Fishy Rank 1\. Google Algorithm Bug?
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We have noticed some strange rankings for a while that do not make any type of logical sense from an SEO standpoint. After an SEO review, it is found that these sites rank for top terms in very competitive markets for no clear reason.
To demonstrate, here is research for one of the categories where this is taking place.
Google for "Phoenix Computer Repair"
Rank #1: www.datafast.net/phoenix-computer-repair.html
Rank #2: www.mobiletechsupport.com
Rank #4: www.mypctechs.com
Linkscape Visualization and Comparison Report
The first thing we run is a linkscape visualization and comparison report. Compare site #1 to #4 or site #2 to #4. In all instances, site #1 and site #2 are completely dominated by site #4.
Visualizer stats, with higher ranking site #1 on the left. Lower ranking site #4 on right:
| Overall Score | 29% | 53% |
| Page mozRank | 3.72 37% | 5.66 57% |
| Page mozTrust | 5.41 54% | 6.09 61% |
| External mozRank | 3.38 34% | 5.62 56% |
| Subdomain mozRank | 3.91 39% | 5.70 57% |
| Domains Linking | 11 12% | 74 29% |
| External Links | 10 0% | 17461 60% |********Linkscape Report
Next, running a linkscape report to evaluate inbound links for site #1 shows a collection of cheap profile spam links. There actually appear to be no high quality inbound links:
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****http://fastw3b.net/forum/index.php?action=profile;u=3432;sa=summary
TARGET: www.datafast.net/phoenix-computer-repair.html
TITLE: View the profile of Phoenix12****Anchor Text: Computer Repair Phoenix
URL Metrics
- mozRank: 0.00
- mozTrust: 0.00
- Passing: 1.59
domain Metrics (fastw3b.net)
- mozRank: 5.19
- mozTrust: 5.05
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http://djdriblemouth.com/Simple Machines Forum 1.1.11 blog/index.php?action=profile;u=1897;sa=summary
TARGET: www.datafast.net/phoenix-computer-repair.html
TITLE: View the profile of Phoenix59****Anchor Text: Computer Repair Phoenix
URL Metrics
- mozRank: 0.00
- mozTrust: 0.00
- Passing: 1.56
domain Metrics (djdriblemouth.com)
- mozRank: 2.38
- mozTrust: 2.59
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http://www.bettingfc.com/forum/index.php?action=profile;u=1990;sa=summary
TARGET: www.datafast.net/phoenix-computer-repair.html
TITLE: View the profile of Phoenix59
********Checking Page Text and Content
Full evaluation of the top site #1 shows there's not much relevant content on the pages to warrant rank 1. Just a few bare pages with very little text. Site #2 does have a lot of on-page information, but still not enough useful information to justify rank #2 in this market.
********So, what's going on?
How is site #1 without any good inbound link and very little page content and site #2 with little inbound links and low trust ranking above sites with tens of thousands more inbound links, sites with more content, and sites that dominate in every way with MOZRank.
Is this some kind of black-hat SEO that is exploiting an unpublished weakness in Google? If so, what method is being used? Spammy profile links? The current site ranked #1 has been reported to Google as SPAM 3 times in the past. Every time it disappears from the top ranking for a few weeks, but is back again a short time later.
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We all have "get links" drilled into our head repeatedly, and for good reason. Links are a key factor in determining a site's authority and worthiness in the eyes of the public.
Relevancy can definitely outweigh links, as you see in this case. There is nothing wrong with Google's ranking in this case. Below is an analysis for the #1 ranked datafast.net:
Search Term: phoenix computer repair
Page Title: Phoenix Computer Repair | Computer Repair in Phoenix Arizona (AZ)
1. Page Title begins with an exact phrase match for the searched term.
2. Page Title is short, so the words used have a lot of weight
3. Page Title offers a full second match of the phrase, though not an exact match
Your page title (the #4 rank) is optimized for the search term but not quite as well based on word order and word count.
On Page factors:
4. The top ranked site misses an opportunity by not using the ALT tag for it's images. Just an fyi.
5. The first words in the content area of the #1 ranked site is the phrase from the page's title: Phoenix Computer Repair Services. The words appear in large bold-type, though not a H1 header.
6. Exact phrase match appears twice more on the page, once in the content and once in the footer. The content appearance is in bold.
7. The phrase "computer repair in Phoenix" is also used, in bold.
The page clearly offers very little content. But there are several things that work in it's favor. There is no header text, no ads, the side bar only contains the navigation, and the footer only contains basic site links. The content area text has a lot of weight in that regard.
The content, while very light on word count, is straight forward and to the point. Their focus is a perfect match for the keyword phrase involve.
This page is not spam. I would not advise reporting the page as spam. The Google account used to report this page can be devalued in the eyes of the spam team for doing such. It would seem you are reporting the page to eliminate competition, and not due to any actual spam.
The #1 ranked page was designed for the exact phrase you are using. The domain and page authority aren't great, but a 3x ranking isn't bad either.
The #4 site's page uses the key phrase....ZERO times. There is a (non-exact) match in the footer with "Computer Repair Phoenix". The #4 site is heavily stuffed. The footer is a list of 15 cities and 200 zip codes.
Bottom line, Google got it right. The #1 site is a local, established business with some authority and a page perfectly optimized for the phrase involved. The #4 site needs work to be more competitive on this phrase.
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Yesterday (June 9th, 2011) I had my top ranking website on page one number one be deindexed completely. No reason was given, no explanation in webmaster tools. All previous statistics in my webmaster tools account are gone, its empty. Something is going on with google right now.
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