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View Full Version : Recent Google Update | What new SEO techniques do you apply?



dianecoleen
10-16-2012, 07:21 PM
With the recent update of Google and some sort of algorithm changes, how was your SEO techniques vary with it?

We all know of the sudden update that Google has made. There has come the Panda update, followed by the Exact Match Domain and the last was Penguin update. I would like to know how all of you go along with these updates? Were you hit and had a sudden drop on your ranking?

Hope you don't mind if I share some of the current tasks that we're doing in our website:
- cleaning the meta tags
-Sorting the sitemap
-Revamping of website design and content
-checking of backlinks
-Fixing all the crawl errors
-Minimizing the submissions
-Focusing more on social networks

How about you guys in here?
Will you care to share what are the current techniques you are all doing?

Hope to hear from you!

Gabe
10-16-2012, 11:17 PM
This might help: Getting On-Page SEO Right in 2012 and Beyond - Whiteboard Friday | SEOmoz (http://www.seomoz.org/blog/getting-onpage-seo-right-in-2012-and-beyond-whiteboard-friday)

Overall, my tactics haven't really changed. They never really should, if you think about it. You shouldn't be chasing an algorithm, just focus on providing value and help people find what they're looking for. The only thing that should change is taking advantage of new features like Google authorship, revamping an email campaign, redesigning a website, etc. I'd be careful with social networks though. Only focus on the ones that your customers actually use. And if you're going to use them...use them. There's nothing worse than ghost social profiles...something that I'm pretty bad. Personally I can’t stand social sites, but I know they’re good for business if done right.

vangogh
10-17-2012, 12:20 AM
Gabe you and I must read the same blogs. I saw you recommend CopyBlogger earlier and now you're linking to SEOmoz. :)

Diane my tactics haven't changed at all either. The recent updates were aimed at a couple of things. They look to reduce the influence of low quality content and low quality links. The only people who need to change tactics are those who have been going after the quick and easy the last few years.

The things you listed all seem fine. You can minimize the submissions to 0, since they really don't do anything. You can also drop the meta keywords tag entirely, since it too does nothing. The main focus should be on creating the best site you can and building the best site you can. With those as a foundation you want to get real people to share your content across the web, which usually means through one social network or another.

Like I said I haven't changed anything. The main thing I would suggest for anyone is to seek quality over quantity. Instead of trying to get any link from anywhere, think more about getting a couple of links from the best sites you can. Look for sites with audiences similar to yours and that you would describe as authorities in your industry. Spend time getting to know the people behind the sites and see if they'll like you write for them. Then write the best article you can for their site. With social media just get to know people and do what you can to help them. When you help people, they usually want to respond in kind. Basically be more holistic in your efforts. Think about how you can help the people who can most help you.

dianecoleen
10-17-2012, 06:37 PM
I guess, we've been hit because of the old links still linking to our site that is being deindexed by Google today. Although we've been trying to clean up those links, but still awaiting for our removal from those deindexed site. Perhaps, we are on the last option of using the disavow links which Google has introduced just recently. I know being natural is the only key to get back the previous ranking that we have gained. Also, we need to at least increase more on the user experience of the website to get some conversions, I guess.

Anyway, I just view the link you've given @gabe. Thank you for providing.
@Vangogh , thanks to you too. Been focusing more on social media these days and increasing my connection in there.

vangogh
10-18-2012, 01:20 AM
Makes sense. I think one of the changes around links was where in the past a bad link might simply not be counted, now it could potentially be harming. I had never chased the bad links so for me there's been nothing to clean up. I'm sure there are some less than great pages linking to my site, but there's more than enough good ones to outweigh them.

It sounds like the steps you're taking are all good things.

dianecoleen
10-19-2012, 04:43 PM
Just an FYI, the bad links that has been linking to our site was way back, i think 5 years ago. And we're seriously having a hard time sorting and following up to those bad links.
Good to know that you're not facing our dilemma right now.
Anyway, another good news is that we're migrating to Joomla from Wordpress CMS. Hooray. I hope these things would help us regain our previous website ranking.

Gabe
10-20-2012, 11:32 AM
Why go from WordPress to Joomla? Wordpress is growing like crazy. Joomla...well, it's as bad as its name. It's also less user friendly.

Google came out with a way to remove bad links recently, but I'd use it with EXTREME caution. Here's an article on it: Google's Disavow Tool - Take a Deep Breath | SEOmoz (http://www.seomoz.org/blog/googles-disavow-tool-take-a-deep-breath)
It's aptly called the 'disavow' tool. It's dramatic, but I would have gone with 'exile' or excommunicate' for greater effect.

dianecoleen
10-22-2012, 07:22 PM
Actually, the CMS we're using was way too old. So we decided to transfer to Joomla platform. I've seen the functionality and I must say that its not that bad though. But I must agree with you that Wordpress is way too easy to use than Joomla.

I have known about that tool few weeks ago, during the Pubcon meeting. Although I'm still checking if I'm gonna use it, 'coz it really needs an extreme precaution. Thanks for providing additional resource though. It really helps.

johnywhite
11-15-2012, 09:45 PM
Here's what I did after the recent Google update:

- Taking advantage of Social Media
- Variation of Keywords
- On-Page Optimization
- Using Disavow tool for low quality backlinks

dianecoleen
11-20-2012, 05:42 PM
Thank you for sharing such @johnywhite. We are also focusing more on social media as we planned to revamped the whole site. Hopefully next year the site will bring back its previous ranking so we can go back to the usual business. As of now we're loosing lots of visitors because of these recent updates.

Tyrant
05-19-2013, 05:26 PM
We are improving the content of our websites by inviting quality bloggers to post content in exchange for backlinks. So far we got excellent results and more returning visitors. You can't go wrong with quality content.

vangogh
05-22-2013, 10:31 AM
You'll get better quality writers if you pay them. People writing only for links typically don't write the highest quality articles. If your site is already an industry leader and can drive traffic directly then you might get quality articles without pay, but as a general rule if the only incentive is the link, don't expect the content to be great.