Matt Cutts of Google Using a Big Stick to Teach an Important Lesson about Traffic Diversity

[Michael Curran Smith]

So, I guess... "the money really is in the list"

[Dennis Gaskill]

Originally Posted by Kevin Riley

Yep. I've been putting up blank websites and they're all grabbing number one positions. Soon, when you use Google you'll come up with nothing but blank websites. That will get rid of information overload.

Genius!

Originally Posted by Michael Mayo

Kevin,
You should consider at least placing a Buy Now button on the page.
Just make sure you leave the "alt tag" empty.

Have a Great Day!
Michael

More genius!

You guys are amazing. I'm thinking we could outsource the blank pages really cheaply.

[tpw]

Originally Posted by Dennis Gaskill

More genius!

You guys are amazing. I'm thinking we could outsource the blank pages really cheaply.

This kind of service could definitely elevate some web designers to icon status!!

[Michael Mayo]

Script created! Posting the WSO now!
Oh, and it also creates blank auto blogs really fast!


Have a Great Day!
Michael

[Martin Luxton]

Originally Posted by Michael Mayo

Kevin,
You should consider at least placing a Buy Now button on the page.
Just make sure you leave the "alt tag" empty.

Have a Great Day!
Michael

Monetizing strategy already in place.


web design


Martin

[Michael Curran Smith]

Chuckling out loud.

[Richard Van]

Originally Posted by Dennis Gaskill

You guys are amazing. I'm thinking we could outsource the blank pages really cheaply.

Dennis,

I've just realeased a WSO, I can do a 500 page site for $0.01 a page.

The orders are flying in, thanks Bill.

Anyone fancy leaving a review?

I'll pay you.

I'm serious.

[Dennis Gaskill]

Originally Posted by Richard Van

Dennis,

I've just realeased a WSO, I can do a 500 page site for $0.01 a page.

The orders are flying in, thanks Bill.

Anyone fancy leaving a review?

I'll pay you.

I'm serious.

Seems fair enough, but I need to see a review copy of several of your blank pages to make sure there isn't any hidden content.

[clever7]

As a daily content producer, I’m very glad with this change. Perhaps this is why my websites are getting more traffic lately. However, I’m doing so many things at the same time to increase website traffic that I don’t know what is really helping them. Of course, statcounter keeps showing me that my ezinearticles’ articles keep being my best traffic generating method, and a few new links, besides other sources of regular traffic.

I think that this change really had to happen some day. However, let’s see if it will really eliminate all websites and blogs that simply repeat other people’s words. I don’t think so…

Three years ago I saw shocked that someone had copied one of my articles and had changed a few words, which didn’t fit at all with the text!! My wonderful article became a very poor document after the changes made by this content thief. However, he/she had enough incoming links and this is why his blog appeared in the first page and paragraph of Google, with my article completely distorted. My original article, published at ezinearticles, appeared immediately after this blog. I tried to complain, but nothing happened.

This article was about writing, which is not my main field. My main field is psychology and mental health. I simply wrote 2 articles about writing because I’m a writer too and I wanted to give a few basic lessons to the public. Writing is very important online. So, this blog was about writing and it had many incoming links from various sites/blogs, and this is why this thief’s blog was appearing first of all when someone would type the main keywords of my article’s title.

I stopped opening Google alerts and seeing how many people distort my articles when they republish them in their websites, even when they keep my resource box. Many times the distortions they make are so horrible, while they keep my name under the article, that I wish I could at least delete my name under their horrible distortions.

Now I don’t care. I cannot prevent the entire internet from copying my words. Never mind, my readers know my style and they can recognize my articles.

I don’t think that Google will ever be able to prevent content repetitions, distortions, etc. And mainly, I don’t believe that Google represents justice online. They are only marketers. They care more about a website’s link popularity than for the originality (or utility) of the content it presents to the public.

[tishwash]

I heard about this, but is it only for Internet Marketing? Many of the alternative media websites have been complaining that their traffic has dropped too? I'm just curious if anyone knows are they only targeting marketers?

[roley]

Google can suck my right titty. They think they are GOD determining what is what LOL.. about time someone knocked them off their high horse

[JackPowers]

Are you serious this time or this a wind up like last time?

No, I am not worried in the least about Google's recent changes. They're after autoblogs and scrapers and I don't have any of those, except for a few article directories. My sites have all skyrocketed since the new year and they are all heavily monetized affiliate sites.

Google has no way of determining mass produced MFA content unless they do a manual review.

Again, if you know anything about Google's actual algorithm, there is nothing to be worried about. Just don't scrape or autogenerate content and you'll be fine. Article syndication may become less effective as a backlinking method.

[tpw]

Originally Posted by JackPowers

Are you serious this time or this a wind up like last time?

I am serious that the smart folks will seek traffic from many sources.

Everything else is a wind up like last time....

[Richard Van]

Originally Posted by Dennis Gaskill

Seems fair enough, but I need to see a review copy of several of your blank pages to make sure there isn't any hidden content.

Oh naturally Dennis, yes.

I shall PM a copy of the latest one I did for "dog training", it's fantastic, I've had nothing but praise for it.

