I’m working on all kinds of things, like usual.  That’s why it makes me wonder: was my main site Google slapped because of things I was doing or because of the Panda update?

It’s so painful.  If you’ve read some of my previous posts, you know I started to make some OK coin last year.  But sometime in November I got slapped.

It was right around the time I enabled a CDN (content delivery network) by CloudFlare on my main site.  It’s supposed to speed up your site rendering because they cache your site all over the world; so if someone in Mongolia pulls up your site, a server in (for instance) Taiwan will deliver the content.  It’s supposed to speed things up.

Well, it didn’t, and I tested it for 6 months; I even bought the Pro version.  I kept wondering why I got slapped the day or two after starting with a CDN, but figured it must be coincidence.

For 6 months I’ve been working and working at getting back into the good graces of Google.  Finally, in April I came back stronger than ever, doubled my pageviews and I was making some good Adsense.  I was very happy.

But it only lasted a week.  Then I got slapped even bigger than before.  What the freak is going on here?

I can only keep plodding along and hope that something I do fixes everything.  I read and study and buy SEO books.  I’ve got great ideas and good intentions, but I don’t get to put them all into action.  I still have a full time job, so time is limited.

Here’s a few things I’m working on now, or am planning to work on soon:

  • press releases: yes, I’m an idiot; I still haven’t ever sent out press releases for my site; I just am avoiding it because it takes time to write a good one!
  • iPhone app: you gotta assume that Google will like you if you reference an iPhone app on your site; it shows them you’re being nice to your visitors
  • I’ve found tons more document sharing sites; takes time to upload docs to all of them…but I remember getting a definite boost the first time I did that
  • Thinking about buying a huge list of auto approve blogs; it’s proven that you MUST get nofollow backlinks to your site or else you look unnatural
  • Etc

I know I should tell you more, but I’m getting tired talking about my failures.  So, so tired.