Our place in Google

[Michael]

A couple of years ago, if you Googled the word "Beethoven", the "Beethoven Reference Site" would be at or near the top of the list. I now can't find any mention of it in the first three pages (I haven't gone any further). Is there any reason for this? Is it just the luck of the draw? Or is it a CONSPIRACY?? Or my imagination?
Has it anything to do with the recent change of format and whatever else that involved?

Michael

[Chris]

It's actually been like this for quite a while, and it's something Peter and I have tried very hard to figure out. It's quite a mystery.

[Hollywood]

I just when to ASK.com and typed in "Beethoven" and the "Beethoven Reference Site" is listed at #4 on the first page. I think that Google has just gotten too big for its own britches.

[Michael]

The trouble is that Google is the one that most people use.
When the BBC "Beethoven Experience" went out two years ago, this website was the one recommended by them (and still is, because the BBC site is still there).
If there is an answer, I'm sure Chris and Peter will find it.

[WoO]

The culprit seems to be a Google indexing technology called "PageRank"...

See

http://www.google.com/technology/index.html

Regards,
WoO

[Peter]

The culprit seems to be a Google indexing technology called "PageRank"...

See

http://www.google.com/technology/index.html

Regards,
WoO

Maybe but we have links from the BBC, the Beethovenhaus and many other major Beethoven sites, so their argument that only important links count is curious. I have raised the issue with Google but got nowhere - we have improved in ranking from page 14 a year ago to page 9 now, but it is a ridiculous situation when you look at most of the sites ranked higher. Thankfully Yahoo have a better system and the site remains on the first page!

[Maurice Colgan]

Hello Peter, I have been leaving links to this Forum, here and there. Sometimes the robots pick up stuff from the most unlikely places. Elvis Presley websites, and references to Bill Clinton, Einstein, Carl Sagan, Beethoven and Mozart etc, Even here in Irelandtoo.

http://www.beethoven-haus-bonn.de/si..._en&_mid=Forum

[Peter]

Hello Peter, I have been leaving links to this Forum, here and there. Sometimes the robots pick up stuff from the most unlikely places. Elvis Presley websites, and references to Bill Clinton, Einstein, Carl Sagan, Beethoven and Mozart etc, Even here in Irelandtoo.

http://www.beethoven-haus-bonn.de/si..._en&_mid=Forum

Hello Maurice - sorry for the delay in replying. Thanks for doing that - it is odd because I did the google link test a while ago and the site came out near the top! Also we have some high quality links - the BBC and Beethovenhaus for example. I contacted Google and explained this, but got nowhere.