Let's Talk About Google's Webmaster Guidelines

Here's a little video directly from Google. Might want to watch it. Here's a link to Google's little page describing webmaster guidelines. While it seems to be unclear to some, I thought it would be pertinent to this blog to reiterate these guidelines and talk about what it means for SEO. First, let's take a look at the basic principles outlined on the page. Seems fairly straightforward, right? Obviously not with the overabundance of misdirection and chicanery that seems to permeate the World Wide Web. Honesty does not seem to be the policy for most webmasters, but I digress. Here's the basic guidelines or the 'core' of the principles that Google expects webmasters to uphold taken directly from Google.

Basic principles

• Make pages primarily for users, not for search engines.
• Don't deceive your users.
• Avoid tricks intended to improve search engine rankings. A good rule of thumb is whether you'd feel comfortable explaining what you've done to a website that competes with you, or to a Google employee. Another useful test is to ask, "Does this help my users? Would I do this if search engines didn't exist?"
• Think about what makes your website unique, valuable, or engaging. Make your website stand out from others in your field.

Not so hard to grasp, now is it? Basically, what search engines want is to return the most relevant result for any given search. Not weak, watered-down copy content flooded with ads. Relevant content seems to be quite lacking these days all over the Internet. When the search providers are so upfront about what they expect, why are there so many highly successful content marketing firms out there? That is a very good question and Google, for one, is taking steps to clean them up.

Here are some more specific, or exact, practices that Google lays out in plain English that seems to evade the minds of a lot of people trying to play the SEO game. Again, this is taken verbatim from Google.

Specific guidelines

Avoid the following techniques:

• Automatically generated content
• Participating in link schemes
• Creating pages with little or no original content
• Cloaking
• Sneaky redirects
• Hidden text or links
• Doorway pages
• Scraped content
• Participating in affiliate programs without adding sufficient value
• Loading pages with irrelevant keywords
• Creating pages with malicious behavior, such as phishing or installing viruses, trojans, or other badware
• Abusing rich snippets markup
• Sending automated queries to Google

 It appears, to me at least, that Google is actually telling webmasters how to properly do SEO. Right. They are doing just that. So, why not just listen? The answer should be quite obvious, especially for local businesses that depend on long-term success on the World Wide Web. The basic rule is to be honest and design your marketing strategies to enhance user experience and stop trying to manipulate the search index.

I know, this is a last minute post and it kind of, sort of touches on exactly what the last post did. But, I feel like it is an important message for SEO in general.

To Link or Not To Link?

Figure A - Link Wheel

While decidedly different than Shakespeare's famous question, it is a point to ponder. Should you link to and from sites or not? Well, the answer seems to go in one ear and out of the other for most people trying to optimize websites. Google, for one, goes the extra mile and explains its webmaster guidelines in great detail and specifically what NOT TO DO. They have stated from the very beginning that webmasters should place users before search engines. Period. And, they should avoid using any kind of linking scheme like using link wheels(see figure A). Imagine eight different sites linking into each other and then into a main site...that's a rudimentary link wheel scheme. Basically, is the link useful or is it just an attempt to exploit a loophole and/or gain rank? If it's useful then, by all means, include it.

Should a webmaster link, or not? The answer is, "Yes, they should link." There's a catch, but not much of one. Links should be for the site visitor and not be there for "link juice" only. Believe it or not there were an almost countless number of SEO firms that promoted link wheels and link farming as legitimate SEO. But alas, those days are long gone and as of this week Google began handing down penalties for useless links that were being used purely to enhance a site's position in the search index. The answer is still "Yes." Links should enhance the overall value of a site for the user. It's good to know that Google is making good on their promises.

If you are in the SEO business then it would be advisable to heed the warnings and guidelines set forth by the search providers. After all, even if the algorithms do not flag and penalize a site then there's always the possibility that a competitor can file a manual complaint. 

NAP Consistency and Local Visibility

What is NAP?

NAP is an acronym for 'Name, Address and Phone Number.' Any reference to a company's name with a physical address and/or phone number on the Internet is what is commonly known as a business citation. Some while back, the major search engines began using these citations as a major factor in their local search ranking. That being said, if all of the other factors between two competing websites are of equal weight then the site with the most credible number of citations would certainly rank higher.

For instance hypothetically, there's a business in Florence, SC that sell widgets known as Company A. Most of their business is local but some of it is globally via their website. There just happens to be, for arguments sake, another local business in the Pee Dee that also sells widgets known as Company B. They both have websites and are both about equal as far as SEO goes except that Company A has many business citation irregularities on many websites. Company B has consistent citations and will ultimately rank much higher in the Florence area and nationally with much less effort that Company A.

It's also very important that the citations be consistent across the board. It can be very detrimental to the performance of a website when multiple citations are inconsistent. For example, over the years a business has moved and changed phone numbers many times and has also submitted different addresses and phone numbers to different sites as part of the SEO submission process. The local chamber of commerce has one set of information, Google My Business shows another and Bing Places has yet another...so on and so forth.

