Search Engines - The Frequently Asked Questions

Every so often we get asked complicated questions about search engine submission conditions and how search engines decide what to index, and what to not. We decided to compile a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) article on some of the most common questions and practical answers. Here are the answers you may have been looking for:

I have submitted my website to Google, Yahoo, Bing, etc how long will it take to index?

Short Answer
Anytime from one day to several months.

Long Answer
This can vary greatly, depending on the content of your site, if it is about a current world incident, or how many other entries there is online on a similar topic. There is no set rule when it comes to submissions being processed, it can take days, weeks, or even months in extreme cases, and there is no (publically available) set rule across all topics, interests or industries which your maybe may relate to.

 

Is there any way to "bump" up my results?

Short Answer
Yes, paid advertising on Google.

Long Answer
Yes, you can use paid advertising via on site advertising and paid search results, this can be helpful to overtake your competitors on their keywords and is generally based on a variable amount per "click" or "page view". As far as paying Google to rank your website first or otherwise payoff Google, this is impossible.

 

What do search engines use to rank my website?

Short Answer
Quality Content, Ease Of Use, Ethical Optimisation

Long Answer
Most search engines, Google included, do not reveal how exactly they index sites. However all agree that quality content, ease of use / accessibility and using ethical, non-deceiving optimisation methods are high among the list of factors which are used to index websites. Be aware that your competitors may employ individuals or firms to purposely try and pick holes in your website, and report it to search engines to maintain their search engine results, even when their sites have much greater errors, be vigilant, proactive and avoid issues occurring, if an issue with rankings occur, you request more information and a claim is unfound, many search engines will discount the reporters opinion in future work / correspondence.

 

 

Is there a chance my website has been blacklisted?

Short Answer
Yes, but it's very rare for a normal website

Long Answer
Yes, but normally only illegal activities, adult or very poorly built websites will be blacklisted. It is also possible your website has been reported, or repeated "bash" submissions can result in your website becoming blacklisted. If you suspect this has happened, you must apply for it to be reincluded in your Search Engine. If you find your site has fallen out of one search engine and not another (reputable), it is quite likely your site has been reported by a person or body, rather than a robot or search engine, or it may have been just temporarily removed for indexing reasons from the relevant search engine.

If the problem persists, make contact with a reputable website development company, such as Smith and Wise.

 

If you have any future questions, please contact Smith and Wise on 086 1780 743 or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it