Popular Design On Way Out Using a home page slider was all the design rage. Theoretically sliders allowed a website to showcase multiple products, offers or services. Yet it turned out to be bad for usability and SEO. In this post we’ll explain why this web design trend is definitely on the way out. Bad …
SEO
Panda 4.1 Slow Rollout
Cuteness or Cutthroat? Panda 4.1 is making SEO headlines. No, this isn’t about the Panda triplets born two months ago in China (although they are awfully cute). It’s the latest attempt for the search algorithm to help smaller websites — those with quality content — to organically rank. Learn why it’s good news for small …
Yahoo Directory RIP
Saying Goodbye On December 31 the Yahoo Directory will be officially shut down after 20 years of service. This is actually important news as it was the product that made Yahoo relevant in search. The world is saying goodbye to historic old-style SEO. In The Olden Days Before there was such a thing called a “Google search engine,” the …
Private Blog Networks, A No-No
Google Smacks Down on PBNs Some SEOs are reeling from the recent number of massive manual actions taken by Google against Private Blog Networks. In this post I’ll explain why these networks are deemed thin content spam and what it means for those who generate schemes to artificially bolster rankings. What Are Private Blog Networks, Anyway? Private blog …
Link Profile & Negative SEO
Guard Against Negative SEO There are two main elements of SEO: content and links. In Google parlance, Penguin rewards quality pages and posts while targeting spammy links. Sadly we’re seeing an uptrend on negative SEO — the practice of other sites using malicious tactics like backlink spamming to damage organic rankings. In this post we’ll …
Link Sculpting, What It Is and Isn’t.
Beware of Advanced Technique Link sculpting officially died in 2009 (according to Search Engine Land). Yet it’s an advanced White Hat SEO technique that some less-than-White-Hatters still use today. In this post I’ll explain what link sculpting is, why you should avoid it, and tips for building a better long-term strategy. What Exactly is Link Sculpting? Link Sculpting …
Silicon Valley SEO Workshop
Code Stars Summit We’re excited to announce that we’re offering a two-day SEO workshop at the upcoming Code Stars Summit. This event precedes the 9th annual Silicon Valley Code Camp. Interested in some hands-on SEO training? Consider signing up now to enjoy early-bird pricing. Silicon Valley SEO Workshop Day One Great SEO requires both technical skills …
HTTPs for SEO Ranking Boost
Increased Privacy Protocols Google recently announced that they have added HTTPS for SEO relevancy to their algorithm. This is creating a big buzz in the SEO community. In this post I’ll share a bit of history and what it may mean for websites. Short History Lesson Five short months ago at SMX West Matt Cutts …
Pigeon Algorithm
Yet Another Google Change Panda, Penguin, Hummingbird… now we have another critter to add to Google’s list: the Pigeon Algorithm. Launched in late July this algo update is directed to affect local search results. In this post I’ll provide a recap on this big SEO news. Pigeon Algorithm Droppings In some cultures having a bird …
Writing Web Content
Creativity on Demand If you’re responsible for writing web content, you’ve no doubt stared at a blank page… stuck with writer’s block. In this post I’ll share a few words of wisdom that I’ve learned over the years. These tips were shaped by consistently writing for a thrice-weekly blog as well as for on-demand client content. Advice for Writing Web …