Are you optimizing the hell out of your websites? Constantly searching for keywords until your fingerprints blister…
…following Google’s recommendations down to the letter—and tracking each change like a madman? Basing your content on—and building your entire linking campaign—on the recent updates promised by Google engineer, Mad Cutts?
If so, you’re are going to remain wondering how to get your website on Google’s first page; because even with all of your SEO tricks, best practices, outsourced campaigns and obsessive analysis, your website is not seeing the light of Google’s first, second, third or other preferred page for that matter.
Why is this happening to your website? You did everything Google “told” you do to. This is affecting your business in a very terrible manner. What’s a person to do?
Stop Optimizing Your Website For Google!! Here’s why…
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Google Has Too Many Updates; Now and Ongoing!
Google just loves eluding us all. They really proved this in February 2011, when they first released Panda—changing the search result rankings drastically forever more. The change was said to be targeting sites which Google deemed as “low-quality,” while giving “high-quality” sites higher rankings, or placement closer to the top of the search results.
If THAT didn’t do enough to stifle or cripple your business or website traffic— Google rolled the ball even harder down the aisle and released the dreaded Penguin update, on April 24th 2012.
Panda supposedly targeted “Black-Hat” SEO practices used to manipulate search engine rankings. Examples of that practice includes:
- Keyword stuffing
- Keyword hiding
- Cloaking
- Link farming
Ironically, Google penalized and even banned (from its directory) certain websites that violated their “Webmaster Guidelines.”
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They WILL Change the Algorithm Once You “Beat” It!
The only casualties of the Panda, Penguin and subsequent updates were the black hatters, correct? Those who followed Google’s guidelines down to the noodle weren’t affected, right? Nope…sorry.
Panda targeted websites with perceived low value in their on-page optimization. Penguin targeted incoming website links while dropping the search rank of sites with incoming links deemed as “unnatural” to Big G.
However, a large number of websites and businesses that followed SEO practices and guidelines—to the tee—noticed huge dips in traffic, unfavorable search ranking and significantly less income for trying too darn hard.
The latest breaking news to hit the block: Google will most likely penalize highly optimized websites on their next big algorithm tweak!
What this means for you: Outsourcing that expensive, fancy SEO firm just might derail your plans and kill your traffic. The problem is—no one actually knows how to get around Google’s changes until the fallout has already occurred.
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Offline Marketing Is Still In Style!
Marketing offline is essential—good old, canvassing, cold calling, networking, print advertising and the likes. You’ll not only get the word out about your offerings, but you also earn new customers—customers who will even if Google pulls the proverbial plug on your website.
Use other sources of marketing regardless of what Google is currently targeting or how many visitors they get.
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Stop Trying To Get Your Website On Google!
How to get your website on Google in the first page results is a bad question. Stop trying to get your website on Google already!
I’m sure you are aware that other search engines exist with relevant “market share.” As in—enough search users to bring in the cash. Yes, I know…Google currently holds more than 65% market share in the search market…blah, blah. Does that mean you should follow the lead of numerous other webmasters and decision makers who followed Google’s lead to their demise? No, it does not!
It means that other search companies collectively make up the additional 35% of market share—don’t underestimate the power in that! Yahoo and Bing, to name the closest two competitors, are viable alternatives and steps should be taken to ensure decent placement on these engines as well as Google!
Yes, in the past, optimizing your website for Google helped your SEO placement for other sites. Now, with more competition from players and partners such as Bing and Microsoft, that is no longer the case.
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Stop relying on Google for traffic. It’s true they can send floods of traffic, but building a viable and sustainable business or site encompasses not relying on any one source of traffic. Please your customers and visitors, acknowledge these tips and everything will eventually fall into place.
Have you noticed a decline in traffic and/or sales as a result of one of Google’s algorithms updates? Please share below!
Until we meet next time….take care,
Jarvis Edwards – Freelance Copywriter