Could page layout be affecting my Google traffic?

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   Melovyposted 11 years ago

   In line with advice a few months ago, I changed the layout of several hubs so that the top part contains a full-size photograph, and layout almost all my new hubs this way. (Studies suggest this is what readers find most attractive and so are likely to read on.)
   
   However, I have read several times that advertisements above the fold and thin content above the old are frowned upon by Google. I'm guessing a photo counts as thinner content than text. (And my traffic has roughly halved since the update in September.)
   
   I blocked ads in Firefox so that I didn't accidentally click on them and occasionally check the hub layout in another browser, and I hadn't checked this for a while. Now it seems that the arrangement of ads has changed. There are extra ads across the top and even down the side of the full size photo, so that
   With a full-size photo across the front of page means that now all that shows up above the fold is a photo and several ads. On my most recent hub there are 6 ads visible above the fold and scrolling down just a little shows up another 3.
   
   Has anyone found a way of arranging text and photos that can make this layout more Google-friendly?
   
   For HubPages staff: are you planning to rearrange this to reduce the number of ads above the fold?

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      Sapperposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      It can, but you have to remember all of the search engines use bots, not people, to "look at" your page. To the bot, your picture isn't a picture, it's one line of code with a description.
      
      September 21 or 22 was a fairly big update for Google's algorithms that affected a fair amount of searches. It's wrecked havoc on quite a few peoples traffic.

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         Gypsy Willowposted 11 years agoin reply to this

         It has devastated my page views. Any thing owned by google eg Wikipedia gets first look. My stuff just doesn't come up any more. I get a tenth of my old scores. I don't think there is anything one can do about it.

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      2. 92

         Melovyposted 11 years agoin reply to this

         Thanks Sapper. I hadn't thought of that. It sounds as if that means the size of photo isn't a huge issue.
         It's the first time I've ever been hit by an update, and my traffic is not yet recovering while some people I know have recovered, so I am looking to see what I can do.

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            Sapperposted 11 years agoin reply to this

            It was a pretty big update, affected 2.4% of the search results, which for Google is millions.
            
            Gypsy, if your keywords have a wiki at the top, you need to get more specific to get better results. As an example, I have a pit bull blog. If I tried to rank any of my posts for the keyword pit bull, I'd never get any traffic. But when I write about pit bull attacks, or how to train pit bulls, or something more specific, it gets a lot easier to rank.
            
            Wiki's are authority sites, unless you have millions hidden away somewhere, you'll never overtake an authority site regardless of who runs it. Trying is like trying to overtake Facebook for the keyword social media, it's not gonna happen.
            
            Also, as a FYI, Google doesn't own Wikipedia.

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               Gypsy Willowposted 11 years agoin reply to this

               Ooops! I meant youtube. Thanks for your response . I was watching a video on hubber Mark Knowles FB page. I can't see things getting  better!

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                  Sapperposted 11 years agoin reply to this

                  Ah, yea YouTube. I feel you there. I have a couple YouTube video's in my way too. It does get annoying seeing video's with really nothing to do with the keyword out ranking my posts.
                  
                  Problem with YouTube though is the more views it gets, the higher Google ranks it. Doesn't mean much for out ranking them, but kinda a catch-22 for getting a video ranked.

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   rebekahELLEposted 11 years ago

   If it's not working for you, I would change it and see if you get better results. Depending on the topic, a large photograph may or may not be the best strategy.  I posted a helpful link a few days ago about effective 2012 on page optimization from the guys at SEOMOZ.  http://www.seomoz.org/blog/getting-onpa … ard-friday

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      Melovyposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Thanks rebekahELLE, I have watched that video and I think there's probably several aspects I could improve, including summaries. I will try varying the photo size in the next few weeks on a few hubs and see if it makes any difference. I've also discovered I hadn't completed the steps for Google authorship, and I think I've now done that. (But not sure so I'm off to test it now.)

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3. 97

   bdegiulioposted 11 years ago

   Melovy, you wrote:  "I've also discovered I hadn't completed the steps for Google authorship, and I think I've now done that."
   
   What does this mean?  Not sure I understand what needs to be done for Google Authorship?

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      Sapperposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      That is telling Google you own the content, basically. You know when you do a search and sometimes a small pic will show up next to a result? That's Authorship. It helps you sell the brand that is you.

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   2. 92

      Melovyposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      bdegiulio, I am definitely not the right person to advise you on this as I am not convinced I've done it properly. Glenn Stokk has written a hub about it called: "How To Claim Your Authorship With Google" that explains it.  http://glennstok.hubpages.com/hub/compl … directions
      Rachel Rodhardt has also written a hub that covers it. http://rachelroodhardt.hubpages.com/hub … gle-Search

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4. 73

   brakel2posted 11 years ago

   Is there slim chance page 1 anymore. Need lots long tail keywords. Maybe write for fun.

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5. 73

   brakel2posted 11 years ago

   Sorry went off subject.  I have authorship through following Greekgeek hub instructions.

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