Someone explain Google to me!

[makphisto]

Yeah, I know if you could explain Google, you would be a millionaire...

One of my keywords for GurkeesCentral.com is "rope sandals". Google that.
I'm #4. The site that is #1 is:
http://www.faire.net/sunstrider/

Check out that site. It's a redirect that, most recently, doesn't even work. Google JUST danced our keywords and moved them to number 1, and me to #4 (up for both of us).

Tell me how in the HECK that site can be filled with "more relevant content" than mine? The only two reasons I can come up with are:
1- they've been around forever.
2- they have LOTS of incoming links.

But still, as a redirect with no content, you wouldn't think #1, would you?

[LeeAmon]

If they have lots of good incoming links, that would explain it. If the incoming links look like <a href = "theirsite"> rope sandals </a> that would definitely do it.

The effect is similar to what is called "Google Bombing" - for an example of google bombing, google "failure" the number one result page does not have the word failure on it anywhere.

[PicturesqueWeb]

I would suggest that you report this to Google at http://www.google.com/contact/spamreport.html

[makphisto]

If the incoming links look like <a href = "theirsite"> rope sandals </a> that would definitely do it.

Yeah, but I don't think that's the case here. They are a renissance faire site, and have lots of links, but I would guess very few of them are specifically for the keyword.

I would suggest that you report this to Google at http://www.google.com/contact/spamreport.html

I will, thanks.

[julie_thompson]

I can't explain why they are ranking so highly notwithstanding the page contains little content with a javascript redirect to a page that doesn't seem to exist.

But one thing I did notice, they do not have any backlinks at all, at least that the SE are reporting anyway. So they obviously are doing something different than just anchor text in external links for ranking on rope sandals.

You can check to see what your backlink anchor text and your competitor's with this tool:

http://www.webconfs.com/anchor-text-analysis.php

But why worry? They are not much competition since their site is non-existent ;)

Julie

[makphisto]

Oh, I'm not worried. I'm just trying to understand.
Thanks!