Has Google lost its mind? I am the only link in every SERP for a query?

[mydebdress2]

I run a small online debutante dress store and have been doing some onsite seo recently.  Anyways, when I search for the search query "deb dress style guide" my site is the only search result for the first three pages of Google Australia (my target market). Just endless links to my site. I have competitors in my niche who all have websites worthy of listing in the SERP as shown when you google "deb dresses".

Can anyone explain whats going on?

[BizDetox]

Not what my sepr shows in the us. but is AU yes you are right. You have 80% of the share space on the first three pages. I guess there is not enough competition for that specific keyword query.

On my search you dont show up anywhere on the first page.

Only one conclusion.

google is recognizing your query as a Branded search since your website name and url is deb dress. Accompanied by low competition if might do that . ie: its like doing a search for Bizdetox my companies name. All you will find is info about my company and my pages.

Btw what has your keyword research show you in AU in regards to "deb dress style guide"

Also just check your keyword in Google Keyword Tools. It doesnt even show any traffic so of course your going to show up.

More and more i look it looks like a very unique branded search

Best wishes

Hampig M

Bizdetox

[DarinPirkey]

Brendan,

It looks like you have some sort of personalization on your search.  Try this search string and see if you get the same result:

http://www.google.com.au/search?q=debutante+dress&pws=0

I"m not sure how familiar you are with search strings but I just want to take a moment and go over how you can know in the future if you have personalization in a search or not.

http://www.google.com.au/search?q=debutante+dress&aq=f&oq=debutante+dress&sugexp=chrome,mod=9&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

If you look at the string above you will notice "&aq=f&oq=debutante+..." everything after this (and including) are parameters in your search.  To avoid this take all of it out after your query so it looks like this

http://www.google.com.au/search?q=debutante+dress

then add the following to make sure that all personalization is off

"&pws=0"

Your search string should look like this now

http://www.google.com.au/search?q=debutante+dress&pws=0

[MarieHaynes]

Nope.  It's not personalization.

I've seen this happen for a number of SERP checks.  It happens for us for our real estate searches.  Not sure why, but I'm not complaining.  

[DarinPirkey]

Did you get the same results when you did the search?

[DarinPirkey]

Just realized I did search for "debutante dresses" not "deb dress style guide".  It would help if I did the correct search, huh?

[mydebdress2]

I am not complaining obviously considering im ranking so many times for the search query, but im intrigued by why google considers this useful. "deb dress' is a style of dress and not a brand, so shouldnt be a branded search query for me.

[DarinPirkey]

Useful is relevant.

Useful (in Google's eye) means that the page answers the intent of the query.  If someone is looking for a deb dress style guide then your pages ARE useful.  Since there isn't anyone else competing for that keyword, then all the results are, in fact, useful for the given query.

[BizDetox]

Again i strongly feel that this is a case of branded search and should not be dismissed.

Please take a look at the keyword he is ranking for. No stats exist in googles database which only tells me two things

1. It is a VERY LOW producing keyword where getting ranked is virtually inevitable. Because google recognizes that word just as that . i.e.: ( his page title and eve domain url is fairly close to the keyword he is ranking for ) and if no one else is competing for that keyword then the serps will show what is relevant.

2. Branded search . Its his name . Its the business name. The business url , etc and with low competition for that phrase it only makes sense.

Hope i was clear.

Best Wishes

Hampig M

CEO

BizDetox

[BradsDeals]

FYI, Deb is an American clothing retailer, and they sell dresses. So even if it's not a brand in Australia, it is still a brand that sells the thing that you're trying to rank for. I can see where Google might find it semantically confusing.