Google is a Mathematical Equation, Not a Mythical God
Google creates a level playing field where the Davids and Goliaths duke it out for ranking. Google does not reward or punish but assesses according to a mathematical algorithm impartial to whether you are General Motors or Tesla. This algorithm is constantly challenged and changed as hackers rise to the opportunities to buy, cheat or piggyback their way to the top ranking.
Like a game of snakes and ladders, a company can step up in the rankings only to slide into oblivion because some enterprising but nefarious rogue chose a promising site to invisibly latch onto with a portal to a porn site. Some have seen their traffic increase meteorically only to witness it abruptly disappear off the radar when the Google 'bot' catches up and cuts the site like a ripe banana.
What can you do if that happens? Nothing. Just start over. But make sure your site is protected and healthy. Watch your statistics with Google Analytics. A spike in traffic should follow a significant event or posting. This way you stay clear on what is working for you and what might be suspect. Build your traffic in a credible way. There are lots of offers to buy mega numbers of followers or lists. Beware. There are no short cuts. They will inevitably get you lost. If not in rankings, in your reputation and customer perception which is infinitely harder to recover.
The next question is how, then, does Google know if are a Neurosurgeon - just because you say so? Your credibility is what the algorithm assesses. How it does that is by watching your website for traffic – how many people key in your URL? For references – how many other sites, preferably larger sites like educational facilities, ezines and such, link to you? How often do you add relevant content to your site? When there is little new activity on a site the Google bot does a larger orbit before returning to check your site for news. Where is your traffic coming from? Blogging or adding pages of interest (see Meta Tags, Keywords and the Informed Consumer) will increase your credibility and traffic. Social Media connections are invaluable and a separate topic.
Welcome to the Global Google Mall
Whether you are B2B (business to business) or B2C (business to consumer) you need to be in this mall. Some years ago there were competing search engines, but Google pulled out in front for one reason and one reason alone and that was it delivered what the customer wanted with speed and accuracy that outperformed its competitors.
Article comments
1 - Sean D
Please take a look at the very top left of Marilyn Harding's website and see her google analytics code sitting right there: UA-10119037-2. Marilyn you need to check your website in multiple browsers. I bet you won't be able to fix it though since you are not a website designer! This is exactly why the wordpress theme route doesn't work. You actually need to know what you are doing.. It's like doing surgery yourself... It may seem really easy... but if there are complications and if you have no idea about css, you cannot fix it when you have a problem. Then you call up a professional!
GL
2 - Colin Dawson
I completely condone point number 4.
Creating a website is just the starting point, it is no use having a website if you are not going to use some techniques to generate traffic towards the site and once you receive that traffic, to be compelling to the viewer. (As I learnt the hard way in the past)!
Not many people know of the wide range of techniques that you can use to generate traffic to your site and in turn achieve a higher search engine ranking and secure leads.
Coincidentally, I have just received a mailing from a company called Intellimon, which specialize in website design software and traffic generation services. And in this mailing, they are offering a module from their Complete Guide To Traffic training course completely free for Thanksgiving. I redeemed my free module last night from a choice of 30, and have learnt so much, and am already applying these techniques to my site. The link they provided was to their Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/CompleteGuideTo , I totally recommend you check it out, as you can never have too much knowledge on this subject area.
3 - Marilyn Harding
Hi Sean,
I'm not hiring out as a web designer - good thing! My frustrations and limitations with aspects of templates and plugins make me very respectful of code writers. My ultimate goal is not to be a website developer or to trash website designers.
I do know that many people looking to hook up with a good designer can save themselves money and frustration by asking some relevant questions of those they might hire. This was my intent based on my own experience and the experience of many I know. Personally I think a more informed consumer makes a better client.
And Colin,
Thanks for your comment. There are constantly changing options for traffic generation - organic and purchased. Judging from the majority of websites - if you just glimpse the source code - you will see that many do not comply with the basic Google criteria. Just doing that will set your website above the rest.
When I discovered this on my own professionally designed site written in ColdFusion and costing over $30,000.00 my question to my design company was "Pick your poison - you know this and you did not include it in the source code of my site or you do not know this and you charge me as expert web designers - which is it?". ~ mh
4 - Marilyn Harding
Just a follow up for Sean,
That error with the Google analytics number showing bothered me but I hadn't taken the time to figure it out. After it was pointed out, I contacted the designer of the WordPress "Adaptive" template and within five minutes had the code for the correction.
Tip of the hat to WordPress template designer Jeff Raines
5 - Marilyn Harding
Forgive me - Jeff Rainey - of ThemeSpectrum
6 - Magda
Link exchange is nothing else except it is only placing the other person's webpage link on your page at proper place and other person will also do similar in favor of you.