29 replies to this topic

[DonnaFontenot]

http://insidesearch....gh-quality.html

It's always nice to see Google publicly approve of good SEO.

Google has said before that search engine optimization, or SEO, can be positive and constructive—and we're not the only ones. Effective search engine optimization can make a site more crawlable and make individual pages more accessible and easier to find. Search engine optimization includes things as simple as keyword research to ensure that the right words are on the page, not just industry jargon that normal people will never type.

“White hat” search engine optimizers often improve the usability of a site, help create great content, or make sites faster, which is good for both users and search engines. Good search engine optimization can also mean good marketing: thinking about creative ways to make a site more compelling, which can help with search engines as well as social media. The net result of making a great site is often greater awareness of that site on the web, which can translate into more people linking to or visiting a site.

But it's always scary to know that something is about to come down the google pipeline that might cause a big rankings upset, aka Panda-style.

In the next few days, we’re launching an important algorithm change targeted at webspam. The change will decrease rankings for sites that we believe are violating Google’s existing quality guidelines.

Good luck, y'all.

[jonbey]

Yeah, this scares me. I have not done any silly SEO, but still worry all the same!

[Michael_Martinez]

Algorithm shmalgorithm.

I say, "Bring it on, baby! I'm ready to learn!"

[EGOL]

If this does what they expect it to do it will be a good thing, in my opinion. I'd like to see a reduction in spun content, irrelevant linkers and keyword stuffers. However, you never know what is going to be hit by google these days.

Let me know when you see it hit!

Thanks for the post.

[iamlost]

Sorry, but I've heard variations on this theme before...so I'm not holding my breath.

[EGOL]

You think they are starting "Chicken Little" rumors?

[iamlost]

You think they are starting "Chicken Little" rumors?

No.
I do think, that as with most magazines, they recycle certain comments/topics on a semi-regular basis. Compare the fundamental premise of the article Donna link's to in the opening post with Algorithm change launched, 28 January 2011. There are years worth of similar announcements of algo changes to combat webspam. In one sense it is a frequent reiteration of the obvious, in another it is the little geeks crying wolf.

[EGOL]

Oh.... you think Matt Cutts is spinning some content?

Edited by EGOL, 25 April 2012 - 07:07 AM.

[bwelford]

I support Google's initiatives 100% when it comes to content. In my opinion, the Panda updates are just hunky-dory. So if this deals with spam that's great, provided they don't make too many mistakes.

Where they create all their problems is whenever it comes to links, even though the Unnatural Link algorithm may be more good than bad. It still will have a high error rate in sorting out the sheep and goats. Google is the one who by their actions have encouraged the massive pollution of the universe's link graph. Like those Augean stables that Hercules tried to clean out, it is an impossible task. They should drop PageRank and use all the other search data they have. The world would be a better place.

[iamlost]

Oh.... you think Matt Cutts is spinning some content?

More like refreshing an aging telenovela starring various celebritards...

I support Google's initiatives 100% when it comes to content.

I tend to support their public stance on content but the continual glaring false negative exceptions speak to a private hypocrisy.

Google is the one who by their actions have encouraged the massive pollution of the universe's link graph.

Yes. And then they point at everyone, anyone else while self-righteously proclaiming the wickedness of the [enemy du jour] and their saintly efforts in opposition of their own creation.

Note: I prefer the Lernaean Hydra as the Google equivalent labour: for every head cut off two grow as replacement. Although I do have a vision of the search results as the effulent filled discharge resulting from the cleaning of the Augean stables... and the effort not counting as being a paid for undertaking...

[jonbey]

Well, I get the impresssion it is rolling out.

1 of my sites has seen a big drop today. And I never did any dodgy SEO on this. Maybe not enough SEO was done! It spun off from another site, so apart from the links that were already pointing to those pages it probably has few links. Suggests sites linking on same server may be degraded.

Lets see what happens....

[Michael_Martinez]

There are definitely changes in the SERPs and much weeping and gnashing of teeth in certain forums.

[jonbey]

yeah, I am seeing less of the spammy sites in the first page for some important keywords for me. Some of which I had filed reports on in the past for spamming.

[EGOL]

There are definitely changes in the SERPs and much weeping and gnashing of teeth in certain forums.

And the feedback varies significantly depending upon which forum you are reading.

[jonbey]

So far I have just posted my issue to Google+.
May have to hit the webmaster forums I guess.

[SEOigloo]

Appears this may be affecting Local as well. Hearing stuff from other Local SEOs who are seeing ranking shakeups. I really liked Rand's recent Whiteboard Friday on this at SEOmoz about potential spam signals.

[EGOL]

Lots of small biz websites have taken a big beating during the last few months as Google has made major changes in their algo.

However, another group is going to take some big hits.. and that is the SEOs who used to rank sites with blog comments, directory links and other cheap methods.

The top of the SERPs is becoming heavier and heavier with sites that don't spend five minutes per day on SEO.

[jonbey]

Here is the traffic report of a site that did not do any SEO, other than a few blog comments and a few guest blogs:



Shows last 2 days traffic per hour against the 2 days prior to that. The drop is 9pm GMT on the Tues 24th.

Will be interesting to see if doing some SEO will recover this site. If not, then some onpage spam factor could be at play that I cannot see.

Edited by jonbey, 25 April 2012 - 04:26 PM.

[EGOL]

That is total traffic? Google must have gone to almost zero!

[jonbey]

Yeah, Google traffic -71.09%