The Penguin update affected many small business websites since its inception this spring. Webmasters may receive a back-link warning email from the Google Webmaster Tools. Others hurry to research the update and adapt their SEO strategies as to not be hit by the changes. The changes prompted many to review their SEO and diversify their links.
Others had to learn what exactly will flag a website for bad links. Some examples are:
– Do not send automated queries to Google.
– Don’t create hidden text or hidden links on your pages.
– Stay away from complicated re-directs or cloaking.
– Try not to load pages with all the irrelevant keywords.
– Avoid creating sub domains or multiple web pages with duplicate content.
– Avoid doorway pages that are usually created only for the search engines.
– If the website that you’re promoting is into affiliate marketing, make sure it adds value to the content of your website.
– Try not to create web pages with malicious behavior
Keep these basic tips in mind also. Make web pages that are targeted to users and not built for search engines. Avoid deceiving your visitors or appearing to have valuable content versus keyword stuffed pages that are generic. Don’t risk using schemes to build links to boost your search engine rankings. Also don’t risk linking to bad websites that can link you to spam activity, this can bring your rankings down by association. Think sustainable long-term created content generation.
SEM – Small Engine Marketing
Small businesses have more to lose than corporations who can throw tons of cash at SEM, that’s why it’s important for small businesses to do it efficiently. Some businesses believe that they can’t afford to do something unique, one of a kind, or attempt amazing marketing. One thing small businesses don’t play up enough is the relationship they can grow with customers more than corporations. With the downturn in the economy, the housing market crash, corrupt CEO’s, etc. There has been a real trend to shopping local, green, and at mom and pop stores. Since some high profile blogs were de-indexed completely from Google in March, this has worried many people about their sites being affected by the changes. Adapting to these changes for small businesses can be time sensitive and costly.
Diversify
Small businesses need to diversify their SEM. It’s the same thing as risking your money in one stock as risking all your traffic potential in one marketing avenue. If you are only concentrated on building your link profile, this could hinge on yet another update down the road not to go against you. This is why creating buzz, earning links for content, and education are going to be very important. Start learning about email marketing, social media, and customer reviews.
Prove that small businesses have closer relationships to customers by having real conversations with them on social media. Start connecting with other associations or related websites and look for guest blog opportunities to share your industry expertise. Speak on forums offer advice. And learn from your customers by collecting customer reviews. You can even implement sharing them on social media or under products to promote your good reviews and offer support for bad ones. Remember reviews are uniquely created content that can back link via social media from users.
Google really wants to focus on end-user experiences. Visit a website to provide education, service, or an otherwise valuable experience. Every business person should be an expert in their field. Share your information in a valuable or engaging way. Bakers can teach others recipes, handy men can do DIY blogs or videos, and insurance people can discuss changes in policies. Become a resource for customers for knowledge and they will grow to trusting your expertise. Sooner or later they will come to you for your products or services because the relationship you built.
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Hi Eric, this sounds like solid advice for staying in good terms with google. I would enjoy having you as a guest blogger and would promote your post.
Have a great day.
I’m glad you found the article useful!
So true! A lot of business website have been affected with Penguin update specially those patronizing black hat seo for their website. Hopefully by this time everyone’s are recovered and their website are back to business.
Well, I know of quite a few businesses struggling because of this – thankfully no one I’ve worked with directly.
I think you missed all of the most important reasons of why Google would penalize a site for backlinking reasons. The three biggest reason that I site would get penalized by the Google Penguin update from a backlinking perspective is not varying their anchor text enough, not having enough diversity in the type of backlinks, and having bad links point to your website.
I have no more idea about Diversifying small business in SEM. Other than that I found some information and I learn a lot. Penguin update is the big nightmare for everybody and glad to know that there are such solutions to avoid it.
Good Advice 🙂 thanks
Great article. I actually didn’t know that Penguin affected things like sub-domain use and automated queries. But I can see how they were included in the clean-up.
These are really good tips to remember. I’m not all that big on SEM, but you made it pretty simple here. I like that, because it doesn’t happen often (or at least in the blog circles I frequent).
Thanks for posting!