It’s been a while, and not a post I planned to start back blogging with. This 10 Commandments of SEO infographic with Matt Cutts of Google’s Webspam team as Moses just made me chuckle. While I am not sure Matt would appreciate the orange robes and sandals, and I am sure some others would be offended by the use of a religous figure – the message is a valid one.
Contents
- The Ten Commandments of SEO
- What the 10 Commandments mean for you
- 1. Have an Unnatural Link Profile
- 2. Cloak and Use Hidden Text
- 3. Steal / Duplicate Content
- 4. Spin Content
- 5. Stuff Keywords
- 6. Spam Google Maps
- 7. Create Microsites
- 8. Sell links
- 9. Go Overboard on Ads
- 10. Create multiple websites to rank for the same business
- Related Posts
The Ten Commandments of SEO
[ Source TechWyse Internet Marketing ]
What the 10 Commandments mean for you
Are you breaking any of these SEO commandments?
Thou shalt not…
1. Have an Unnatural Link Profile
Links to your website are like the currency of the web. Before there were search engines, links pointing to your website is how people found you. Over time, it became obvious that if these links contained keywords (words you want to be found for) and you created lots of links back to your site then Google ranked your site higher in search.
Ranking was a numbers game. Your aim was to preferably get links from higher authority sites than your competitor or failing that, beat them with shear numbers of links.
It’s a dangerous game to play these days because the Big G now looks at where you get your links from and the words contained within those links. Too many keyword terms or links from low quality sources and Google says, “No!”
2. Cloak and Use Hidden Text
Cloaking usually isn’t an issue for small business website unless you’ve hired a particularly unscrupulous webdesigner. It’s the practice of sending Googlebot to one set of content and your actual visitors to another.
Hidden text can be written in areas that do not show on screen or use the same colour text as background colour so it cannot be read by viewers. Despite hidden text being so 1990’s, it is surprising how many DIY websites still have white on white or black on black text! Writing your keywords you want to be found in search this way does not make your website relevant and can actually harm your rankings.
3. Steal / Duplicate Content
There’s nothing more annoying than someone ranking higher than your website using your content. Personally, I don’t think Google have got this right yet.
It’s ok to quote, or even use entire articles with permission and citing the source. Filling your website with copied content – even with credits – isn’t a great idea.
4. Spin Content
If you don’t know what spinning is, that’s probably for the best…
5. Stuff Keywords
Google uses many signals to rank your web pages. One of many signals is the keywords you use.
You do need to use the words that you want to rank for on the page. Don’t go overboard! There’s no need to have whole blocks of words at the top or bottom of your page, and please don’t write like this example from Google’s Content Guidelines
We sell custom cigar humidors. Our custom cigar humidors are handmade. If you’re thinking of buying a custom cigar humidor, please contact our custom cigar humidor specialists at custom.cigar.humidors@example.com.
6. Spam Google Maps
Don’t create fake local listings. It does work for a while, until you get caught and your Google account banned… It’s not worth the effort in my opinion – getting a legit listing up and running can be challenging enough!
7. Create Microsites
There is a place for spin off and microsites. Creating small sites with very little content purely for the sake of ranking and linking back to your main site isn’t the best way to do it.
8. Sell links
It’s ok to accept ads or sponsored posts that link to other sites on your website, but they must be “nofollow” links. The links should not pass on any authority. Accepting money or goods/services in return for a link can get your site penalised. Google recently clarified the issue on their Webmaster Central blog.
9. Go Overboard on Ads
In a similar vein, it’s ok to show ads on your website but if your site is a mass of ad banners and very little content it is not a great user experience. This is something Google are detecting more and frown on.
10. Create multiple websites to rank for the same business
Similar to microsites, there is a place for multiple websites depending on the business, products and aims. However, if the only goal of these websites is to dominate the search rankings then you’re treading dangerous waters. Get caught and you could see all your website’s rankings tank.
Over to you…
What do you think of the 10 Commandments of SEO? I’d love to hear from you in the comments.
10 Commandments of SEO [Infographic] by Jan Kearney
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Simply add your name and best email address in the box below and I'll whizz your report and worksheet straight over to you.
Don't worry, I hate spam too (probably more than you!) I'll never trade, share, sell, exchange your email address or any other jiggery pokery.
Even after all these years, it’s still basically the same rules. But yet somehow, a lot of people just don’t seem to get it.
One big name I was very surprised to find breaking the rules is GoDaddy. Yep… that GoDaddy. If you keep reloading a site hosted by them, sooner or later you’ll find microtext in the footer, the same color as the background, linking back to their site.
Great infographic, though. I would love to hear to Cutts take on the pic. 😀 Great post, as usual, Jan.
You’re right, Bradley – sites we use change, buttons we click change, but the thought process behind it all is basically the same.
I never knew that about Go Daddy – I don’t host with them thankfully.
Thanks for popping in, lovely to see you here 🙂
It never ceases to amaze me how often people try to get “one over” on Google. You would think people would learn by now.
If you operate a shady business offline, sooner or later it catches up with you. Why would it be any different online?
GoDaddy breaking the rules? ROFL – why am I not surprised?
While there’s an algo I am sure people will try to beat it Bonnie! I’m not surprised about Go Daddy either, I don’t think much surprises me any more…
Great to see you here again, thanks for popping in 🙂
I just had to let you know that “I love the Graphic.” LOL But don’t freak, I really enjoyed the info. as well because SEO is not one of my strong points… LOL
Thanks again for sharing.
David Caudill
Hi David, found you in spam and fished you out! Lovely to see you here 🙂
Hi Jan
Great article, and love the infographic!
It’s such a complicated subject isn’t it, and beginners can easily get caught out innocently by “bad” advice, before they bump into informed info such as yours.
Funnily enough I’ve just finished reading a thread on a forum I belong to that suggested it’s best to find other advertising sources, probably even paid, that work – and concentrate on those instead of trying to rank.
My caveat here is that I’ve only ever lost money on paid advertising, but I guess it must work for some people!!
Glad to see you back again, I’ve missed your info.
Joy
It’s always fun, Joy 🙂 People have their own prefered methods of getting traffic – I think a mix – search, social and paid, works well. Yes, paid traffic can eat through your credit card with little return if you’re not careful, there’s definately a knack to it and lots of tweaking and testing to improve ctr and conversions.
Great to be back (ish!) still slow on the old blog! Thanks for popping in, great to see you back too 🙂
Thanks I appreciate the info. Just learning all things SEO this is useful for me. Thanks again, Wendy
Glad it helped Wendy – thanks for popping in 🙂