Why doesn't this forum rank well on Google?

[Tom]

I am surprised to note that this forum very rarely appears in the top results for a stardew search on Google or my other search engine, Ecosia. Is there a configuration or content decision that's preventing indexing?

 

[Zen_the_Ogre]

It might be that it's newer. Chuckle fish used to host the the wiki and forums. The creator resumed control and migrated relatively recently.

Weither that are google prefers to refer those who give ad revenue. Because it is the top result for bing. (Don't judge me I get free gamepass vouchers for using it)

Edit : just tested google and escosia it is the first ping.

What are you searching. I use Stardew forums

 

[CryogenCrystals]

Depends on search term for me also. If I just type "Stardew" yep, it is way down the list (DuckDuckGo currently) though happens regardless of search engine. I have to type "Stardew forum" to have it pop to the top. There has been a time or two where the old forum (or wiki if searching for the wiki) popped in the results higher up, might have been due to word order reversal for me in that case.

 

[Tom]

Depends on search term for me also. If I just type "Stardew" yep, it is way down the list (DuckDuckGo currently) though happens regardless of search engine. I have to type "Stardew forum" to have it pop to the top. There has been a time or two where the old forum popped in the results higher up, might have been due to word order reversal for me in that case.

Yeah. Ditto.

"stardew forums" does work. I more had in mind searches for like "stardew best fishing locations" etc. It appears we are not capturing/serving those.

 

[Lew Zealand]

'sdv forum' also works perfectly. I connect here from about a dozen different computers and there is much searching for sdv forum.

"Stardew best fishing locations" may also tend to skew to video results as these text-shaped glyphs on a computer screen are so last millennium.

 

[Odin]

"stardew forums" does work. I more had in mind searches for like "stardew best fishing locations" etc. It appears we are not capturing/serving those.

My guess would be that there are plenty of site that have had years to perfect their SEO for common searches like this. I'm not sure the forums would ever be able to properly compete with that.