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If your site is well established, been around a while and suddenly disappeared, then you'll need to check your inbound links. You do this by running a character check and entering "+www.yourdomain.com" into Google, then noting
results. This isn't
number of links Google associates with your PageRank, but
actual number of website pages that has your domain listed either by hyperlink or plain text. Write down
number of results.
Next run a link check. Enter link:www.yourdomain.com into Google and write down
results. This lists
number of sites offering value to your site that Google knows of so is very important to get as many as possible.
Analyse
results
Now, analyse
numbers. If you have no character check results, you must start getting inbound links to your website. Read up on my SEO article on how to start a marketing campaign.
If you have character check results but no link check results, then
links you are getting are
wrong ones.
Download
Google Toolbar and monitor PR of
pages your links appear. There are many ways of linking to websites and those that link to you must do so properly.
Rule: Your link must be a proper hyperlink and not a redirect through an ID. No JavaScript, Flash or other such links either. Proper hyperlink or nothing at all.
Another thing to note is make sure you see
location of where
link will be placed. It must have a PageRank value. Remember
Google Toolbar. Quality and quantity equals results.
If you have character check results and link check results then basically you need more of them. Remember, quality and quantity.
OK, so you have tons of links, both character check and link check. It's not your marketing that's
problem, it's
SEO side of
coin. Search engine optimisation consists of document structure and correct keyphrase placement.
I'll refer you back to my SEO article to get started there. Google, as do many other search engines, constantly shift
posts as to what they deem a relevant website which is why results and positions constantly move about.
This makes things extremely difficult to keep up with but it's important to stick to certain rules to be as consistent as possible.
Google will take time to display
changes you have made so be patient. It could well be that
competition have simply squeezed you out which does happen, however you'll know if you've suddenly taken a hit in
listings as it can be very immediate.
Ultimately, follow
steps laid out above, be methodical and be patient.

Author of Optimising Your Website, and an IT Consultant for local UK Government and various European Union initiatives, Edward Clarke specialises in website accessibility, css, web standards and search engine optimisation. Visit Edward's consultancy website and his blog for more information.