Google Question

[JSeverson]

Hi all,
I have a client who is going nuts about getting his site listed on the first page of results on Google for his keywords. For most of his keywords, he is doing really well on both Yahoo and MSN. On only 1 keyword phrase is he higher than 15 on both search engines.

But, Google is another story. I was able to move him up about 20 positions to the 12th result on one keyword phrase and I was able to move him up 50 positions to the 14th result for another keyword phrase.

I have tried telling him that he needs more incoming links, currently between 200 - 250 incoming links, and more content that is rich with his keywords but he does not seem to understand this.

This morning, he sent me an e-mail with 2 links. These 2 links are the 4th and 7th position results on Google for one of his keyword phrases: reed switch. He would like for me to explain to him why these sites are in those positions while his site is appearing on the 3rd page of results for this keyword phrase.

I understand why the first of the 2 links is appearing in the 4th position. The page is full of content that is rich with keywords although, it does only have 71 incoming links according to www.sitereportcard.com.

But, I'm stumped on why the site in 7th position is listed in that position. The word "reed" appears 5 times on the page and the word "switch" appears 6 times but there is hardly any content. The page has no meta keywords, no meta description, no page rank, no alt tag on the product image and, according to www.sitereportcard.com, only has 2 incoming links. I viewed the source and there doesn't appear to be any hidden content.

Can anyone explain this? If you'd like me to provide the links to the 2 sites in question, please let me know but, I thought I'd leave them out so I wasn't providing them with an additional incoming link.

[ctabuk]

Hi, firstly show us your clients URL
Reed is a musical title - ie wind instuments, saxophones use reeds, we need to know the 'exact problems' not a glimpse

[JSeverson]

Hi,
My question isn't as much about my client's site, which can be found at http://www.hascorelays.com/, as it is in answering his question about the 2 sites that are ranking before his site. I know my client's site needs more content and more incoming links and I'm trying to convince him that his site needs both.

I've already added copy, made the site xhtml compliant, converted the subheads to <h3> and <h4> tags, added a second navigation to the bottom of all secondary pages, added alt tags to all images, and created a site map. I think there were a few other small changes that I made but I can't recall what they were at this time.

It's just a matter of having the client write more copy, including full product descriptions, and having him exchange links with his clients, suppliers, etc.

My question, and my client's question, is why is www.eleinmec.com/article.asp?23 and http://www.gleasonresearch.com/prod.php?sku=CX-REED ranking higher? The first of the those 2 links is easily explainable. It has a lot of content that is rich with keywords. But, I can't figure out why the 2nd link is listed before my client's site. As I mentioned in my previous post, this page has no meta keywords, no meta description, no page rank, no alt tag on the product image and only 2 incoming links. Well, 3 incoming links once this post is picked up. :-)

[Paul B]

First off it's not the number of links, but the quality. Links from sites with higher PR seem to give a higher PR. Also the anchor or relevance of the link helps too. ie if the link is 'reed switch' not www.yourclinet.com it will be better.

Your client's site has so little content - the home page has about 62 words. 'Reed' appears 6 times and 'switch' or 'switches' 4 times. Then as image alt/title tags 3 times and in a menu item. I feel you could be near to what google may class as spamming.

www.eleinmec.com/article.asp?23 is a fine example of what G likes, with lots of associated keywords convinces the alog. that it's a pucker page. The Gleason one is more of a mystery...

They both have a PR of 5 your client's is 4.

[clasione]

Would like to take a look - post the url without the http or www

[JSeverson]

Paul,
Yeah, I realize that site has too little content. As I said, I'm trying to get the client to provide more.

Aside from hiding text or repeating words over and over again in a non-paragraph style, what is considered spam? I thought I read somewhere on this site that having your keywords 4-6 times on a page was fine providing that it was in well-written paragraph style. And do image alt tags have the same value as regular content? I've always felt that alt tags are of less value than actual content but that's just my opinion.

I can't figure out why the Gleason link is listed above my client's site either. And that's the question I really need to answer for my client.

[JSeverson]

clasione,
I'm not sure which link you were referring to so here are all 3.

Client's site: www.hascorelays.com
Site in 4th position: eleinmec.com/article.asp?23
Site in 7th position: gleasonresearch.com/prod.php?sku=CX-REED

The Gleason site is the site that I can't explain being above my client's site in the search results. It has even less content than my client's site.

[cspelts]

The Gleason site is the site that I can't explain being above my client's site in the search results. It has even less content than my client's site.

gleasonresearch.com has a PR of 5, and the site in whole has many more incoming links than your client's site. (Go to http://www.marketleap.com/publinkpop/default.htm to see.)

I realize Google ranks pages, not sites, but pages on authority sites, do seem to usually rank higher.

That said, I'd focus more on improving your own page! In addition to adding some real content, I'd put text links to your subpages on the front page, and clean up the repetition in your meta tags.

[JSeverson]

cspelts,
Thanks for the information. I'm in the process of convincing my client to provide me with more content for his site.