Good assessment of why SEO is basically DEAD

[dashu1]

I also disagree EMD will be targeted. Google understands people pay for domains, hence why it gives domains considerable weight. The domain is the one thing that (once bought) cant be adjusted (or optimized) for seo.
QFT.

First of all I doubt Google give 2 hoots how much someone paid for a domain or anything else, it won't have any bearing on whether they decide go for them or not.

Secondly the vast majority of EMDs are owned by domainers and either have sedo type sales pages on them or junk affiliate sites.

You'd imagine it'd make a lot of sense to hit them.

 

[murph]

It will be a very sad day if they change anything for EMDs. Sure get rid of EMDs that are parked pages or thin content, but decent sites focussing on that subject should be given a little boost... especially when so often surrounded by huge corporations (brands!!) that dominate thanks to massive link buying campaigns.

 

[Marcoose]

First of all I doubt Google give 2 hoots how much someone paid for a domain or anything else, it won't have any bearing on whether they decide go for them or not.

Secondly the vast majority of EMDs are owned by domainers and either have sedo type sales pages on them or junk affiliate sites.

You'd imagine it'd make a lot of sense to hit them.

There's a massive difference between smacking a parked domain than a fully fledged website. I can't even remember the last time I saw a parked page rank for any keyword worth talking about anyway.

A far as I'm concerned, there are certain elements to the algo that will always remain and keywords being including in the site's domain is as good a way to gauge a site's relevance as anything. How many people are going to build a site on buydogbowls.co.uk and sell Viagra?

 

[dashu1]

There's a massive difference between smacking a parked domain than a fully fledged website. I can't even remember the last time I saw a parked page rank for any keyword worth talking about anyway.

A far as I'm concerned, there are certain elements to the algo that will always remain and keywords being including in the site's domain is as good a way to gauge a site's relevance as anything. How many people are going to build a site on buydogbowls.co.uk and sell Viagra?

But just because someone has a site on buydogbowls doesn't mean it's any good, so why should it get a boost just because of the domain?

 

[Marcoose]

But just because someone has a site on buydogbowls doesn't mean it's any good, so why should it get a boost just because of the domain?

Because relevancy is a massive aspect of any search engine and a site build on a keyword domain is more likely to be relevant to the search... quality is another story!

 

[retired_member34]

EMD's will be on the list of Google death....be warned

Doug

This.

 

[devilsrefugee]

But just because someone has a site on buydogbowls doesn't mean it's any good, so why should it get a boost just because of the domain?

Who said it should? I dont recall anybody saying that a site should get a boost, purely on its domain name. Any half informed Domainer/designer/seo expert etc know the golden google words - "content is (and will always) be king!"

If the buydogbowls website is about buying dog bowls, then why would it make any sense to penilise said site?

Now, if said site was actually not related (aka about viagra or whatever) or a holding page, then I am sure Google have the data to be able to tell, and act accordingly.

They aint just gonna bring down the smack hammer on ALL EMDs.

Its all about content.

Also what constitutes as 'good' is very subjective. As long as the site has unique content, correct markup and Google can see its not spam, then I am sure EMD owners have nothing to worry about.

 

[crazihos]

EMD's will be on the list of Google death....be warned

Doug

But if you build a good site with links that google likes you'll be ok.

Given the choice as a startup I think I'd still rather build a phone brand on mobilephones.co.uk than reallygoodphones.co.uk.

 

[JMOT]

EMD's have already been targeted by Google...

If all you built was exact match anchor on your EMD then you have probably been fecked already if you have done it aggressively.

eg "blue widgets" anchor for bluewidgets.co.uk

Pre Penguin & the 1m link emails the school of thought for most people was Google couldnt and wouldnt target EMD and links on EMD as it was "brand"

That turned out to be bollocks...

Now you just have to see what else they do to completely discount their power based on link profile or social signals.

Next Google update that causes carnage I must admit i'll be LOLing from the sidelines thinking thank fuck I built a different business... not thank god I avoided that or worse... oh god oh god oh god...

Been there, got the t-shirt and I'm wearing it every day atm.

There are some very serious people here who got burnt quite badly this year... i'm amazed people are not heeding the advice :!:

 

[Marcoose]

EMD's have already been targeted by Google...

