Wednesday, July 31, 2013

Links In Press Releases Should Use Nofollow Like Paid Links

Friday we broke the news that Google updated their link schemes webmaster guidelines. Now that the dust has settled, I aimed at getting more clarification on what Google meant by the new example around keyword-rich anchor text links within articles or press releases.

The specific line in the link schemes document is:

Links with optimized anchor text in articles or press releases distributed on other sites.

John Mueller, one of Google’s lead Webmaster Trends Analyst, was kind enough to answer some of my questions around this documentation change in a video hangout. The questions from SEOs and myself around the new link schemes documentation change are in the first ten minutes, the outcome was to nofollow links within press releases.

Throughout the video, John Mueller equated press releases to advertisements. It was specifically asked if all links in press releases need to be nofollowed or just “links with optimized anchor text” in press releases need to be nofollowed. While John said it would be somewhat okay to have direct URLs linked within press releases that are followed, he did say to be safe, he’d recommend nofollowing even those links (i.e. the links that are not even optimized anchor text).

Google’s John Mueller did add that there is still great value to using press releases. The goal of the press release is to get the word out to the press about your new service or product. When the press hears about what you have to offer and if/when they decide to write about it on their own sites, those links do not need to be nofollowed. In fact, those stories written editorially are the links that Google values the most.

Google’s Matt Cutts has said that links within press releases do not pass value. Although SEOs have proof that this is not true, it does seem that Google is taking even more direct action against abuse of links within articles and press releases that are paid.

Thursday, July 25, 2013

Google’s Panda Dance: Matt Cutts Confirms Panda Rolls Out Monthly Over 10 Of 30 Days

At SMX Advanced, Matt Cutts, Google’s head of search spam, announced that the Panda algorithm is still being updated roughly every month, but that update is rolled out slowly throughout the month. It is like a Google Dance, but in this case, a Panda Dance.

What happens is Google will run the update on a particular day, let’s say on the 4th of the month. Then Google will slowly push out that impact over 10 days or so throughout the month. Google will typically repeat this cycle over monthly.

Google said in March that they will stop announcing Panda update because they were more of a rolling update. By rolling update, Google means that it is pushed out monthly, but pushed out over a 10 day cycle or so.

Why are we calling it the Panda Dance? Back in the early early days of Google, SEOs were obsessed with the Google Dance. Back then, Google pushed out monthly Google updates, and SEO’s watched the Google data centers to see the rankings dance.



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Thursday, July 11, 2013

What Will Penguin 2.0 Do?

While at this point it’s purely speculation, the short and simple of the matter is that the Penguin 2.0 update is aimed to reduce web spam and get quality sites to appear at the top of search results. However, there is always going to be a way to tilt the odds of ranking highly in your favor, which is what you’re going to learn when you opt in to our post Penguin 2.0 SEO strategy email list.

The original Penguin updated targeted on-site over-optimization. This means that if you have an unnatural amount of keywords that you were clearly trying to rank for, that you got penalized. For example if you were trying to rank for “Black shoes for men” and this exact keyphrase “Black shoes for men” appeared in your title tags, meta descriptions, H1, H2, H3 tags, in your footer and in every second sentence of your content, you would very likely have been slapped all the way down the rankings to a position where nobody will ever find you.

The Panda update targeted over-optimization of keywords in the anchor text. So if an unnatural percentage of the links pointing to your site were all one keyword that you were trying to rank for, you would have gotten penalized.

The core of SEO is highly unlikely to change. Google still uses an algorithm (code with rules to follow) to determine which sites to rank. That means there is a checklist of good and bad things that the Google bots and spiders look for, and if your site meets these good things on the checklist, you will be rewarded with high rankings.

While up to this point we have still been able to rank one and two page websites for highly competitive terms, this is something that could possibly change with Penguin 2.0. Things like links from obvious link farms and blog networks could create penalties. Links from dropped domains or bad neighborhoods could be targeted more. The update could look at things like bounce rate, time on site, pageviews and social engagement… But it’s all still speculation.

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Friday, July 05, 2013

15 experts on SEO tips for 2013


2012 was eventful to say the least. Last year I did an interview on SEO tips for 2012. This year is no different. I asked 15 trusted experts in the SEO community about the changes we saw last year and what we can expect in 2013. This is a must read for anyone working with SEO.

The experts :

What do you think we as SEOs should focus on in 2013?