You'll love it, absolutely nothing there at all, 400 blank pages indexed, #1 in Google for hundreds of keywords.

I'll only do this offer for the first ten people though.

Supply and demand and all that.

[tpw]

Originally Posted by Richard Odell

So... are you crying wolf... or sticking your finger in the dyke?

The last time I stuck my finger in a dyke, I got slapped !!

[Steadyon]

Originally Posted by Kevin Riley

Yep. I've been putting up blank websites and they're all grabbing number one positions. Soon, when you use Google you'll come up with nothing but blank websites. That will get rid of information overload.

If you are really concerned about google then putting up blank sites isn't the answer.

For optimum results, completely unaffected by anything google does, I suggest you implement the "Don't put up any sites" strategy.

Without doubt it is the single best way to avoid any kind of google penalty. It really works a treat.

I am even thinking of creating a WSO for it with a secret non-existent domain name that no one can find just to be on the safe side.

[Richard Van]

Originally Posted by Steadyon

If you are really concerned about google then putting up blank sites isn't the answer.

For optimum results, completely unaffected by anything google does, I suggest you implement the "Don't put up any sites" strategy.

Without doubt it is the single best way to avoid any kind of google penalty. It really works a treat.

I am even thinking of creating a WSO for it with a secret non-existent domain name that no one can find just to be on the safe side.

Now that, is the future.

Think of it now, on Flippa if it's sold.

www.bugg*rall.com - nothing to see here, no earnings, BID $20,000

I can't believe I've been so naive.

I love this world.

[Fraggler]

The 40-60% drop has nothing to do with the preceding Christmas peak and post Christmas lull?

For some reason I have always found a link between Google algo changes, whinging, and ecommerce sites.

I guess there should be a 40% drop in traffic across sites such as:

Ezinearticles.com Site Info
About.com Site Info
Ehow.com Site Info
...etc

The goal should obviously be to have a traffic source that is reasonably secure and predictably, but I'm not going to stop any time soon using content smartly to build that secure traffic source - even if it goes on 'content farms'. Someone has to be on top so it might as well be me.

Has anyone been directly affected by these latest changes? Do you dare show the rest of us an example of what a bad content farm 'looks like'?

I have no doubt Google is working hard to cull the auto-generated keyword stuffed rot that appears for certain types of searchers BUT as a user of Google I rarely come across them.

I wonder when Google is going to turn to a Wiki format with their very own army of user-based moderators protecting the searchers from themselves?

[tpw]

I saw a 25% surge in traffic the day after the Content Farm Algo was introduced. Then my traffic settled back to normal.

I am not seeing myself at all hurt by the new changes, and I have seen hints of improvement, but it is still too early to call from my point of view.

[jasonmorgan]

I'm not sure what the fuss is over.

After all, internet marketing IS dead. Didn't you get the memo or read the posts?

I hear clickbank is no longer accepting new affiliates, Allen is closing down the Warrior Forum next week and Google is letting adwords run through the first quarter before it is shut down as well. I also heard a rumor that digital point is switching over to a sports and porn forum.

It's been a fun ride while it lasted.

[genietoast]

3 syllables: sin-duh-k8

[Michael Mayo]

Originally Posted by genietoast

3 syllables: sin-duh-k8

O.I.C. "Syndicate" - What did I win?

Have a Great Day!
Michael

[Shazia Mirza]

Wow, just wow.

The whole invention of Google was based on making it easier to find information.

Now this?

I wish there were cold hard facts behind this info.

[splitstud]

I'm brand new to this forum, and to internet marketing in general. As such I don't have any expertise to share other than technical advice. Not a big deal really as that fits in well with my general lurking style on forums.

That said, I can share something in this thread. While new to this forum, even I can tell that the OP was speaking tongue in cheek. In case anyone else is confused, however, I thought I'd provide a little inside information as to what Google's new push is all about. Not super super inside information, just a little inside information.

The push is for one thing only, and that's Quality. The penalty will be for low quality articles. Contractors who are tasked with rating content for Google are being asked to pay attention to article quality as well as topicality re the query, etc. Poorly written, poorly researched, poorly or non-attributed articles with no information other than typical knowledge have little utility in Google's view and are to be rated accordingly. Duplicate content should as always be rated as having little utility (no change there).

Going to quietly slink back into the bushes to lurk now.

[Mike Hill]

Originally Posted by Dennis Gaskill

This is not difficult people. You can't have original content. You can't have unique content. You can't have duplicate content. You can't have have low quality content. You can't have scraped content.

Don't you see?

Google is just trying to confuse the executives over at Bing.

So in other words put up a blank site about nothing except a buy now button and some keywords.

[tpw]

Originally Posted by IMReview

I wish there were cold hard facts behind this info.

The entire OP (original post) included a wealth of verifiable facts. Click the links and read the cited resources.

The only part of the entire post that was without merit was the assumptions and leaps of faith that were taken, based on the facts given.

Originally Posted by splitstud

I'm brand new to this forum, and to internet marketing in general. As such I don't have any expertise to share other than technical advice. Not a big deal really as that fits in well with my general lurking style on forums.

