Infographic: The Many "Deaths" of SEOs
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1992–2015 Here Lies Terrible SEO He probably could have tried harder “ “ Jimmy McStuffins (?)–2003 “Gone, but not forgotten are the low-value, late-90s SEO tactics.” Blown Away by the Florida and Cassandra Updates The “death” of SEO rings about as hollow as the death of Superman. Sure in 1992 we all collectively shipped our pants, but he was back a year later. And so it seems to go with the search engine optimization (SEO) industry. SEO doesn’t die (and it won’t any time soon.) It simply changes; evolves. It’s the SEOs who fail to adapt. They’re the ones with limited life expectancies. THE BIG PENGUIN CRACKDOWN OF 2012 Google cans the SPAM Penguin cracked down on webspam, focusing on the quality of a website’s links. Penguin affected: » Spam factors, such as the number of poor- quality backlinks » Keyword stuffing » Thin sites using fluff content to rise to the top MEET THE DEPARTED A.P. (AFTER PANDA) Uniqua Bolt 2003–2005 “The effect was small at first, but then became significant over time.” Done-in by The 2005 Personalized Search Update Old Man Mills 2005–2011 “He lived by thin content, he died by heavy panda.” Squashed by the 2011 Panda Update MOBILEGEDDON The most recent update, Google started actively pushing down sites that were not mobile-friendly. The major implications of this are yet to be known… ENDANGERED SEOs Some algorithm updates—like the personalized search ones—took time before making noticeable/significant impacts (read: drops in site traffic.) » VINCE February 2009 Update meant to help brands stand out. In Google then-CEO Eric Schmidt’s words: “Brands are the solution, not the problem. Brands are how you sort out the cesspool.” » LOCAL SEARCH UPDATES 2005–Present Google continues to tailor itself to individuals and their personalized, local networks. » “NOT PROVIDED” October 2011 While this didn’t affect SERP rankings, it impacted the way and relative ease of how SEOs “do” SEO. » KNOWLEDGE GRAPH May 2012 This indirectly affected website rankings as Google began to provide information (birthdays, deaths, statistics/scientific factoids, weather, etc.) directly on the SERP, making clicking through to a website less necessary. 2005–(?) Local Search Updates 2012–(?) Knowledge Graph 2011–(?) Not Provided 2009–(?) Vince • Content farms took the brunt of this update • Google cracked down on sites with fluffy, practically- worthless content • Massive linking from co-owned domains • Hidden text; hidden links • Doorway pages • Keyword stuffing • No longer a race to the top of the SERP • Individual’s past searches and social signals began affecting results 2015–(?) Who’s Next? Not you—as long as you keep following best practices and remember to adjust and adapt… SOURCES: https://moz.com/google-algorithm-change#2002 http://www.searchenginejournal.com/many-deaths-seo-2015/123311/2/ THE MANY OF SEOs Is Your SEO at Risk? Oneupweb is ready to help you keep on track with the latest optimization changes, updates, and impending mass extinctions. [email protected] PIGEON PREFERED LOCAL In 2014 Google continued to narrow its focus on local search results. Google continues to focus on hyper-local results. SEOs who failed to pay heed to the importance of location-accuracy and local signals, storefront or service-area clients felt the hurt. Phantom Updates Google makes three- to four-hundred updates a year—barely any of them actually get named. Phantom SEOs tend to chase after these updates, to little avail. Producing good, quality content is the way.
Transcript of Infographic: The Many "Deaths" of SEOs
1992–2015
Here LiesTerrible SEO
He probably couldhave tried harder
““
Jimmy McStuffins(?)–2003
“Gone, but not forgotten are the low-value,late-90s SEO tactics.”
Blown Away by the Florida and Cassandra Updates
The “death” of SEO rings about as hollow as the death of Superman.
Sure in 1992 we all collectively shipped our pants, but he was back a year later.
And so it seems to go with the search engine optimization (SEO) industry. SEO doesn’t die (and it won’t any time soon.) It simply changes; evolves. It’s the SEOs who fail to adapt. They’re the ones with limited life expectancies.
THE BIG PENGUIN CRACKDOWN OF 2012Google cans the SPAM
Penguin cracked down on webspam, focusing onthe quality of a website’s links. Penguin affected:
» Spam factors, such as the number of poor-quality backlinks
» Keyword stuffing» Thin sites using fluff content to rise to the top
MEET THE DEPARTED
A.P. (AFTER PANDA)
Uniqua Bolt2003–2005
“The effect was small at first, butthen became significant over time.”
Done-in by The 2005 Personalized Search Update
Old Man Mills2005–2011
“He lived by thin content, he died by heavy panda.”
Squashed by the 2011 Panda Update
MOBILEGEDDONThe most recent update, Google
started actively pushing downsites that were not mobile-friendly.
The major implications of thisare yet to be known…
ENDANGERED SEOsSome algorithm updates—like the personalized search ones—took time before making noticeable/significant impacts (read: drops in site traffic.)
» VINCE February 2009
Update meant to help brands stand out. In Google then-CEO Eric Schmidt’s words: “Brands are the solution, not the problem. Brands are how you sort out the cesspool.”
» LOCAL SEARCH UPDATES 2005–Present
Google continues to tailor itself to individuals and their personalized, local networks.
» “NOT PROVIDED” October 2011
While this didn’t affect SERP rankings, it impacted the way and relative ease of how SEOs “do” SEO.
» KNOWLEDGE GRAPH May 2012
This indirectly affected website rankings as Google began to provide information (birthdays, deaths, statistics/scientific factoids, weather, etc.) directly on the SERP, making clicking through to a website less necessary.
2005–(?)
Local SearchUpdates
2012–(?)
KnowledgeGraph
2011–(?)
Not Provided2009–(?)
Vince
• Content farms took thebrunt of this update
• Google cracked down onsites with fluffy, practically-worthless content
• Massive linking fromco-owned domains
• Hidden text;hidden links
• Doorwaypages
• Keywordstuffing
• No longer a race to thetop of the SERP
• Individual’s past searchesand social signals beganaffecting results
2015–(?)
Who’s Next?
Not you—as long as youkeep following best practices
and remember to adjustand adapt…
SOURCES:https://moz.com/google-algorithm-change#2002http://www.searchenginejournal.com/many-deaths-seo-2015/123311/2/
THE MANY
OF SEOs
Is Your SEO at Risk?Oneupweb is ready to help you keep on track with the latest
optimization changes, updates, and impending mass extinctions.
PIGEON PREFERED LOCALIn 2014 Google continued to narrow its focus on local search results.
Google continues to focus on hyper-local results. SEOs who failed to pay heed to the importance of location-accuracy and local signals, storefront or service-area clients felt the hurt.
Phantom UpdatesGoogle makes three- to four-hundredupdates a year—barely any of themactually get named. Phantom SEOs tend to chase after these updates, to
little avail. Producing good, qualitycontent is the way.
