Know Your Enemy - The New SEO & Outsmarting Google Penguin

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KNOW YOUR ENEMY A Case Study & Tips for Outsmarting Google Penguin http://webdigia.com/blog/3-crucial-google-penguin-seo-tips Presented @ The 2013 Innotech eMarketingSummit - Portland for

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This is an updated presentation on SEO strategies for Google Penguin that was presented at the Portland Innotech eMarketingSummit 2013. Includes an overview of Penguin, a case study, and how to avoid Penguin by brand building through content strategy, development & marketing.

Transcript of Know Your Enemy - The New SEO & Outsmarting Google Penguin

  • 1. KNOW YOUR ENEMYA Case Study & Tips for Outsmarting Google Penguinhttp://webdigia.com/blog/3-crucial-google-penguin-seo-tipsPresented @ The 2013 Innotech eMarketingSummit - Portlandfor

2. AMPLIFY INTERACTIVEwww.amplify-interactive.comBoutique Agency All We Do is Search Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Pay Per Click (PPC) Search & Social Ads Social Media Management & Optimization Web Analytics2010 + 2011 AMA MAX AWARD BEST SINGLE MEDIUM ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNBEN LLOYD | PRESIDENT, AMPLIFY INTERACTIVE Focused on SEO/SEM since 1999 Founded Amplify Interactive in 2003 Participates in developing all client strategy Co-Founder & Past President - SEMpdx 3. IMPROVING THE WEB & KILLING BAD SEOWHY PENGUIN? (AND PANDA)Googles algorithm updates are intended to improve &maintain satisfaction with search results (and to keepyou coming back to Google and clicking on PPC ads).They want sites in the results that are earningrankings on merit instead of knowing how to buy links. 4. PENGUIN SLAPPEDA Case Studyhttps://gifsoup.com/view/4622332/penguin-slap.html 5. BACKGROUND Outdoor furniture site I THINK I hid the ID of the offending site We didnt do this to the site in the 1st place Suffered a big loss in search engine trafficthis case study shows how I figured out theywere nailed by Penguin.www.amplify-interactive.com 6. PENGUIN TOOLKIT Dates: Penguin 1.0 = 4/24/12o http://www.seomoz.org/google-algorithm-changeo MozCast Analytics OpenSiteExplorer Google Webmaster Toolso You will not get a notificationwww.amplify-interactive.comThis is the toolkit I used to collect and analyzethe data to show the Penguin penalty.Knowing dates of algorithm updates is key toidentifying patterns. The rest of the tools are fordissecting the link profile of the site. 7. SITE AFFECTED BY PENGUIN 3/23: Panda 3.4 Over-Optimization 4/24: Penguin 1.0 Spammy Links 5/30: Memorial Day - Seasonal Declinewww.amplify-interactive.com 8. ANALYSIS: PRE/POST PENGUIN 2 weeks before & 2 weeks after Doesnt look like much 39% difference 1 specific referring keyword sticks outwww.amplify-interactive.com 9. ANY GUESSES?Look at all the optimized anchor textAnchor Text Profileadirondack chairsadirondack chairwooden adirondack chairscedar adirondack chairswood adirondack chairhttp://www.domainname.com/adchair1.htmlCedar Wood FurnitureBranded AnchorText is usuallythe biggest slicewww.amplify-interactive.com 10. HOME PAGE COMES IN 2NDInbound Links by Pagehttp://www.domainname.com/adchair1.htmlhttp://www.domainname.com/http://www.domainname.com/pottingbenches.htmlhttp://www.domainname.com/firewoodracks.htmlhttp://www.domainname.com/catdog.htmlhttp://domainname.com/http://www.cedarwoodfurniture.com/porchswings2.htmlhttp://www.cedarwoodfurniture.com/windowboxes.htmlhttp://www.cedarwoodfurniture.com/homegarden.htmlwww.amplify-interactive.comThe home page is usuallythe most linked-to pagethis profile is a red flag 11. POOR QUALITY LINKS010020030040050060063 55 49 44 39 34 29 24 19 14 9Page Authority of Linking PageLinks by Page AuthorityNumber of Linkswww.amplify-interactive.comThe bulk of pages linking tothis site are poor qualityanother red flag 12. I FOUND SITES LIKE THISwww.amplify-interactive.comI started investigating the links to the site these arethe first few links I found by picking from open siteexplorer at random. None of them