I have recently encountered a glut of bloggers that have taken some very bad advice in the form of reciprocal linking (this one seems to be repackaged monthly as a comment scheme, blogroll or some other hair-brained idea), too many links on a homepage, more than one H1 tag on a single page, etc. The results have been devastating: they have lost their coveted positions on the first page of Google for prime keywords and been slapped by the last PageRank update (Jan 11) with a PR 0. So, this is my social service post to help you identify bad SEO adivice when you hear it! (if you want to learn more about about bad SEO advice- tune into my Tuesday WebEx- link is at the bottom of this post)
There are a lot of sources for SEO advice in the real estate blogosphere, however, you need look at each person doling out that advice. In the same way you wouldn't get parenting advice from Britney Spears, you don't want SEO advice from a self proclaimed guru that can't rank for their own keywords or can't pass simple SEO analysis. Look past the fact that a person says they are an SEO expert and look at their ability to successful put multiple websites or blogs on the first page of Google for short tail keywords in difficult markets.
Who should you trust?
Rand Fishkin of SEOmoz
Aaron Wall of SEOBook
Stephen Spencer of Net Concepts
Matt Cutts of Google
Andy Beal
Michael Gray of GrayWolf SEO Blog
Basically, people that do SEO as a living not a hobby.
What kind of advice is BAD advice?
Most of the bad SEO advice I have seen lately, looks like it came straight out of 1999: reciprocal linking, large linkage on homepages, increasing the number of pages through open forums, keyword spamming, etc. What may have worked in 1999 will get you shot through the heart in 2008. So, listen up kiddies, take notes and DOT NOT FOLLOW the following advice:
1. Change your permalink or url structures for better SEO
When you hear, "hey, this is a better way to structure your urls/permalinks" don't go changing them. You are indexed based on your existing url structure, so if you change it- you are breaking your links in Google's index. Irrevocably changing permalink structure on an established site from http://www.sitename/category-name/post-title to http://www.sitename/date/post-title will throw your site out of the search engines for a period of time until they are able to fully re-index you. Remember, Google isn't psychic- you cannot change the urls of your posts and think Google will be able to figure out where all those posts went unless you use a self healing 301 redirect feature.
Read also: Permalinks explained
2. Name categories anything you want
When you hear, "Don't worry about how you name your categories," ignore it. Be specific- write them for users and search engines. Make them keyword rich and easily identifiable ESPECIALLY if your permalink structure uses the category name in your url.
3. Posting to multiple categories causes duplicate content and you'll get banned
When you hear someone telling WordPress users that posting to multiple categories will cause duplicate content (the implication is you will be banned from Google), use some logic: There are times when this can happen but your little blog with a handful (hundreds +) of posts isn't even a blip on the radar to Google, so if you think you will get banned for duplicating a page here or there- don't be so egotistical, they don't care. Duplicate content filters are looking for colossal offenders like spam sites that mirror thousands of pages across domains. Or, you can solve the whole problem by not passing category or parameter info in the url... wow, there is a simple fix to the whole supposed problem, imagine that.
Read also: Duplicate content filters explained
4. Gang commenting, reciprocal linking and the like is a good way to build backlinks
When you hear someone advocating a group of bloggers to form a gang and comment on each others posts with keyword rich text or link to one another in blogrolls, STEER CLEAR OF IT. Jay Thompson covered this one extensively. This is best compared to Revenge of the Nerds. A whole bunch of PageRank 0s commenting on each other's posts with each others keywords to boost relevancy is pointless. It's not hard to imagine that Google is able to look and say look all these links coming and going from the same places - sure looks like reciprocal linking to me. FYI: the days of commenting for backlinks are over- everyone puts no-follow tags in their comments now. The keyword usage was ridiculous as it just looked like spam to both Google and users. There is a point where the density gets so high, Google just considers your page irrelevant.
Read also: Google slaps real estate blogs for reciprocal linking
Read also: Does Google hate your link love?
5. Large blogrolls and more than 120 links on your homepage is not bad for SEO
Telling the entire blogosphere, a large blogroll in your sidebar is fine or more than 120 links on your home page is acceptable. Go ask some of the bloggers struck down in the blaze of glory that was Google's last two PageRank Updates. You bloat your page past the 120 link threshold and there is a good chance you will be penalized because you look like a link farm to Google.
