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    4. I need your brains please - client site dropped significantly in search since hummingbird

    I need your brains please - client site dropped significantly in search since hummingbird

    Intermediate & Advanced SEO
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    • Intergen
      Intergen last edited by

      I need your support.  I've been doing "SEO" for several years - but sticking to sustainable methods.

      • No junk links
      • Decent content
      • Decent site
      • etc

      The site is advisein.com and it was ranking well for several terms such as:

      • best lsat prep
      • best lsat preparation
      • best lsat course
      • etc.

      Also there are some youtube videos (with the google thumbnail) that were doing extremely well in search and even those dropped in the rankings.

      Can any of you tell if there are some glaring issues that I am missing that would make the website and youtube videos drop 30 - 40+ spots in SERP's over the past few months after dominating for the last 3 years?

      Thank you in advance and I welcome additional questions and any ides....

      1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
      • EGOL
        EGOL last edited by

        Looks like you have unique content.   But I don't see much reason that this site should rank for those queries.

        Here are some things that should help....

        ===================================================

        If you want to rank for "best lsat prep" then you need a page with a razor sharp focus on that query.  I did this search and did not find any pages that made you a competitor.   Where is your page that kills that topic?

        If this was my site I would create a page that is all about that topic and present it without trying to shill myself.  Include  a title tag that is provocative and elicits the click.... maybe... "What is the Best LSAT Prep for You?"   (questions usually elicit more clicks than statements).    I would have hard hitting video, full transcript plus links to supplemental documents that hit that topic hard.   Maybe printable pdf check list...  "Getting your best LSAT prep"... and other genuinely useful documents that continue to target this topic from different angles and are well optimized.

        Well optimized pages have "best lsat prep" on the left side of the title tag and on-page elements that make the page relevant for that exact query.  That includes H1, phrase in text, and substantive unique content.

        Well optimized pages also contain images, media and links to supplemental documents that are all about "best lsat prep". I might embed a video that has "best lsat prep" in the title and speaks directly to that subject.  Not a side-swipe.  Directly.

        ==============================================

        Your site is not as strong as the competition.  Not as well optimized.  Can you produce some content that would be fantastic resources that university department websites and law schools might link to?  Right now your link profile is thin and low quality.   How about some free guides on What is the Best LSAT Prep for You?   These will deliver power to your site, and traffic who might seek your service if you impress them with what you do for free.

        The pages on your site that focus the best on LSAT Preparation are marketing your business.  If you want to build a powerful, highly trafficked site that demonstrates your expertise, attracts recommendations and visitors I would put the focus on being helpful first and marketing second.

        The sites that I own that sell the most are the most helpful to potential customers in their business niche or the most helpful site that offers a product.

        ============================================

        Another problem that your website has is inconsistent URLs.

        If you do this search.... you will see several pages of your site listed with both the www (www.advisein.com) and non www (advisein.com) URL.   Note the "Letter from our Founder" listing.  It appears twice as does others.

        This should be fixed with a 301 redirect to your non www URL.   Perhaps your server allows htaccess files.  Also, all of your internal links should be without the www.  Most of them are from what I have seen.

        Correcting this should increase the power of your site because you will not have all of those duplicate pages out there.

        ============================================

        As you can see, most of my recommendations are things that should be done by the owner of this website and not by the SEO.  The owner needs to get his expertise out there and make a site that attracts traffic because it has assets that attract visitors and recommendations.

        Good luck.

        FedeEinhorn 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 3
        • FedeEinhorn
          FedeEinhorn @EGOL last edited by

          If only I knew who you are Egol... 😛

          EGOL 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
          • EGOL
            EGOL @FedeEinhorn last edited by

            Federico... I am starting to read more and more of your posts.    Giving you lots of thumbs up!

            I see your "historical moz points" line is getting steeper because lots of people are starting to read your posts and give you thumbs up.

            http://moz.com/community/users/372560

            Nice work!

            FedeEinhorn 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 2
            • FedeEinhorn
              FedeEinhorn @EGOL last edited by

              🙂 That coming from you is just enough for the day 😛

              I don't know who you are or what you do, but reading your responses I never, and I mean NEVER have something to add. It's like reading from wikipedia... lol

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