Joost de Valk

For a while, people seemed to think that :

  • A) SEO could impact their bottom line within 2 weeks and
  • B) they needn’t think of the results of their SEO campaigns in 2 years

    I hope that’s changed now. Your SEO campaign should focus on getting results in 1 or 2 years and take faster improvements as a bonus. On badly SEO’d websites a good SEO can still get tremendous results in a short period, and getting some nicely target links from high-profile sites can still boost rankings, so don’t stop doing that, just think about whether Google will still like what you’re doing in 2 years.

Good SEO always went hand-in-hand with good UX, great content and a good site structure, but many people took shortcuts to prevent having to work on that. Well, that time is over. SEO no longer stands for Seemingly Effortless Optimization, but for Seriously Effortful Optimization. Get to work. The first thing I’d do is look deeply at your site and get all the basics right again. Then see what you could do to make the site more worthwhile for your customers and prospective customers, while keeping SEO best practices in mind. Some SEO’s see that as giving in and agreeing that Google has won. I don’t care, I just want to help my clients make more money.

Trond Lynbø

The difficulty will be to keep the ‘main thing’ the MAIN thing! Many clients think SEO is only about higher rankings and greater search volumes. But from an SEO perspective, rankings are just a consequence, not a KPI. Obsessing over a symptom will misdiagnose the disease. 

Many site owners want to do the minimum possible, yet expect awesome results. But the days of ‘quick fix SEO’ are numbered, if not already over. It’s time to see SEO from a different angle, with broader, wider focus. To step back, rather than blindly rush to implement new tactics. To decide where you want to go, and act on a strategy-driven plan.

In 2013-2015, your strategy will be key to survive. Get help. Be ready to pay for this help. Remember, even excellent SEO cannot compensate for a poor product. You must set yourself apart from the crowd with a great offer that adds value to your target audience, both collectively and individually. Know your customers. Understand them well. Research and analyze their needs and problems. The better you can read your buyer’s mind, the greater your chance of success.

SEO itself will grow more complex in 2013, with more data to analyze, and changing usage patterns (e.g. mobile devices). That’s why my best tip is to step back, evaluate and analyze your business strategy, then figure out exactly where you’re headed.

Having relevant content alone won’t be enough in 2013. With an emphasis on ‘authorship’, Google has signaled its focus on identifying quality content. Semantic Search and the Knowledge Graph will be of paramount importance in the coming year.

Google is shifting tracks to become an “answer engine”. The strategic SEO train is leaving the station. Will you be on board? Be smart. Keep your focus. And dominate the SERPs in 2013 – and beyond!

Geir Ellefsen

I think it’s time to stop thinking small about SEO. SEOs need to look at the big picture. Don’t get stuck on small details. Build better web sites, get better at social and focus on content. Do remarkable stuff:)


Barry Schwartz

SEOs should continue to focus on building our unique quality content that naturally attracts links but should also spend more time focusing on social factors.  Obviously, Google+ is going to be big, it isn’t that big right now, but Google is betting a lot on it.  Facebook and Twitter are huge drivers of traffic and consider them to continue to grow in influence and thus search engines will consider them to be a growing factor of trust and relevance.


Ross Hudgens

I think we should learn how to be better content marketers. We were SEOs, now we have to be content marketers in order to survive. I don’t think we need to learn content strategy in most verticals, but we need to know how to apply content marketing to the content strategy being implemented by teams – without contradicting said strategy – to most effectively get movement in the search engines. And of course, conversions as well. If we solely focus on marketing content and do it well, tons of other stuff will take care of itself.


Jon Cooper

We should focus on identifying what we do that scales, assessing it’s legitimacy as a long-term tactic, and adjusting as needed. More & more algorithmic changes like Penguin will happen, and it’s up to us to not be on the bad end of the stick. Because algorithms detect patterns, and because patterns are usually from something repeatable (a la scalable), we have to focus on things that don’t leave footprints. That’s why “scale” is going to be less and less about tactics and more and more about process.

Neil Patel

In 2013 SEO won’t be about gaming Google, it will be about building a “real business”. If you can create a good product or service people love, write content that benefits others, and create a good user experience, you’re site is more likely to get rankings in the long run.

Bas van den Beld

In the next year this will be a trend which without a doubt will continue. Google will try to maintain and grow their grip and “SEO” will be much more about optimising in general than before. SEO’s should, as should other marketers, focus on integrating all the channels and trying to make a change within companies to not just think about SEO as a channel but as part of the integrated marketing campaigns. Again, something which has been going on for a while, but which should be done much more.

Marcus Tandler

Building up authority as an author and becoming a credible and competent source within your niche. Try to become an expert in your industry, share specialist advice and engage with your community. This will help a lot getting your own stuff in front of like-minded people and the linkerati within your industry. Share and you will get shared!

