In a continuing effort to educate and enlighten the webmasters who work with Google, the a live chat event focused on reasons for a decline in Google rankings and how to overcome such happenings. Some of the major reasons for declining rankings are discussed below, thanks to input from Jonathan Simon of Google.

Duplicate Content

Too much duplicate content is probably the primary reason for a drop in the Google rankings for your web site. Duplicate content results when there are numerous URLs all pulling from one master source. It can also be due to syndication of content without avowal of the source. Sometimes scrappers will be combining content from numerous sources and posting it. The best way to prevent a drop in ranking due to duplicate content is to disallow this material by making use of robots.txt. When you syndicate your own content, be sure to establish originality of your work through a text link. You can also require exclusion of your original articles by posters through their use of robots.txt.

Server Problems

Another common problem that causes a drop in Google rankings is when the spider arrives at your site and finds no response, due to a server being down. Make certain you are using a reliable server and that it is adequate to handle the flow of traffic to and from your web site.

Competitive Pressure

If your competition is doing a better job so that their content has improved, or they are garnering more links from sites recognized as authority sites, your own web site may look bleak in comparison. The solution to that is to never rest on your laurels. Keep your content fresh and interesting, add more quality links and impress Google with your attention to detail and hard work.

Changes in Search Trends

Your rankings can change to some extent if search trends on Google change. There are constant adjustments and tweaking of Google’s algorithms so that users will get better results. This means that one factor that you are using may be weighed less heavily one week than in the previous weeks. Rather than frantically trying to tweak your own web site search engine optimization techniques each time there is a ranking fluctuation, you should wait for a time to see if the rankings level off. In the meantime, be certain you follow the best practices for search engine optimization techniques.

Guidelines Violations

Be sure you understand and use all the Google Guidelines effectively. Violations can result in a negative trend in your rankings and can even shut down your web site if not corrected. Whether the violation is caused by you, a member of your staff, or by a third party vendor, it can be devastating to your record. You should always check the qualifications of any vendor that you work with before signing a contract. If there is any hint of bad conduct on their part, find another vendor. If you should be unlucky enough that your site is flagged, determine what the problem is, correct it and submit your web site for reestablishment.

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