If all you built was exact match anchor on your EMD then you have probably been fecked already if you have done it aggressively.

eg "blue widgets" anchor for bluewidgets.co.uk

Pre Penguin & the 1m link emails the school of thought for most people was Google couldnt and wouldnt target EMD and links on EMD as it was "brand"

That turned out to be bollocks...

Now you just have to see what else they do to completely discount their power based on link profile or social signals.

Next Google update that causes carnage I must admit i'll be LOLing from the sidelines thinking thank fuck I built a different business... not thank god I avoided that or worse... oh god oh god oh god...

Been there, got the t-shirt and I'm wearing it every day atm.

There are some very serious people here who got burnt quite badly this year... i'm amazed people are not heeding the advice :!:

Myself and people I know are ranking pretty competitive keywords with EMDs within weeks. This is without a magnitute of links. Slowly but surely and with quality placements while using a bit of common sense with anchor usage and I can't see there being any problems.

This is coming from someone that has lost XX,XXX a month at the hands of Penguin/the t-shirt.

 

[pugyrob]

Not being able to aggressively get exact match anchor doesn't devalue exact match domains. Quite the contrary. Penguin hit my business 75 percent, and now already got that back to full force. If you had a business based solely on search that was always a risk and maybe unwise.

Nothing much has changed in the 12 years I've been doing this. The Florida update was as bad and there have always been posts like this constanty http://www.currybet.net/cbet_blog/2012/01/seo-is-dead.php

As long as there is search Seo won't be dead but it just gets harder year on year as google gets smarter. You now have to build more sites and expect more losses but the ones that get through make it more than worthwhile. Again tho I don't advocate betting your house on Seo solely but it is still a profitable niche.

Will google devalue exact matches... Maybe, but that will be replaced with social signals more or something else that will be found quite quickly.

 

[JMOT]

Myself and people I know are ranking pretty competitive keywords with EMDs within weeks. This is without a magnitute of links. Slowly but surely and with quality placements while using a bit of common sense with anchor usage and I can't see there being any problems.

This is coming from someone that has lost XX,XXX a month at the hands of Penguin/the t-shirt.

I love the narrow mindedness and contradictory nature of your post above. its not a personal attack so please view this objectively...

You are in one hand saying you dont see any problems with what you are doing now... and then say you lost a five figure income with penguin.

Well there you go... did you see penguin coming? I bet you couldnt see any problems with what you were doing then either? Am I right?

have you thought about why EMD's with no links/afew are ranking so well right now? Its because google is now weighting links in your profile... all the other sites around you are at a disadvantage as they have links that are pulling them down... you come in with something freshish and right now you are ranking.

When Google levels that one out and addresses the balance will you have seen the oncoming train and lose another 5 figure income a month??

Dont get me wrong..if you are happy to run your affairs like that then all the best mate Its a great income to make without having to really do any work

I dunno why i'm wasting my time trying to make people see the light tbh. I lost £55k a month with penguin...bye bye. I'm small fry compared to some other people I know who have lost several million in lost income due to this...

Not letting something like that happen again so I too feel the pain but i'm not building my home on the flood plain..again... i might get my toes wet but i wont be swept away!

 

[pugyrob]

I love the narrow mindedness and contradictory nature of your post above. its not a personal attack so please view this objectively...

You are in one hand saying you dont see any problems with what you are doing now... and then say you lost a five figure income with penguin.

Well there you go... did you see penguin coming? I bet you couldnt see any problems with what you were doing then either? Am I right?

have you thought about why EMD's with no links/afew are ranking so well right now? Its because google is now weighting links in your profile... all the other sites around you are at a disadvantage as they have links that are pulling them down... you come in with something freshish and right now you are ranking.

When Google levels that one out and addresses the balance will you have seen the oncoming train and lose another 5 figure income a month??

Dont get me wrong..if you are happy to run your affairs like that then all the best mate Its a great income to make without having to really do any work

I dunno why i'm wasting my time trying to make people see the light tbh. I lost £55k a month with penguin...bye bye. I'm small fry compared to some other people I know who have lost several million in lost income due to this...

Not letting something like that happen again so I too feel the pain but i'm not building my home on the flood plain..again... i might get my toes wet but i wont be swept away!