Jason Acidre

SEO, as a marketing practice, has grown bigger over the years, as the more it evolves, the more it involves different signals to achieve better search visibility.

Next year, it’s imperative for us SEOs to focus on a diversified approach for our campaigns, through appropriate integration of different inbound channels. All the signals generated through these efforts can help build a solid online brand presence (seeing that Google is favouring brands more and more).

And in turn, these actions (diversified approach to optimize for search, social, engagements, conversions, user-experience and brand recognition) can help improve search visibility and will allow the brand to compete for highly competitive keywords.

Applying the Pareto Principle (80% output from 20% input) on every aspect of implementation is also important. Make the most out of every implemented idea (ex: building evergreen content for links, social shares, traffic, lead generation, branding and eventually rankings).

The more we focus on quality (to achieve maximum results), the lesser tendencies of putting our campaigns at risk of spamming, over-optimizing and/or over-populating the web with crappy guest postings.

Basically, I recommend SEOs to focus on online brand marketing by being everywhere (particularly on the right distribution channels). I believe that search engines will put more weight on brand-related signals next year.

Will Critchlow

I really liked Dr. Pete’s answer to this which was diversification. I like this not only at a tactical level (reducing the reliance on a single traffic source or marketing method) but also at a strategic and personal level. I like it as a way of building a competitive moat and also as a means of personal development.

Aaron Wall

2013 will for many be a year where we end up having to focus on broader & more holistic marketing efforts that reach people at many points, rather than being so focused on just the search channel. It will also be a year in which some of the “can’t lose” platform plays begin to use their Google rankings to really push back at Google in ways that perhaps gives Google pause. For example, the biggest online retailer is now adding 3rd party brand controlled pages on their site & is running a distributed online ad network that is already above a billion Dollars per year in revenue run rate. Facebook and Twitter might also try to encroach on search too.

Andrew Knibbe

At Flippa, we expect 2013 to be more of the same with respect to back-link and content quality trumping all. SEOers would also be advised to see if the role of social media becomes a larger influencer of search engine results in 2013.

Scott Polk

In 2013 the focus should be on:

  • Developing Content that attracts Relevant Organic Links
  • Social Signals – Do not build your own Facebook, but use their technology to create your own micro-social communities
  • More Authorship
  • Build Engaging Content and ShareBait, then market the hell out of it

Tags : Search Engine Optimization,Nilesh Patel SEO,Nilesh SEO, SEO Services in Ahmedabad

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Monday, July 01, 2013

RIP Google Reader

INTERNET GIANT Google's Reader is no more, with the firm having closed the doors on its popular RSS news reader on Monday.

We know, it's a tough day for all of us. As of today, 1 July, Google Reader has gone the way of services such as Google's Buzz and SMS services, and is no longer operating. Google announced the shutdown of Reader in March, saying it had seen a "deterioration of interest" in the service.

"We launched Google Reader in an effort to make it easy for people to discover and keep tabs on their favorite websites," Google SVP of Technical Infrastructure Urs Hölzle said at the time. "While the product has a loyal following, over the years usage has declined."

The news of Google Reader's closure didn't go down well with the service's loyal following, with users flocking to the web to bemoan Google's decision to shut it down.

One Twitter user said, "Killing off Wave was merciful; but killing off Google Reader? Oh my aching old bones, what are they thinking?" Others said that Google should have shut off its not so popular social network Google+ instead.

There is some light at the end of the tunnel for loyal Google Reader users, though, as other firms have been quick to launch similar services to win over users with nowhere to read news.

AOL, for example, launched AOL Reader earlier this week, which makes its full debut today. Digg has also unveiled its own RSS reader service, and Facebook apparently is next in line to roll out a Google Reader alternative.

While you make up your mind about which one is for you, you can watch how Hitler reacted to the news of Google Reader closing. We all feel it.
  

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Thursday, June 20, 2013

Google Webmaster Tools “Links To Your Site” Reporting Bug

Last week, we began seeing complaints of the Google Webmaster Tools “Links To Your Site” report showing 80% or less of the number of links that should be displayed. Yesterday, I noticed the issue myself, and today, Google confirmed this is a reporting bug.

In short, tons of webmasters who analyze their links using Google Webmaster Tools have noticed a huge drop in the number of reported links to their sites. For example, my site, Search Engine Roundtable, had 3.8 million links reported last week, then yesterday dropped to 2.1 million links and now it is reporting 1.3 million links.

 
 
Scary, but for those who are familiar with Google Webmaster Tools — they know there are frequent reporting glitches. In fact, a similar issue sprung up back in February.

