Friday, March 29th, 2024

W WebWorks by Terry Young
Playing in the Sandbox



PLAYING IN THE SANDBOX

Has Google Banned Your Site?

Last year saw several changes to the way Google ranks and lists web sites. Some of these changes affected millions of sites, cutting search results down to almost nothing, or dropping them out completely.




Every so often, Google decides that the way a site was created is not worthy of attention. This is usually because of dubious coding techniques (trying to fool search engines), or because the code was not very well written or is 'out of date.' While this may appear unfair, it is a good thing for Google users because part of the criteria is visitor experience.  For example, if certain coding has known issues with newer browsers, that can become a black mark against the site and affect overall ratings.

One of the biggest recent changes to affect the Google system was the sudden rush of smart phones such as the IPhone or MotorolaQ.  If you ever try searching Google from one of these, you will see totally different results than if you searched at home.  Why? Because the mobile version of Google penalizes sites that aren't Phone compatible.

Since more people are browsing on their phones, this is not good for a site owner, as they are missing out on a large potential visitor base.

So what can you do?   Check Google regularly to make sure you are still in the results somewhere, and also use a 'PageRank' checker to see how highly your site is regarded.   If your site has low PageRank, or has dropped from the listings, all is not lost, as Google now has the 'Sandbox,' where a dropped site can sit for up to 90 days, to give owners a chance to rework their site and resubmit it again.

This would be a perfect time to research newer web technologies, such as our own WebUpdate4 system. This includes better browser compatibility, is very user friendly, and even transmits itself to the search engines for you, to keep your listings at their best.





CLIENT EXPERIENCES

Competitive Golf Association

'Internet Marketing and Design accepted our project being aware of our demanding deadline in November 2007.

Terry Young personally worked closely with us at Competitive Golf Association from day one until the project was complete.

The service and commitment we received from Terry was outstanding. Terry ensured we were satisfied with each phase of the project before we continued to the next.

With steady communication between both parties, encompassing many weekends, the project was completed on time.  We are extremely pleased with the results of the website, and we look forward to working with Internet Marketing and Design on future endeavors.'

John Caynor
Competitive Golf Association
competitivegolfassociation.com





Terry Young is the founder and CEO of Internet Marketing and Design. Since 1997,
his computer programming and graphic design knowledge have kept his company
at the forefront of the latest technology in web development.