are good. 13. I FOUND ARTICLES LIKE THISMost of the chairs you can find for outdoor use aremere replications of the designs that you can see forindoor use. If there are deep-seating sofas in theliving room, arm chairs in the dining room or reclinersin the den, you can always find that they have theircorresponding counterparts in the patio furniture. Ifyou wish, however, for an exquisite and unique designthat is built specifically for the outside setting thenyou should go for Adirondack chairs.www.amplify-interactive.comI started investigating the links to the site these arethe first few links I found by picking from open siteexplorer at random. None of them are good. 14. I FOUND COMMENTS LIKE THISwww.amplify-interactive.comI started investigating the links to the site these arethe first few links I found by picking from open siteexplorer at random. None of them are good. 15. SOAP BOX TIME How do tactics like those add value? Search marketing is a way to execute on yourbusiness strategy not the other way around Build a brand not linkswww.amplify-interactive.comhttp://smokingsection.uproxx.com/ 16. PENGUIN RECOVERY OPTIONSDeleteDestroyDilute Beg for mercywww.amplify-interactive.com 17. PENGUIN RECOVERY: DELETE Delete bad links It will work if you can do it.www.amplify-interactive.comhttp://www.seomoz.org/blog/how-wpmuorg-recovered-from-the-penguin-update 18. PENGUIN RECOVERY: DESTROY?Penguin is a page-specificpenalty.If you cant delete links tothe offending page(s) - oneoption may be to movethe offending page(s) by1. Giving them new URLs2. 404-ing the old pagesHowever if its the homepage that has over-builtlinks to it, this option maynot be viable if youve got alot of domain equity. IN thatcase, youre going to needto dilute your linksInbound Links by Pagehttp://www.domainname.com/adchair1.htmlhttp://www.domainname.com/http://www.domainname.com/pottingbenches.htmlhttp://www.domainname.com/firewoodracks.htmlwww.amplify-interactive.com 19. PENGUIN RECOVERY: DILUTEDilute your bad links by EARNING new/better linksContent Marketing Strategy1. Create great content2. Market your content3. Get linksSounds easy enough but it takes time and pretty soonthe old mindset starts to prevailwww.amplify-interactive.com 20. THE PROBLEM IS SEOSMost SEOs then look for the smartest and fastest way to do things: Buy lots of articles for $20 a pop Only 2% exact match anchor text Buy likes: Link/like/share networks Find dofollow blogs to comment on Buy software to remove linksand youre back in the same boatwww.amplify-interactive.comhttp://www.seomoz.org/ugc/how-to-push-an-infographic 21. SURVIVAL OF THE FITTESTTrue to form the site owner says:So we should just build more brandedlinks to those pages, right?www.amplify-interactive.com 22. OUTSMARTING GOOGLE PENGUINTHE FUTURE OF SEOhttp://www.myconfinedspace.com/2010/10/12/back-to-the-future-roads-wallpaper/back-to-the-future-roads-wallpaper-2/ 23. OUTSMARTING PENGUINWho Knows What This Means?#RCSwww.amplify-interactive.comhttp://www.slideshare.net/wilreynolds/do-real-company-stuff-mozcon-2012-version 24. SEO IS NOT JUST SEO ANYMORESocial ContentTechnicalSEO User experienceo Site speedo Responsive designo Informationarchitecture Quality contento Know your audienceo Anticipate their needso Add value Social & Linkso Communityparticipationo Offline counts tooo Add valuewww.amplify-interactive.com 25. Ad Copy & MessagesContent TypesSocial MediaChannels & OnlineCommunitiesKeywords & TopicsPaid StrategiesKNOW YOUR PERSONASGIVE YOUR AUDIENCE WHAT THEY WANTwww.amplify-interactive.com 26. KEYWORDS > FUNNEL > CONTENT > LEADS & SALES Short-form content(blog, resources) Tips Ideas/Examples Checklists Q&A / InterviewGenerateAwareness Long-form content(ebook) Low barrier Guides Templates NewsletterGenerateLeads High-Barrier Contact Us ConsultationSalesTips for integratingsocial media intoconferencesGuide tosocial mediafor eventplannersSocial mediadisplay fortrade showboothwww.amplify-interactive.com 27. www.amplify-interactive.com/blog/@AmplifySEMwww.slideshare.com/benjaminlloydThank You!www.amplify-interactive.com