Where have we gone?

[MrPictures]

Hi folks - new here

Have been looking after our site for 5 years now and have managed to build up over 100 page 1 rankings on various related searched for our site www.1311events.net

However, Tuesday (now to be remembered as Black Tuesday!!) saw our site disappear on all of those strings except a few like 'live bands for hire' and 'live bands uk'. We used to get found on loads of things like 'soul bands in london', 'jazz bands in birmingham' and other geographic /music related strings. Not any more.

I made 2 changes last week:
Bought a .co.uk domain and uploaded a copy of the entire site after pointing the weddings buttons/links at each other throughout each of the sites.

Added a scrolling text field to both index pages with related content and links to other parts of the site.

Now, I know that scrolling marquee text isn't very attractive but 2 of our competitors use it and both have superior rankings to us. One of them also uses a .com and .co.uk and point each other across as we have done so I'm inclined to believe that we haven't been banned for doing this.

The only thing I can think of is that Google has decided we have been spam filling?

Anyways, since Black Tuesday, I have made amendments throughout the site to try and change our search strings to 'wedding music' and 'wedding bands'.

Did anyone make it this far? If so:
Anyone think we have a hope in hell of achieving first page returns on these?
Anyone any ideas why Google has dumped us?
Anyone have any idea when Google will pick up changes in these strings and titles, tags etc

Thanks to all in advance.

MrP

PS. We do have a sitemap.

[incrediblehelp]

Moved to Search Engine Optimization Forum

Scrolling text wont have any effect on your rankings.

Did you have a lot of reciprocal or un-related links as a majority of your backlinks?

What do you consider "spam filling" to be?

[greeneagle]

Quote:

"I made 2 changes last week:
Bought a .co.uk domain and uploaded a copy of the entire site after pointing the weddings buttons/links at each other throughout each of the sites."

That's a scarey statement!

Ken

[janeth]

I would get rid of the duplicate content and make the site for the visitor and work on links for traffic and the search engines.

[adbart]

See the quote above.

What do you mean by this? Is your site spread out over different domains?

[greeneagle]

MrPictures,

Reread what Janeth had to say, It's good advice. Make sure and 301 all subjugate IRLs to the predominant (most valid links), in the process. 301 your .myURLs.X also.

The SE's are logic machines, they want, seek and their whole existance) is primarily based on good clear clean logic.

You not only "broke" the "logic chain" against known best practices but you committed a mortal sin if you "duped it" at another IRL.

If that's what you did, go straight to jail... DO NOT PASS "GO"...

If that is the scenario... your "Get Out of Jail Free Card", probably doesn't exist... you are most likely bound to a "term penalty" 30-60-90 days, I am not sure.

It's not the "Death Penalty" though... Make atones for your "sins" now...301 them!

Ken

[greeneagle]

This is a good thread for us to discuss these Dupe Content issues in-depth if anyone feels the need.

Looks like this one:
http://www.1311events.co.uk/index.html

Is listed below this one:
http://www.1311events.net/

Have fun,
Ken

[Duncan Pollock]

Absolutely!
As the saying goes: if it ain't broke, don't fix it.
In any case, I'm far from convinced that switching to a co.uk domain when you already have a web presence is going to improve matters, even if you think that Google et al will include you in their non-US (i.e. UK) SERPS (and never mind repeat them in pages from UK).
Who knows how the search engines view and treat the differentiation? We've had several threads that offer comments but no real proof of which domains go/belong where.
In my own case, for example, I do well with my .com site but hardly ever appear in pages from Canada -- and I've no thought/intention whatsoever of trying to alter the fact. I'm content with what I get and I'm quite sure that moving to a .ca domain isn't going to do me one scrap of good -- and least of all if I simply copy/duplicate the site.
There's some 'ard lessons out there and I'm afraid you've just larned one of 'em.

Duncan

[MrPictures]

Thanks folks for reading. Sounds like my little brain has been overactive and taken out the key link to keeping our site related to what we do. I will amend the .co.uk site to redirect to our .net site, keep the site 'within itself' and het building our relevant links again.

What pees me off though is one of our competitors has their .com and .co.uk sites pointing at each other and is very highly ranked. Is it worth reporting their site? Perhaps karma will ensure and if I stay a good boy and do what I'm s'posed to without causing any fuss then things will revert back to normal?

Thanks to you ALL for your input.

MrP

P.S Does anyone have any related sites that will reciprocate a link ;o)

[MrPictures]

Thanks folks for reading. Sounds like my little brain has been overactive and taken out the key link to keeping our site related to what we do. I will amend the .co.uk site to redirect to our .net site, keep the site 'within itself' and het building our relevant links again.

What pees me off though is one of our competitors has their .com and .co.uk sites pointing at each other and is very highly ranked. Is it worth reporting their site? Perhaps karma will ensure and if I stay a good boy and do what I'm s'posed to without causing any fuss then things will revert back to normal?

Thanks to you ALL for your input.

MrP

P.S Does anyone have any related sites that will reciprocate a link ;o)