Read also: Google hates your blogroll
6. Use a lot of chicklets to show how popular you are and help social networking
20, 30, 40 useless chicklets and advertising in your footer is totally cool. This won't look like link farming to Google at all. One of the key ways of gaining trust with Google is gaining inbound links not doling out your links (that probably have little value unless you are a PR5 or above) to others. Don't waste your links. Use them wisely and with discrimination. You only have 120, so use them for navigation or give them to sites your visitors will find useful. My personal opinion is many chicklets people put on their blogs are only there to stroke the bloggers ego. Wow, I'm #1 on such and such blog directory- does the consumer you are trying to convert care about that?
7. An un-moderated forum will help you increase the number of indexed pages in Google so your site will climb the SERPs faster
You know, this strategy probably will help you get more indexed pages, help you generate more traffic and show up higher in the SERPs... for terms related to porn and prescription medication! Putting an un-moderated forum on a blog to increase the number of indexed pages is just irresponsible. If you think you can stomach the results of this faux pas, click the link below.
Read also: Un-moderated forum makes me blush
NOT SAFE FOR WORK IMAGES INCLUDED IN THE FOLLOWING POST
How to identify an SEO impostor
If your source for SEO advice gives one pieces of advice then contradicts it a month later, your SEO might be an impostor
If they make money selling houses and not technology services, your SEO might be an impostor
If your expert's examples of SEO are only related to their website with no proven ability to replicate those results on other websites, your SEO might be an impostor
If your expert's examples of SEO are Stupid Examples and Observations, your SEO might be an impostor
If your SEO expert tells you Google is bad and Google just doesn't understand how brilliant your website is, your SEO might be an imposter
If you follow your expert's advice and your website or blog loses PageRank or search engine positioning, your SEO might be an impostor
If you can't find your website with Google, two hands, a flashlight, a GPS and the URL, your SEO might be an impostor
If your SEO gives you advice but cannot explain (from a technical perspective) why they believe that advice will benefit you, your SEO might be an impostor
How to avoid BAD SEO ADVICE
Always ask why the person giving you advice is recommending it and before you implement it, make sure that a respected authority in the SEO word seconds it by doing a search on Google.
Please come early to the WebEx's they fill up quickly and only allow 20 people in at one time.
Monday: 2 PM EST: Blogging :: How to social network for traffic and leads
Join me for a 30 minute class on how you can use social network sites like Digg, Technorati, ActiveRain, LinkedIn, MyBlogLog, etc to build your business and blog. Bring your questions and hopefully I can answer them.
Recommended course reading: How to generate leads from a real estate blog
You have been invited to join a meeting on the Web, using WebEx MeetMeNow.
Please click the following link to join the meeting: https://mwmus.webex.com/mwmus/jm.php?PWD=socialnetworking&MK=941185740
MEETING PASSWORD: socialnetworking
Date: January 28, 2008
Time: 2:00 pm, Eastern Standard Time (GMT -05:00, New York)
Teleconference: Call-in toll number (US/Canada): 1-408-792-6300
Meeting Number: 941 185 740
Tuesday: 2 PM EST: SEO :: How to save your blog from the 5 most deadly mistakes
Join me for a 30 minute webinar on how to avoid being slapped by Google in a PageRank update and steer clear of the 5 most common and most deadly mistakes made in the real estate blogosphere. This is a hands on class, so be ready to take notes and see how I would change site elements to gain better traction on the engines. Stick around after and I will give you specific advice to improve your site if you are making these mistakes.
Recommended reading: Real Estate blogs Get Slapped by Google
Recommended reading: Autopsy of a Reciprocal Linking Penalty
You have been invited to join a meeting on the Web, using WebEx MeetMeNow.
Please click the following link to join the meeting:
You have been invited to join a meeting on the Web, using WebEx MeetMeNow.
Please click the following link to join the meeting:
https://mwmus.webex.com/mwmus/jm.php?PWD=seotraining&MK=949654085
MEETING PASSWORD: seotraining
Date: January 29, 2008
Time: 2:00 pm, Eastern Standard Time (GMT -05:00, New York)
Teleconference: Call-in toll number (US/Canada): 1-408-792-6300
Meeting Number: 949 654 085
PageRank 5 Club: by invitation only
PageRank 5 Club is a select group of bloggers invited to a weekly seminar and strategy session that helps them achieve a PageRank 5 within two Google PageRank Updates. This is where I share the secret SEO strategies I don't share on my blog.
Course work and WebEx link emailed to you on Monday January 28th, 2008
Invited Bloggers: Laurie Mannym, Marc Blasi, Brian Wilson, Mariana Wagner, Lenore Wilkas, Brian Brady, Broker Bryant
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Mary,
Thanks for the very valuable information. I have often asked about duplicate content and never got the same answer.