87 replies to this topic

[Jill]

What do you think, should we roll the dice on a client's branded site and hope that there really isn't any penalty?

If they haven't lost any search engine traffic, then yeah.

[ChuckFinley]

No, no drop in traffic. But what you said is interesting and could be true.

If Google discounted the low quality links, it may not have any effect because I created about 150,000 links editorially given from marketing efforts that generated much interest, not necessarily viral per se, but people were very engaged and it created many links from some very good sources with many in the industry.

It's possible that the only sites this penalty will hurt are ones that have a very low-quality link graph so that Google's discount affects most of their links.

Even the negative seo'ers agree that you can't take down a site with a well established link graph. Maybe Google just discounts links as you say and they can't take down a solid site either.

Feeling For Those Hurt By Google's Penguin Update by Barry Schwatz, Search Engine Roundtable

Barry Schwartz at Search Engine Roundtable posted this the other day --> http://www.seroundta...ties-15079.html

I have noticed that within the SEO industry, the players can be very mean spirited, selfish, and quick to point fingers at each other. It's very disappointing the see the worst of human nature in action.

Barry gets it. Follow him!

Edited by Jill, 04 May 2012 - 08:12 AM.

[chrishirst]

Barry gets it. Follow him!

No he doesn't, people have a CHOICE if they are daft enough to put all their faith in ONE SOURCE of income, especially one they DO NOT and CANNOT control that is their problem.

This commentor "gets it"

Geoff Dyck
Google does not OWE people a living. If you rely on Google as your source of income you have a risky situation. It bothers me that people feel entitled that Google should treat them fairly not matter what. In Google's defence they have a lot crap to hunt down and innocent people will get hurt!
I use Google to search because they are the best. Google is at war with spammers and those are the people that are causing the world harm. Figure it out!

Maybe Google should issue a disclaimer:

Caution: Your traffic may go down as well as up, if you fail to make provision for this, Google is in no way responsible nor can Google be held liable or accountable for any loss of earnings or financial hardship that you may suffer!.

Would THAT satisfy your need to blame Google for some peoples own stupidity!!!

I have read several forum threads from people who have followed the advice of create pages for users and their referral traffic and sales from referrals have INCREASED over the past couple of weeks.
They have NOT followed the "experts" so called "advises" of "get links with you most impotrant keywrods", SEO you site by forum posting and blog commenting, and other such "nuggets" of wisdom usually involving alt "tags" and meta keywords.
The idiots who dole out such crap as that are really the one to blame NOT Google.

[Jill]

I put out a feeler on Twitter to have anyone contact me who feels they've been unjustly hit by the ole Penguin. So far, no bites. Can't wait to see some of those though, as I betcha there are tons of reasons for them getting hit.

And Barry is an old softie. I don't feel bad for anyone who was trying to take shortcuts. If some site got hit who was truly working hard with their website marketing in a manner that didn't involve shortcuts or tricks, then I might feel bad for them. But seriously, if they're putting all their eggs in the Google basket...well...puleeze.

[ChuckFinley]

There Is Something You Can Do If You Were Hit By Panda

The Google Penguin Petition --> http://www.seroundta...tion-15085.html

Should Matts Cutts be Gleefully Posting This On Twitter?

Google Toys: Penguin & Panda from Barry Schwartz at Search Engine Roundtable --> http://www.seroundta...toys-15075.html

[piskie]

I created about 150,000 links

Now Chuck, that approach explains everything. You put your hand in the fire and got your fingers burnt.
No surprise or mystery there then.

[Jill]

Should Matts Cutts be Gleefully Posting This On Twitter?

Sure, why not?

[ChuckFinley]

Now Chuck, that approach explains everything. You put your hand in the fire and got your fingers burnt.
No surprise or mystery there then.

No fire. The links were editorially given from marketing efforts that sent Brand signals to Google as well as authority signals based on the quality of the links. No low quality sites (except the ones that scrape your site). If it's done right, you will reach a point of critical mass where all you do is feed it content. Some of it will go viral, but you have to open the right channels.

You can build as many links as you want, as fast as you want, if it's done naturally.

I think the point of confusion is that Build = Marketing to me.

Edited by ChuckFinley, 04 May 2012 - 05:07 AM.