Here is Google’s statement from today:

Some Webmaster Tools users have reported missing data in the “Links to your site” section. We are aware of this issue and are looking into it; you do not need to take any action. We hope to have the normal data shown again in the near future. The data shown there is informational and does not affect your site’s crawling, indexing or ranking.



Monday, June 10, 2013

Penguin 2.0 rolled out today

We started rolling out the next generation of the Penguin webspam algorithm this afternoon (May 22, 2013), and the rollout is now complete. About 2.3% of English-US queries are affected to the degree that a regular user might notice. The change has also finished rolling out for other languages world-wide. The scope of Penguin varies by language, e.g. languages with more webspam will see more impact.

This is the fourth Penguin-related launch Google has done, but because this is an updated algorithm (not just a data refresh), we’ve been referring to this change as Penguin 2.0 internally. For more information on what SEOs should expect in the coming months, see the video that we recently released.

Added: If there are spam sites that you’d like to report after Penguin, we made a special spam report form at http://bit.ly/penguinspamreport . Tell us about spam sites you see and we’ll check it out.

Tags : Search Engine Optimization,Nilesh Patel SEO,Nilesh SEO, SEO Services in Ahmedabad

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Thursday, May 30, 2013

10 SEO expectations for 2013, as told by Matt Cutts

Google’s Search Engineer Matt Cutts is in the game of informing webmasters, SEOs and marketers of future search signals that could impact companies’ bottom lines. Fortunately, he’s taken to video once again to cover 10 points every internet marketing professional should expect from Google in the coming months. This week’s primary question Cutts sought to answer: “What should we expect in the next few months in terms of SEO for Google?”

Brafton outlined the 10 points he touched on and put a content marketing spin on each.

1. Penguin 2.0 : Cutts recently noted that Penguin 2.0 is still weeks away, and he reiterated in the latest video that the refresh will have an even greater impact than the first version. SEOs must take a moment to evaluate their current backlink profiles to see where improvements can be made before Penguin 2.0 comes out.

2. No more ads, please : Google will also look to take a firmer stance against advertorials disguised as custom content. This threatens the black hat side of native advertising, but also encourages content writers and other marketers to dig deeper into their creative kits in order to generate compelling campaigns.

3. Say goodbye to spammy queries : Cutts also hinted that Google will eliminate spammy queries in general, like searches for “pay day loans” and other mature themes.

4. Next target: link networks : Google has already targeted websites with low-grad link portfolios, and it will continue its fight against bad links by going after wider networks. The search company engaged in this practice in the past, but it’s ongoing efforts remind SEOs to remain honest in their efforts to increase visibility in search.

5. Sophisticated link analysis : Google’s head of search noted that Google’s ability to identify weak links has advanced rapidly. Portent’s recent study also highlighted this trend, showing how Penguin has evolved over time to target sites with backlink woes.

6. Protection for hacked sites : Google is also working new features to detect when websites have been hacked. This should help business owners maintain their customers’ privacy, and perhaps limit events like Twitter’s recent White House debacle.

7. Brand authority : While Google won’t introduce Publishership for brands to help rank authority, it will look to push credible resources toward the top of search results. Content marketing remains the sure way to earn higher rankings in search.

8. Panda forgiveness : Cutts also suggested that the search engine company will soften Panda’s impact on websites that are on the cusp of ​avoiding potential search penalties.​​.  Businesses that suffered from initial updates may see their organic traffic rates rebound in the near future.

9. SERP clusters : Google will even the search playing field by removing site clusters from SERPs. Instead of seeing several links leading to one domain for a given keyword term, Google will bring unique web content to the front page of search.

10. Webmaster communication :  Cutts also emphasized Google’s ongoing push toward becoming more responsive to webmasters’ needs. The search engine company will improve their communication with these professionals.

Google has its sights set on a brighter search world in 2013, and Cutts shows the company’s goals clearly have end users in mind. Content marketing and SEO professionals must keep their practices honest in order to benefit from any new update by the engine, as one small slip could push online content further down in search engine results pages.


Tags : Search Engine Optimization,Nilesh Patel SEO,Nilesh SEO, SEO Services in Ahmedabad

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SEO Experts in the USA

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Friday, May 17, 2013

What to expect in SEO in the coming months

We just recently taped a new round of webmaster videos, and I thought this video deserved a full-fledged blog post. This is my rough estimate (as of early May 2013) of what search engine optimizers (SEOs) and webmasters should expect in the next few months:


Bear in mind that this is a very rough estimate, because priorities, projects, and timing can change based on a lot of different factors. But I hope this gives folks a ballpark idea of what to expect in the coming months as far as what my team is working on.