That said, I can share something in this thread. While new to this forum, even I can tell that the OP was speaking tongue in cheek.

I am thrilled to hear that I was able to pluck you out of the nether-worlds, even if but for a few minutes.

Please don't wait so long next time before you come back in to play...

I am also thrilled to learn that there are others who understand and appreciate posts like these.

[clever7]

Thanks for this post, tpw. I read a lot more about this very interesting matter after reading this thread.

[paulgl]

I'll tell you what I have noticed, at least on my biggest adsense site.
I am getting super-targeted visitors like I have never got before.
Which in turn, has actually gotten me much better ads on that site.
And it's rocking. I don't know if that's coincidence, but it does coincide
around that date.

Paul

[Michael Curran Smith]

I love Google algo changes, keeps SEOs in business!!

Haven't noticed a huge change in my own affiliate site traffic with this latest change, but I don't scrape or use auto.

What I have heard from some sources that I trust is that a mixture or unique and scraped content is still beneficial for traffic and rankings.

Which would make sense to me because a lot of the big news sites "scrape"...as it were.

Pure autoblogs seem to be the target, but they will just change their modus operandi and morph in 2011. Google is a machine, and machines will always be there to counter and manipulate Google.

My two cents.

GM

[tpw]

Originally Posted by Garage Media

Pure autoblogs seem to be the target, but they will just change their modus operandi and morph in 2011. Google is a machine, and machines will always be there to counter and manipulate Google.

Interesting point.

It kind of reminds me of the third installment of Matrix, where the machines were doing battle with the human-operated machines.

[Rukshan]

I don't see any changes for my auto blogs and other sites. But I'm improving the uniqueness of blogs and create more quality backlinks.

[Jack Duncan]

The Lesson to be learned from this past month? Diversify your traffic sources...

I think that's absolutely a good lesson to "take away" from this change...and you can take it one step further by saying, "Diversify your income sources..."

Google's going to do what they want to do, when they want to do it...so if they are your only source of income, it's going to be a bit bumpy.

All the best,
Jack Duncan

[Sam Streubel]

When my website started to take off 65% of the traffic came from Google. Thirty five years of offline business experience taught me this is not healthy so I resolved to reduce my exposure to Google. Now, a few years later, Google accounts for around 43% of total traffic. This is still too high but I imagine over time I'll keep discovering ways to increase market share without Google's help.

[tpw]

Originally Posted by Sam Streubel

When my website started to take off 65% of the traffic came from Google. Thirty five years of offline business experience taught me this is not healthy so I resolved to reduce my exposure to Google. Now, a few years later, Google accounts for around 43% of total traffic. This is still too high but I imagine over time I'll keep discovering ways to increase market share without Google's help.

You should not try to block Google, but rather seek traffic from outside of Google.

My main website gets nearly 4k visitors per month from Google, but that is only 35% of my traffic.

[tpw]

Originally Posted by ReportKing

The bottom line is that if you do things right, don't cut corners and engage in Black Hat practices, you'll have no problem with Google.

I've always used traditional methods for backlinks like article marketing, forums, blog comments, etc., and have always had good luck.

However, the Barry Schwartz story linked in the original post was talking about authority websites that got hit by the Google hammer, even though they were doing everything right too...

[clickstrength]

Unique content penalty... hilarious.

Seriously though, I think the problem Google's combating here relates to sites that live exclusively off their domain authority. Particularly sites with UGC. Should eHow really outrank a smaller site that is exclusively devoted to its content area and likely has more expertise? Not really. Domain authority can be a great ranking signal only after a certain initial quality barrier is achieved for the individual piece of content.

[classdancer]

Hi matt was really enjoying your course
what is this crap ?internet marketing uk
Programs - Symantec Corp.


Dont sell snake oil to conuntries that just got rid of snakes

Ireland will back me up you YOU BETTER BEIELIVE IT!

Whats your game ?

[syahbiz]

great thread

[SledgeHammer]

And, as always don't forget Bing.

[Cosmit]

Originally Posted by Brandon Tanner

Bill, once again... nice blend of truths, half-truths, un-truths, humor, and craziness.

Seriously though, I used to pay a lot more attention to what Google and M.C. used to say regarding SEO and how they rank websites, but I've found over the years that doing so is often just a waste of time.

Far more more beneficial for SEO'ers to concern themselves with what Google actually does (by constantly experimenting, testing, and tracking), which can be a lot different than what they say they do.

I can't blame them for a certain amount of "smokescreening" though... if they didn't do that, it would be much easier for the "lazy" SEO'ers (the ones who don't actually experiment, test, and track) to game the system.

someone who finally makes some sense. spend a little less time worrying about how many eggs and baskets you got and a little more time building your business

[boxoun]

Or you can just keep building content farms. 60% drop from a million page views is still profitable lol.

[lovboa]

Just create sites where you act as if the content is the main priority and making money from it second. Not the other way around. Then you wouldn't have to panic everytime you hear of a Google algorithm update.

If you are in the #1 spot, your site should deserve to be there, or sooner later, Google updates will catch up with you and place your content where it really belongs.

[summerfranken]

Oh really nice technique. thanks you give me a chance to read this. Hope for the same next.