[chrishirst]

that sent Brand signals to Google as well as authority signals based on the quality of the links

In YOUR opinion, Google's algorithm may, or may not agree

If it's done right, you will reach a point of critical mass where all you do is feed it content. Some of it will go viral, but you have to open the right channels.

And of course what you assume are the "right channels" may be the "wrong channels" according to Google.

Basically, what you have described is pretty much the kind of thing that Google do NOT want! Creating or causing something to specifically artificially inflate the "value" of the URI through links.

You may call it "viral marketing", Google call it "link bombing".
By all means, do all the "viral marketing", "link baiting" you want, just don't expect those links to affect where your link bombed URIs appears in search results. "Viral" marketing should be done for the DIRECT TRAFFIC it may/will/should send. Google does NOT want it to affect the "natural" results shown to THEIR users.

[ChuckFinley]

Basically, what you have described is pretty much the kind of thing that Google do NOT want! Creating or causing something to specifically artificially inflate the "value" of the URI through links.

From the Webmaster Central Blog, 4-24-12

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. --> http://googlewebmast...gh-quality.html

[Jill]

Can you explain more about these 150k links? i don't care how great your content is, getting that # of links at once seems highly unlikely to happen.

[ChuckFinley]

In YOUR opinion, Google's algorithm may, or may not agree

And of course what you assume are the "right channels" may be the "wrong channels" according to Google.

Actually our rankings increased with Penguin.

Can you explain more about these 150k links? i don't care how great your content is, getting that # of links at once seems highly unlikely to happen.

Over 2 years.

Both online and offline channels. Local, Social Media, Display(for ad traffic no-followed), Promotions, Content (not article networks or other silliness).

High visibility offline channels. High visibilty venues.

It is very hard to get people to link to your content, offers, infographics, e-books, PDF's, etc. if they don't know they exist.

That is exactly why Google is recommending high quality marketing that engages prospects on topics "the visitors to your website" care about and exceeds their expectations. That's how a business succeeds, on-line and off-line. On-line, it will encourage people to link to you editorially. On that basis, Google can tell whether a link given is truly a vote for the quality of your site. "This is nothing new".

Google also sees value in selecting the right keywords for your content as that will attract people that can be Wowed! by your offering and Google will have delivered on their promise to produce relevant content that the searcher will care about. "Also nothing new".

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

But, back to the real topic of this thread, my Apple iPhone 4s came yesterday.

My Android Global Pro has been added to the Google ash heap.

Actions have consequences. I have yet to survey any business that trusts Google and is happy with their products.

Edited by Jill, 07 May 2012 - 07:12 AM.
Merged 3 posts in a row

[chrishirst]

I have yet to survey any business that trusts Google and is happy with their products.

Have you surveyed any of Googles users??

[torka]

Uhm... Strictly speaking, I'm not (solely) an SEO. I'm the website manager for a business, responsible for all aspects of our online presence from web server administration to page design and copy to social media marketing and everything in between (including SEO). I'm also the webmaster for my husband's small business website and I maintain a number of personal sites on various topics.

For the sites I maintain, I've used Website Optimizer, Webmaster Central, Google Places and Google Analytics. For some sites, I've also made use of AdSense and AdWords. Despite the fact that my employer never spent all that much with AdWords (seriously, only a few hundred a month), we got a free half hour phone consultation with an Adwords rep who gave me some very good, actionable advice on how to organize our campaigns and select more productive keywords. I love the reports in Analytics and have downloaded and created many custom reports that I use every day. I don't know of another free Analytics program that offers the breadth of information I have at my fingertips with Analytics and Webmaster Central. I use Website Optimizer all the time and have been able to significantly increase our conversion rates. All sites are on track to turn in record earnings this year.

And not one of these sites has had any problem in any of the Google updates so far.

I trust Google to do whatever they think is necessary to maintain / improve the quality of their search results. And I'm extremely happy with their products.

--Torka

Edited by torka, 07 May 2012 - 10:51 AM.

[Jill]

I have yet to survey any business that trusts Google and is happy with their products.

How many times do you need to be told that businesses aren't Google's customers? (Organically speaking, they certainly are their customers for Adwords.)

When I wear any of my many Google t-shirts when traveling, I get tons of "Yay Google" responses, especially from airport security