Like any business, Google’s objective is to provide their users with the
ideal experience - that means delivering the information the user is
searching for without forcing them to wade through page after page of
fluff and garbage. If your ranking has taken a post-Panda nosedive,
don’t throw in the towel just yet. Your site can be salvaged, but you’ll
have to change your M.O. - no more keyword stuffing, article spinning,
or other lazy techniques if you want to show up early in search
results.
The Not-So-Secret
Of course, search engines
are driven by algorithms. Most of old SEO techniques were based on
tricking said algorithm, but Google’s Panda update made that very hard
to do. The changes to the algorithm itself are very secret, but here’s
one change that’s not - search engine results are now being evaluated by
real, live people. Across the U.S., there are scores of evaluators who
actually lay eyes on a page and rate how well it answers the search
query according to a detailed rubric. Old-fashioned SEO, especially when
clumsily done, will almost always get flagged as spam because it
doesn’t offer value to the reader.
Out: Keyword Stuffing
In: Organic flow of words
Stop thinking in terms of a single keyword - start thinking of related
terms. For example, instead of packing your article with the most
possible references to "lose weight fast", use other related phrases
like "weight loss", "diet", "exercise" and "fat loss". If your content
is written organically, these phrases will pop up naturally. A keyword
should never disrupt the flow of a sentence or produce an
awkward-sounding phrase.
Out: Article Spinning
In: High-quality, journalistic content
Sure, it’s much quicker to send an article through a spinner, but that
almost guarantees your page won’t ever see the light of day. Instead,
you need well-written, informative content with listed quality
references. The perfect length seems to be about 500 words or so, and
pictures, as always, help a lot. Use only primary references to appear
more authoritative.
Out: Endless Affiliates
In: Helpful links only
If another site provides information you think your readers could use,
link to that page. Otherwise, stop with the affiliates. Google’s new
algorithm catches sites with huge affiliate lists and filters them down
toward the bottom of the stack. Use social media to advertise your site
and gain exposure instead of relying on others’ cast-offs.
Out: General Information Sites
In: Authoritative sites
Other than personal blogs, every website must have a niche. No one site
can claim to be an authority on interior design, finance, appliance
repair and celebrity hi-jinks. Pick a topic and stick with it, and
become the go-to site for anyone needing information on that topic.
Choose your topic based on high-ranking trends instead of personal
interest if you must, but use authoritative references for every fact
you write.
Out: Landing Pages
In: Meaty, informative content
When the user clicks onto your page, he wants to see what he’s looking
for immediately. Don’t take him to a list of links, or the only thing
he’ll click is the "back" button. Google knows this, and so do those
page evaluators we talked about. Don’t get thrown away as spam.
Basically, SEO in the post-Panda world means you have to step up your
game. No more cheating, and no more gaming the system. Your stuff has to
be honestly good if you want search engine referrals. End of story. If
it sounds like too much work to you (and it’s a lot of work), count on running a ghost site because this ship has sailed.
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