Rank Dropped...sitemap?

I've maintained first page rank for several years and Google highly
trafficks my site. New pages get indexed within a couple days (about
38,000 indexed pages in Google). But as of today, I've been bumped to
2nd page, with same search words as I alway use to check my listing.

The ONLY change I've made recently is my site map. Prior, I just had
recent new content in the sitemap, maybe 100-200 links, changing
weekly. But, now I've included many more links from older content
(about 20000 links in sitemap now).

Do you think this increase in links in sitemap, from 100/200 to 20000
would actually hurt my rank?

I expected the link increase to help, more content...better rank
opportunity. But this drop to page 2 is quite concerning.

Thoughts?

Your input is overwhelming, Fred. Feel free to not post.

<techguyaaron@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1179947873.565412.194640@p47g2000hsd.googlegr oups.com...
> I've maintained first page rank for several years and Google highly
> trafficks my site. New pages get indexed within a couple days (about
> 38,000 indexed pages in Google). But as of today, I've been bumped to
> 2nd page, with same search words as I alway use to check my listing.

Well, could be a change in your inbound links. Also those other sites that
are now ranking could have got more inbound links helping them rank. A
steady stable ranking in the index is hard to keep if there are sites that
change. You need to keep on top of things to stay ranking the same place all
the time.

> The ONLY change I've made recently is my site map. Prior, I just had
> recent new content in the sitemap, maybe 100-200 links, changing
> weekly. But, now I've included many more links from older content
> (about 20000 links in sitemap now).

Ahh, see you added a lot of internal links so your PR is spread throughout
now so yeah it could a bit of a difference. Gaining so more in bound links
can help this situation. But you can also just wait until things start to
settle with your new additional pages.

> Do you think this increase in links in sitemap, from 100/200 to 20000
> would actually hurt my rank?

It will stable out and probably rise again after these new internals get
weighed. You did add relevant content right?

> I expected the link increase to help, more content...better rank
> opportunity. But this drop to page 2 is quite concerning.

We are talking about internals right? If not then an increase of that much
isn't good. Also can't give to much input as I have not seen the site and
the SERP.

Stacey

--
SEO - Web Design
http://jezsta.com/
Article - Internet Marketing Wholesale Drop Shipping
http://jezsta.com/internet-marketing...opshipping.htm

On 23 May 2007 12:17:53 -0700, "techguyaaron@gmail.com"
<techguyaaron@gmail.com> wrote:

>I've maintained first page rank for several years and Google highly
>trafficks my site. New pages get indexed within a couple days (about
>38,000 indexed pages in Google). But as of today, I've been bumped to
>2nd page, with same search words as I alway use to check my listing.
>
>The ONLY change I've made recently is my site map. Prior, I just had
>recent new content in the sitemap, maybe 100-200 links, changing
>weekly. But, now I've included many more links from older content
>(about 20000 links in sitemap now).
>
>Do you think this increase in links in sitemap, from 100/200 to 20000
>would actually hurt my rank?
>
>I expected the link increase to help, more content...better rank
>opportunity. But this drop to page 2 is quite concerning.
>
>Thoughts?

Ah, it could be that Google thinks that you've suddenly tried to
artificially add a ton of content. Site maps can be a problem, I'd put
it back to how it was. I have to add the caveat that this is not
definitive advice, it's experimental. I know something weird goes on
with sitemaps, but there's not enough evidence for me to form really
firm ideas. But for now, go back to how you were and give it a few
days.

BB
--

http://www.kruse.co.uk/internet-mark...l-business.htm
http://www.kruse.co.uk/internet-marketing-uk.htm
http://www.crystal-liaison.com/giving/

Agreed, Bill, that is what I though as well. I put it back to 150
links. I saw some pretty weird things in Google yesterday, my sites
jumping from page 1 to page to every couple hours, and now back to
10th on page one again. I didn't think Google changed that quickly,
so seems odd.

We also have a ton of inbound links (thousands), as compared to the
sites above us inbound links (hundreds)...which is also troubling.
Google is becoming more unreliable every day, due to all the "link"
sites, that have nor real content and just point somewhere else that
relates to the topic, or to Amazon or something. Google needs to find
a way to validate true content, versus link whores.

>>I know something weird goes on
>>with sitemaps, but there's not enough evidence for me to form really
>>firm ideas

Yes, something weird indeed. I've found that they've hurt my sites
(several sites) ranking after I put up the sitemaps. This is
speculation, but that is what I saw happen after adding sitemaps to
Webmaster Tools.

<techguyaaron@gmail.com> wrote...
> Yes, something weird indeed. I've found that they've hurt my sites
> (several sites) ranking after I put up the sitemaps. This is
> speculation, but that is what I saw happen after adding sitemaps to
> Webmaster Tools.

If there's a problem with your site - and I don't just mean deliberate
spamming - then submitting a Google site map can make things worse, not
better.

It's like an illegal immigrant asking Immigration to check his forged
papers. Even if he was not aware they were forged.

So problems post-submission should be seen as a message that you have a
problem.
--

Andrew
Editor
http://www.seo2seo.com/
First things first - but not necessarily in that order.

On May 23, 4:19 pm, "techguyaa...@gmail.com" <techguyaa...@gmail.com>
wrote:
> Your input is overwhelming,

Thanks

> Feel free to not post.

Feel free not to Top Post.

We've had a sitemap up for years, only showing the newest content, no
problem. But, I just added more links to it.

Something screwy going on. I'm moving between page 1 and page 2 every
couple hours today. And, the Google result counts different each
time, 1 - 469,000,000 and then 1 - 505,000,000 for the same term.
Depending on record count, I'm on different page.

Kinda like the request is being served by different servers at Google,
maybe server farm, and they don't have the same index (similar, but
not the same). Just a thought.

<techguyaaron@gmail.com> wrote ...
> Something screwy going on. I'm moving between page 1 and page 2 every
> couple hours today. And, the Google result counts different each
> time, 1 - 469,000,000 and then 1 - 505,000,000 for the same term.
> Depending on record count, I'm on different page.
> Kinda like the request is being served by different servers at Google,
> maybe server farm, and they don't have the same index (similar, but
> not the same). Just a thought.

Exactly right; Google has multiple 'datacenters', which routinely dish up
slightly different results as some are more rcently updated than others
etc., but when major upgrades are being tested and (perhaps) implemented,
those differences get magnified.

So long as they are not too too different, best to sit it out until things
settle down ... buut watch the trend with care!
--

Andrew
Editor
http://www.seo2seo.com/
First things first - but not necessarily in that order.