My Google Mystery

[meodelay]

Hello All.

I wonder if anyone can please help me solve a mystery that's just about drove me nuts.

We have a site with over 100,000 dynamic .jsp pages. To reach those pages, we have html pages that allow you to drill down. At the final stage of these html pages, we link directly to the .jsp page. So even though the page is dynamic and uses a query parameter, each dynamic page is linked to by a static page, and that link is (theoretically) indexable.

Here's the thing. Up until recently, this worked, and worked great. We had our .jsp pages index and highly ranked by google. Not all of them, but enough. Now, it seems that our google index stops cold before the .jsp pages. Ordinarily, I would have thought that would be caused by the .jsp vs. .htm, but in this case they have indexed our .jsp pages in the past. Even though .jsp is not the optimal search format, it has worked for us.

Now, we have our site basically MIA from google, because these .jsp pages are the "money" keyword pages. We can and will spice up the pages before these, but we are trying to figure out how to get them back on google.

Does anyone see anything glaringly wrong with our pages? We have good links (not all of them seen by google, btw), a long track record, no dirty tricks, and lots of good, keyword-laden content. I'm stumped!

Our site is at www.tabletopsetc.com. To see the path I mean, click on "A" at the top, then "Adams", then "V", then "Verushka", and you will be at the .jsp.

Thanks in advance for any help - I need some fresh, knowledgeable eyes on this one!

[rustybrick]

Well, normally Google should have no problem with the URLs as you have them.

Some thing I found to be troubling from an SEO/Usability standpoint.

I clicked on A and go to this page; http://www.tabletopsetc.com/tableware/manuList_A.htm where the Title = Tabletops Etc.
Then I clicked on Adams and went to his page http://www.tabletopsetc.com/tableware/13/default.htm where the Title = Tabletops Etc. The title for those two pages are exactly the same, I would change the title for the Adams link to Tabletops by Adam or something like that. Still, on that page, write something about Adam's Table tops. Also, put some featured products there, it will help get them indexed.

Then i clicked on the "V" and went to http://www.tabletopsetc.com/tableware/13/patternList_V.htm (first of all, I did not know to click on V - usability.... The title of this page is named ADAMS at Tabletops Etc. Change it to Patters From VERMONT to VIOLA by Adams Tabletops.

Then I clicked on Vermont and found myself at http://www.tabletopsetc.com/inventory/pattern.jsp?PatternID=21. Is this your money page? Then I clicked on your bread and butter page, why not include "bread and butter" in your title of this page http://www.tabletopsetc.com/inventory/item.jsp?InventoryID=817365

Just some quick things...

[meodelay]

Thanks - I have been working on the usability part of this, and those are all good comments. The problem for us is the volume of pages. We have over 100,000 "money" pages (which you identified correctly) and 10,000+ pages that lead to that. I have a script that generates the static pages, and it's not too difficult for me to add some of your suggestions, which I will work on.

One idea I had. In between the page that links to the money page and the money page, I was thinking of adding another static page. This page would be a static summary of the money page, which would give me good keyword weight on a static page, and would lead to my jsp money page. Good plan, or leave well enough alone?

My problem is that google isn't even grabbing the .jsp's, and although they had just months ago I don't know when they will have them soon.

[seomike]

I would recommend 2 things

1. A site map which is a page or 2 that link to every single page your site has.

2. Crosslinking. Right now if I go into look at manufacturers there aren't any text links go back from where I came from.


http://www.seo-max.com/crosslinks.gif

[rustybrick]

To add to seomike's post,

I would also add to the product page a link to other products that are similar AND a link to other category (sub category) pages that are similar to the product.

Interlinking your Web pages of a Web site is key to crawlability (new word, can someone please put this in the dictionary?).

[meodelay]

Thanks again for the tips. I have to get in and make some changes to that static generator, and this is all doable. I hope it has the impact I need.

I'm still debating the summary page, but I think I will give it a little time before I make such a big change.

Any other ideas are welcome and appreciated.