inconsistent google results

[allardp]

I am trying to understand how google really works, and if it really gives good results based on what is indexed. Untill now I have found Google the best searcher, but I doubt that it really gives correct results.

For example, I want to know which pages are indexed of a specific site, so I can do a search in google like : site:www.ideiatours.com.br I have seen the number of cached pages of that site grow in the last months, until about 300 cached pages. But to my surprise, today I see only 2 cached pages. What happened to all the rest? I have seen before that the number of cached pages can vary enormously between two subsequent days, to both higher and lower. If you look at the cache of any page of ideiatours.com.br, there is a link on the bottom to www.smpc.com.br (http://www.smpc.com.br) So that should prove that google has cached the link. (if you search for " smartpc salvador" you will find other pages that link to my site)

So, now I want to know which pages link to my website, so I first search in google for : www.smpc.com.br (http://www.smpc.com.br) and then I click on the link "Find web pages that link to (http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&rls=GGLG,GGLG:2005-22,GGLG:en&q=link:QZEjSo79cRYJ:www.smpc.com.br/) www.smpc.com.br" which is something like this : link:QZEjSo79cRYJ:www.smpc.com.br/ Then I find absolutely no pages at all. (in the past I found at least about 4)

So, now I am wondering: what is going on? Why doesn't google return any expected results?

[Eric]

google is constantly refreshing their index list. Because some page was indexed a while ago doesn't mean that it will always be in the google index forever. If you are not finding your pages of your site within the google index, I would recommend re-submitting your site to google.

Eric
DiscountASP.NET
http://www.DiscountASP.NET

[allardp]

ok, I understand that the index is updated continuously, but why would such a large number of pages suddenly disappear from the index? The site ideiatours.com.br really didn't change (only more pages added and content updated, but no pages were removed), and the pages that were previously in the google index still exist online. So first I had >300 pages in the google index, and now only 2. The site has not been offline any moment.


And how is it possible that I cannot any sites referencing to my own site, even though I can see that there exists at least some sites in the google cache with a link to my site. (for example the pages of ideiatours.com.br are in the google cache, and pointing to smpc.com.br)


thanks for any explanations!

[Eric]

Google is a blackbox- no one knows how they really work - and they are continually refreshing their index and testing out new algorithms and display options. I've run the same search at work and home on the same day and got different results - so I suspect Google was testing out search results for business and residential areas.

The only people that would know is Google - you may want to ask them and see if you get an adequate response. But while you are trying to get in contact with them, I would highly recommend resubmitting your site if your pages are missing from their index.

Eric
DiscountASP.NET
http://www.DiscountASP.NET

[mjp]

[quote]

allie said...
why would such a large number of pages suddenly disappear from the index? The site ideiatours.com.br really didn't change (only more pages added and content updated, but no pages were removed), and the pages that were previously in the google index still exist online. So first I had >300 pages in the google index, and now only 2.

In addition to changing their algorithms from time to time, Google will also drop a domain if they consider it to be violating any of their rules (keyword spamming, etc.). See these articles:

Webmaster Guidelines (go to the bottom to see what they will penalize you for)
http://www.google.com/support/webmasters/bin/answer.py?answer=35769

Why is my page's location in the search results lower than before?
http://www.google.com/support/webmasters/bin/answer.py?answer=34444&topic=8524

My site?s ranking in Google
http://www.google.com/support/webmasters/bin/topic.py?topic=8524




mjp
DiscountASP.NET
http://DiscountASP.NET

[joelnet]

I've also seen the same query run at the same time in different locations return different results. in one region I was #1 and in others I wasn't even on page 1.


Joel Thoms
DiscountASP.NET
http://www.DiscountASP.NET

[allardp]

ok... In the meantime, I might know why : I have pages that can be found using a parameter id= and the same pages are also accessible with parameter ct_id. They both have the same effect, but Google probably sees it as duplicate pages, so that might be why pages were removed? (why not all then?)


and how about the linkto:... search option ? Any idea how that "should" work? I mean, if on site A there is a link to site B AND page A with the correct link can be seen in the cache of google, then why I cannot find any pages linking to site B ?
thanks