There are many services out there that claim to be able to correct inconsistencies in business citations, for a fee of course. But, there is no substitute for keeping up with all SEO efforts for any site in a well-organized manner. It can get overwhelming trying to remember where and when a submission occurred several years ago. And, it's almost a sure bet that no service is going to be 100% accurate in finding every misstep taken over a long time period.

Business citations from highly indexed sites like Superpages can help search engines ensure that a site is what it claims to be and, thus add to the domain's local authority. However, the same citation in Superpages can be detrimental to a sites overall SEO if it is contradicted in other places.

If you are beginning a new website and trying to do some initial SEO for it then keep two things in mind. First, keep up with what you do. Don't go submitting your site all over the place and get sloppy in the process...it could come back to haunt you later. Stay organized. And, quality trumps quantity any day of the week. Focus on getting your site included with your local chamber of commerce, etc. These types of listings will beat any of the "submit your site to 10,000 directories at once" scams. Pick your battles.

Focusing on Local SEO in South Carolina

Just how important is local SEO?

Well, that depends. Does your website represent a business whose customers are almost 100% local? If so, then local SEO would yield far greater results than trying to compete globally, especially in a field that has a lot of competition.

Most people that are searching for a service or product would rather be able to shop locally. While the World Wide Web provides an almost limitless supply of just about everything, the amount of local providers certainly narrows. After all, who from Florence, SC wants to contact a landscaper in Florida about mowing their lawn? Right. Nobody.

Here's a quick question, "Would you open a store in Florida and expect residents of the Pee Dee to be your primary customers?" No, you wouldn't. Then why focus primarily on a global web presence when your business is 100% local?

There are vast resources available for local SEO from social media to Google My Business. Sure, analytic research into keywords, meta-tags, traffic, bounce rate, etc. can always help. But, as a local business owner, you should always focus on local clientele. Are locals reviewing your site and services online? Are they going to your social media pages? When searched, does your site appear on Google Maps? Has your company created a profile with Google My Business?

Search Engine Optimization is an ongoing process for the entire life of your business Keeping your site visible globally is one thing. Making sure that locals find you is critical.

Search Engine Optimization and Web Design in Florence, South Carolina

Florence, South Carolina is not exactly a hotbed of technical accolades in the field of Search Engine Optimization (SEO) nor website design. Let's face it, the internet has been here a while. The mad rush to be the firm that topped the Search Engine Results Pages, or SERPS, has been over for quite some time. And, it shows.

Just search for website design, SEO or the like in Florence, SC and then perform site checks on the first few. Go ahead, I'll wait...not that pretty, huh? How about stroll back a few pages. Because, that is where the crumbs of black-hat SEO start to appear. How about that? Look at all those watered-down content pages. They must have been there for a minute as the search engines would most definitely penalize anyone using such techniques today.

High quality, relevant content seems to be missing. Much like keyword stuffing and link wheel schemes, the use of keyword tools for SEO has been the crutch of most of the Search Engine Optimization for websites in the Pee Dee. Maybe, it's time to shake things up a bit?

Not all SEO in the Pee Dee is a Content Marketing Scheme

   Search Engine Optimization does not have to be a link-farm type scheme or content marketing ploy. There is no shortage of companies well versed in analytic SEO. It can get as deep as you want to go. And, the big boys are very good at getting results. Very good.
   The cost involved with such SEO is extremely prohibitive to the budgets of small and medium sized businesses. And, 99% of all content marketing is a racket comprised of slinging as much junk against the wall as it takes to get some to stick. In other words, sneak as much non-relevance past the search engines as possible. One day, the search providers take notice of these schemes and even newer schemes must be contrived to take their places. Rinse and repeat.
   News Flash: Google, and the others, tell you exactly what they want you to do. All you as an SEO must do is listen. Give the search index and the visitors what they came looking for: substantive, high-quality and relevant content. That's what lured them there in the first place. Sammy, the index spider, does not like filler. Enough time spent following the trail of prime rib only to be served soy-burgers tends to stick with Sammy making him leery to come back. If you promised him prime rib then give him prime rib. Great SEO is just that simple.

Welcome to the Carolina Web Pages Blog

   Carolina Web Pages is a Florence, SC business registered to James D. Bryant. This is the off-site blog set up to act as a landing page for ideas on Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and Website Design. While there may not be as great of a demand for world-wide SEO, the Pee Dee and Low Country area have many, many opportunities that could be demonstrate the need for local SEO.
   Over the next few months, or maybe even years, there will be an influx of information, posts, etc. to which no substantive structure or even direction has been chosen. In other words, this particular blog is going to truly be "flying by the seat of its pants." The only objective is to make sure that everything remains 100% relevant content...period. Content is truly King!!!
   "In the end, nothing beats a steady flow of substantive, original, high quality and relevant content. In every telling of the tale, the tortoise beats the hare no matter how many times the hare takes a shortcut." - Me