One of our client sites, gosimply.com, is currently ranked at #7 for the term ‘Airport Parking’ by Google Kenya (google.co.ke). For the same term they are currently at around #237 from Google UK.
Referring to a random selection of other regional Google search engines, along with google.com, we see some peculiar results:
| Query >>> | UK Airport Parking | Airport Parking | |
| Google.co.uk | Not presented in 885 of 381,000 | #237 / 1,320,000 | |
| Google.com | #19 & #20 of 382,000 | #18 & #19 / 1,310,000 | |
| Google.co.in | #19 & #20 of 330,000 | #36 of 3,393,000 | India |
| Google.co.jp | #20 & #21 of 396,000 | #36 of 3,920,000 | Japan |
| Google.co.ke | #20 & #21 of 396,000 | #7 of 3,930,000 | Kenya |
| Google.co.ls | #20 & #21 of 2,880,000 | #32 of 3,930,000 | Lesotho |
| Google.lu | #20 & #21 of 396,000 | #34 of 3,930,000 | Luxembourg |
The gosimply.com site was launched earlier this year as a re-branding of a previously prominent and very successful online service for travellers. The new site is beautifully designed by the site owners to be user-friendly, open and informative. As far as they are concerned all that has fundamentally changed is their domain.
Google say that their algorithm “relies on the uniquely democratic nature of the web by using its vast link structure as an indicator of an individual page’s value.”
They’ve previously disclaimed responsibility for their search results pointing out that they are chosen automatically by a computer program. But these contrasting results suggest that something else is taking place. Google appears to be making some arbitrary editorial choices that are specifically penalising gosimply.com in the Google UK search results.
Google – you are getting it wrong!
We’d love to hear of any similar experiences…
“As far as they are concerned all that has fundamentally changed is their domain.”
They changed their domain? And when they changed their domain did they bother to point all of the previous pages to the new domain? Did they keep their old content?
Bottom line is, it’s not Google. I love to hate Google as much as the next person, but changing your domain, especially if your site is ranking well already is just about the stupidest move you can make.
They have a long road ahead of them.
Kristine, that’s not correct, you can change a domain and have all results back with a very short space of time. I’m with Tony on this one. Google has got it’s knickers in a twist.
I bet $10 they haven’t :)
DaveN
Only $10 Dave? Are you not that confident then?
I not a betting man, but I’m 99.9% sure we your not ranking in the UK
:)
DaveN
Don’t keep us in suspense DaveN – Christmas is a time for giving so why not share :)
Just to clarify:-
“When they changed their domain did they bother to point all of the previous pages to the new domain?”
Absolutely, all pages are 301′d and the gosimply.com domain is hosted in the UK.
“Changing your domain, especially if your site is ranking well already is just about the stupidest move you can make. They have a long road ahead of them.”
Okay, please explain this long road…. F.Y.I. the gosimply domain was not a “fresh” domain (i.e. never been registered) and it had a small amount of ethical link history from the previous owner, which was actually travel related anyhow.
Tell you what, if someone knows the actual problem and it is proven i’ll bung them £250.
Tony, I see Dave has started a post on DavidNaylor.co.uk on this issue.
After reading the post, I can see Dave’s logic. I am gathering data on another site that appears to be falling foul of Google UK invisibility, but some of the factors that are in the mix do not fit the case.
Since posting this in December 2008 I have noticed this site has gained number 1 position for Gatwick Parking and is doing well for all other airport parking key words.
Is google at fault now or have editors intervened, no you just got better and google takes time to pick this up.
I have operated Flypark.co.uk since 1989 online and for a 2 year period dominated the key words Gatwick Airport Parking,
Heathrow Airport Parking and Manchester Airport Parking then in late 2007 the site just bombed.
It has since worked its way back to page 1 positions but nothing like its former glory. If we knew how google worked we would not be writing posts like this. Google is forever changing and most of these so called gurus who flood the market with the answer to the promised land are mostly chancers preying on the vulnerable. If you knew how google worked would you tell anyone?