Google Ranks

Hi,

I am new to the forum and pretty new to everything actually. 6 months ago I didn't even know what HTML was. I have taught myself everything I know from reading information and i'm looking forward to learning a lot from everyone in these forums.

My first question relates to google ranking for search terms. For one of my keywords (TSC2000 Europe) which is the company my website is based around I am ranked No.5 and No.6 on google. My home page has is PR3, my other pages are all zero to my knowledge. Google ranks two of my "other" pages at no. 5 and 6 but does not rank my homepage (PR3) for some reason.

Like I said at the start, I am only learning so what I am about to say might sound stupid, but it is just a result of me trying to figure out what it is I can do to make my pages rank better for these terms and my other keywords.

The keyword in question is in the title and description for my page, I have it all through the page in the content, yet it doesn't rank? You can check for yourself.

Keyword: TSC2000 Europe
My website is ozlotteriesonline(dot)net

The site ranked above me at n0.4 (lottowinners(dot)netfirms) is a PR0 site and has next to no content on the page.

Why is this so?

My second question is regarding what I have heard being referred to as "black hat" tactics.

If you take a look at my homepage right down the bottom you will just be able to make out a whole bunch of text I have put on my page containing keywords in the paragraphs. I have coloured the text the same colour as the background so you cant really see it. The reason I did this is because my HTML skills aren't that great and I couldn't figure out how I could insert the content into the page while still trying to make the page look nice. Sounds stupid I know but the content on my homepage really comes from the flash file I have on their so text wasn't really required, but I wanted content because everywhere I read people go on and on about content. So I put the content there purely for that reason.

Is this considered black hat?

Is what I have done considered a waste of time and it doesnt make a difference if I have the text there or just a page full of images?

Or is what I have done a good idea and may help me achieve higher rankings?

Any and all assistance/advice would be greatly appreciated.

You have resorted to black hat techniques, by having the keywords font color as the same as background color in the bottom of your home page. This is a hidden text from search engines point of view and a black hat technique.

Please remove this or you will be penalised.

Macromedia’s Search Engine SDK has an application called swf2html which can extract links and text from flash files. This will give you an idea of how search engines spiders read your flash files, try to place ur top content on the beginning of the flash files. Also in include a html link beneath ur flash file in the home page, wherein the details of the flash files can be viewed as text.

So I have deleted the text.

I just want to point out that I was unsure if what I was doing was "black hat". I didn't even know such a thing existed until yesterday. I just came up with the idea off my own back and when I discovered this forum I thought i'd better ask the question. And I was straight up about it.

So the software you spoke about. Are you saying that google already has the capacity to get that information from my swf files or do I have to give it a little help along? From the links I found I think the googlebot just does it all.

I was hoping for a bit more of a response from everyone. Is everyone that tight lipped in this community?

Good that you removed the hidden text.

Keep visible content on you home page by including your target keywords. Get inbound links to your home page with your target keyword as anchor text.

Insert text for your images by having your target keywords in it.

One last thing. Can you please let me know if I understand you correctly...

Insert text for my images by having target keywords in it - Do you mean name my images so that they represent my keywords?

I don't get what you mean about the inbound links and anchor text.

Sorry, this is all new.

Thanks again

lol.. Your site takes forever to load. I gave up here in Hong Kong. Flash sites are extremly difficult to rank for. Use the search function on this forum to find out about how to rank a flash site. My advice ditch the flash... If you are after international market people will not wait for your site to load and you will struggle to get good rankings in SE.

Thanks for your response.

I have a 512kb connection and I dont have any dramas loading it. My connection is only average in Australia and I am mainly after the Australian makert. Although I will consider your comment as there is also an international market.

Did you experience the problem with just the flash file itself or with the images?

Thanks again.

I have broadband in HK. Its very slow both images and flash. Bit quicker this afternoon than it was when i tried it earlier but still quite slow IMO. Once again it is difficult to rank flash pages well....

Best of luck

I took your advise and did a search and read some posts about ranking flash sites. Very interesting.

I have done everything myself so far with my website. I have top 10 rankings on a couple of my keywords, Yahoo seems a little bit easier than Google for rankings. I will seriously consider changing my website to have less flash etc. to make it easier to load. Just gotta figure out how to go about it.

But if I can get ok rankings as a beginner couldnt I get an expert to work on it as is and get excellent results?

How would I find someone willing to take this job on and what does this sort of thing cost?

As my webdesign skills are limited It looks like my best option.

The going rate is somewhere between $50 (beginner) to $300 (professional). The cost depends on what you want them to do. If you want them to do everything probably somewhere between $10,000 to $50,000 to capture a market (very rough estimate) but if you are after qulaity advice and guidnace where you do the work and they direct you than you are looking more at the hourly rate. I advise not to rush it. learn a bit and than approach one of the qulaity posters on this board and pay for a few hours of there time. IMO it would be money well spent..

Thanks Gazzahk, you are very helpful.