visual Ad through WebTv. What do you mean?? & will having a video in site ( podcasting ) help in the ranking.

8. You have also mentioned Magnetic. What is that???

If you really help me out with all this. I would really be thankful.

Waiting for your reply.

-SEEK UK

[kgun]

My personal opinion in blue. Other persons may give you better advice.

Originally Posted by seekuk

Hi kgun,

Thanks for giving me a very clear picture.

Thou I have some queries regarding the points, mentioned by you:

1.As per submitting the site in DMOZ & yahoo, I have submitted in DMOZ two months back, thou no response. In Yahoo, in a couple of days, I would be doing the paid submission. I have added in all good Directories, be it paid of free.

OK, forget dmoz. Resubmitting brings you last in the cue.

2. As per the content is concerned, I add new content, once in a week, in specific categories. On an average I write two articles in a day, which I publish on my site. Do I need to add more ???

Why not, if it is natural? What about RSS syndication? Have you emptied the potential? In my view syndication to other sites you or your friends own should be done, when it is natural.

3. How can I have this financial / IT ad driven news and link collection site. Thou I have added my site link in various news & magazines sections. Apart from that any other resource be it paid where I can submit.

In search for profit maximum, start with: strongest links.

4. Your 4th point is very good. I will try to incorporate that in my site.



5. As per writing a new story, I publish 2 articles daily related to finance on my site. These are written by me & are not copied from anywhere. These deal in all the topics listed in my website.

Unique content will win the end. Patience and syndication are important KW's.

In addition, bots, can as far as I know, not read RSS (XML) code, but there are indications that Google like pages with RSS links. Much of this is deliverd via XML (RSS) code.

6. In case if I remove those affiliates from my site & place some general content. Do I have a better chance as per ranking in Google is concerned.

Difficult to say, but I think Google prefer content to even the best Ad.


7. When you say KW's visual Ad through WebTv. What do you mean?? & will having a video in site ( podcasting ) help in the ranking.

If you read 6. once more, I mean, that today the internet is not a serious competitior to (visual) Ad on Tv, especially for big financial institutions.

8. You have also mentioned Magnetic. What is that???


James Deans face in East of Eden. The banner of Value Line on my site, if you know what Value Line is?

If you really help me out with all this. I would really be thankful.

Waiting for your reply.

-SEEK UK