How To Cure "Invisible Website Syndrome"

By Robin Porter
Posted Thursday, July 8, 2004

A new "virus" is sweeping the Internet. It strikes by stealth at a websites profits and it could be crippling yours. It's called "Invisible Website Syndrome" (or IWS) and renders it's victims practically invisible on the world wide web.

The rise of IWS is attributed to the shear volume of webpages available online - now well over 2 Billion. Once, website visibility was not an issue - now it's a major headache.

There are 5 steps to dealing with IWS:

1. Recognise the symptoms
2. Test for it
3. Recognise you are a sufferer
4. Take the medicine & commit to recover
5. Immunise against future outbreaks

1.Recognise the symptoms
Lack of "hits" and lacklustre profits are the most common symptoms. These are caused by the website appearing to be invisible to anyone searching for it's products, services or content, due to disastrous search engine rankings. Consequently, potential customers are lost to the competition.

2. Test for it
If you think you have the symptoms, then confirm by testing. Go from search engine to search engine, carrying out searches using keywords or phrases that your potential customers would use. Use those words or phrases that identify your products, services or subject matter - but not your company or website name itself. If you are well down the rankings, with many competitors "weighing in" above you, then your website is a sufferer.
If you don't have the time, a quick check method is to use a free visibility testing service (such as our own free visibility report - see below)

3. Recognise you have it
If the diagnosis confirms your website as a sufferer, then face up to it. Acceptance is the first step towards recovery!

4. Take the medicine and commit wholeheartedly to recovery
Resolve to take the medicine, however unpleasant the taste. There are two options: Do it yourself and you'll need to study the search engines inside out. A potentially daunting task, but it may suit you if you've got more time than money.

Alternatively, enlist the help of a search engine specialist who can undertake & administer the whole process of recovery to full visibility.

(Special note: Don't be tempted to cut corners by using automated software without proper research. You could do more harm than good.)

5. Immunise against future outbreaks
Once on the road to recovery (it can be a long process), you'll want to make certain IWS never strikes your site again. Constant attention will prevent further outbreaks. As the search engines change, so to does IWS. There is no "magic pill" cure - it can strike again at any time, unless you remain vigilant. So, keep on top of how it's evolving as a result of search engine changes and act accordingly. A monthly maintenance programme to keep your website visible should be your goal.

Don't ignore Invisible Website Syndrome. It's the internet equivalent of a wasting disease, slowly taking hold on your website, eroding your profits while your competitors grow stronger. With the huge amount of webpages online, it can only get worse.

About the Author
Robin Porter
See if your website suffers from "Invisible Website Syndrome" - get a free visibility report for your site at (http://www.rpasystems.com)