I think everyone can see the sentiment behind it and most people won't be putting all their eggs in the seo basket. That said, any time you put all your business in the hands of another company it is probably unwise. That has been the case for ever. I think people (including me) got into a false sense of security.

I wholeheartedly agree in diversifying out of seo. Just saying that there still a massive ROI in seo to fund other more organic businesses online and if you can make that ROI then make hay while the sun shines but be doing something bigger at the same time. the day Google does'nt have any loopholes to be exploited isn't near here yet.

 

[Marcoose]

I love the narrow mindedness and contradictory nature of your post above. its not a personal attack so please view this objectively...

You are in one hand saying you dont see any problems with what you are doing now... and then say you lost a five figure income with penguin.

Well there you go... did you see penguin coming? I bet you couldnt see any problems with what you were doing then either? Am I right?

No offense taken. No, I know exactly where I went wrong and knew it was going to happen, it was just a matter of time. Low quality links from irrelevant sites, 90% of which were directed to my homepage with 70%+ of the same anchor text. I have noone but myself to blame really and have learnt a hard lesson.

have you thought about why EMD's with no links/afew are ranking so well right now? Its because google is now weighting links in your profile... all the other sites around you are at a disadvantage as they have links that are pulling them down... you come in with something freshish and right now you are ranking.

Not in my case. I am ranking above companies in my niche who have been around for 10 years+ so don't think it's anything to do with them being negatively effected. One or two of these are billion dollar companies. I have friends with similar results. We've just found niches where SEO isn't competitive and for me, that's half of the battle won.

 

[johnnyboy]

I also disagree EMD will be targeted. Google understands people pay for domains, hence why it gives domains considerable weight. The domain is the one thing that (once bought) cant be adjusted (or optimized) for seo.

QFT.

Agree with the above quote.

There is absolutely no reason why Google should penalise EMDs; sites on them only drop in rankings or get removed completely because of bad content or search engine practices.

I think if anything, Google will realise that good generic, premium domains cost £x,xxx/xx,xxx to acquire and if people/companies are willing to spend that amount on a domain then they are not going to negate the quality of it with crap content and therefore may give it a tiny boost. Although, EMDs shouldn't be entitled to any advantage.

 

[JMOT]

Well this is nice of Matt... A little heads up for people...

http://www.seroundtable.com/google-penguin-warning-15577.html

 

[AuthorityDomain]

Hopefully they will now not penalise sites suffered from spam abuse. I did a post on negative seo and spammy links on my blog here: http://www.webaholic.org.uk/no-manual-spam-actions-found-negative-seo-exists/

 

[murph]

Well this is nice of Matt... A little heads up for people...

http://www.seroundtable.com/google-penguin-warning-15577.html

Urgh!! Are there any clues when and what's being targeted next?

 

[crazihos]

An update from matt cutts:

Hey Barry, I wasn't saying that people needed to overly stress out about the next Penguin update, but I'm happy to give more details. I was giving context on the fact that lots of people were asking me when the next Penguin update would happen, as if they expected Penguin updates to happen on a monthly basis and as if Penguin would only involve data refreshes.

If you remember, in the early days of Panda, it took several months for us to iterate on the algorithm, and the Panda impact tended to be somewhat larger (e.g. the April 2011 update incorporated new signals like sites that users block). Later on, the Panda updates had less impact over time as we stabilized the signals/algorithm and Panda moved closer to near-monthly updates.
Likewise, we're still in the early stages of Penguin where the engineers are incorporating new signals and iterating to improve the algorithm. Because of that, expect that the next few Penguin updates will take longer, incorporate additional signals, and as a result will have more noticeable impact. It's not the case that people should just expect data refreshes for Penguin quite yet.

Also a comment from someone who was actually at said seo conference:

Wow, it is amazing how statements can be taken the wrong way and twisted up. I was here yesterday and heard Matt talk about owe upcoming updates. That is NOT his intention.

Matt said that the panda updates are now on a more regular schedule, perhaps monthly, asp we are used to them. The impact is not as great on so many websites. The penguin updates are not on a normal schedule so to speak, so when they do hit we will know it. I do not recall him implying that new penguin updates will affect a lot of sites. This was NOT a warning at all, just a statement on the timing of updates.

 

[JMOT]

sounds like the PR machine had to jump in and clean up...unless the original article was totally making up the exact quote...