Pets – www.mypets.net.au

When we took on this client, they had already taken some positive steps forward to attaining good rankings for their site, so we are unable to take all the credit. The site was No.23 on Google.com.au for “Pets”, but had been in this position for 6 months.

Page 3 on Google.com.au is like coming 2nd in a winner takes all race. You are ahead of many, many sites, but almost no-one turns to page 3 of Google, all the action is on Page 1. So no prize for this client.

Enter the SEO Guys in October 2008. There were many code problems which we fixed, which made some difference. Thee forum had been set up in such a way that it caused the site to incur penalties. Up to No.13 the site went, but no further.

We realised the main problem was content, the site owner simply had not written enough information about pets, and the site really did not deserve to be on page 1. The competition was way ahead, and no matter what we did, Google was too clever and would see her site was lacking and not rank it.

Soul searching was done, and eventually our client agreed to write 30 more pet articles, which took her 3 months -the site is a hobby site with the owner writing articles in her spare time.

The articles were then edited by us to ensure maximum impact and loaded onto the site and “Boom” onto page one with a bullet at No.9, then No.6 and then BAM! No.3 on www.google.com.au for the single word "Pets".

Single word phrases such are the hardest to gain rankings on, and as a result are the most valuable.

One very happy client. As always, we do not promise No.1 rankings, but in this case, we are quietly confidant that its going to happen. 

10 August 2009 
Stop Press. Site is now at No.1 for "Pets". Pets, is a very competitive, single word phrase so we are very happy with this achievement.

25 November 2009
Stop Press.  the SeoGuys have been called in because of a slide in rankings, our job is to find the problem.  Site has dropped to 7 on Google.com,au for "Pets".  Its clear on looking at the site, a whole heap of new problems have crept in.  Duplicate and old content being the main problems.  I think its important to note here that getting a site to No.1 on Google.com,au is an achievement, but unless you match what the competition is doing?  Your site will not stay there for long.  Will report back when we know more about what is going on.

18 December 2009
As I suspected, idle website development is the problem here.  Dead links, dated content, empty pages…. Google no longer feels the site is worthy of the top spot and the reality is?  Google is right.  We are working with the client now, to improve the site content and remove the dead links, and expect to see a recovery of the site in January, or February 2010.  Watch this space.

3 March 2010
Now back as the No.1 site in Australia for Pets.

17 February 2011
Site is is by Google Panda and is wiped off the map.  We'd not been involved for some time – this client does a lot of her own SEO.  Sometimes SEO though can be like betting on the horses.  You get a good streak going.  You try some low risk bets, they come off.  You up the stakes and try some riskier stuff.  It pays off.  You think you can't be touched.  You start doing riskier and riskier things and then BAM along comes Google with Panda and you are wiped out.

As of today, 14 April we are on the case.

20 June 2011
Site is back on page 1, at No.7. Still a long way to go, so many problems.

27 September 2011
Up to No.2 and doing better on long tail searches.  About 60% recovered.

5 December 2011
No.1 position now regained and site fully recovererd.