Super Simple SEO. Everybody Calm Down!!!

[Carl-Reed]

WOW! Did I miss armageddon or something???

I haven't been on here for some months now as I've been busy
actually getting some work done so hello again everyone.

I've spent most of today reading the SEO threads and I'm pretty
overwhelmed by the drama!

I'm getting visuals of pandas rioting in the streets setting fire to
peoples houses!

Everybody calm down! It's not the end of the world, it's just a
Google update! Nothing we can't handle ...

2011 has been a great year for me SEO wise, I'm honestly not
seeing any ill effects from this Panda update.

So incase I know something which the majority here don't, let me
share with you my super simple SEO checklist which I've used this
year with great success...

I'm going to assume you have done your keyword research, so this
post will cover just on page and off page SEO.

==================================================

On Page SEO

Thin affiliate sites have taken a big hit, so add more pages and
keywords to your sites or suffer the wrath of panda!

Instead of creating 5 micro niche sites which each only focus on ONE
keyword, why not create 1 larger niche site around FIVE keywords.

The sites which I'm raniking really well for are all targeting at least
TWENTY keywords.

Some of my sites are ranking well for FORTY+ keywords.

Bigger = Better

On page SEO checklist:

1. Internal linking. Sidebars and king. Use your sidebar to link to
all you're pages using the correct anchor text.

2. Content. Write lenghty articles (600 words+) for each page/keyword.
Save the spun crap for your backlinks.

3. Keyword in meta title & description twice

4. Keyword in URL

5. Keyword in H1, H2 & H3

6. Keyword in image alt tag

7. Keyword density of 3%

8. Keyword in first sentence

9. Keyword bold, italicized and underlined

10. Contextual outbound link to authority site using keyword

==================================================

Off Page SEO (backlinks)

Off page SEO in 2011 is the same as off page SEO in 2010, only this
year there's a few more factors we need to consider - authority sites
and social sites.

If your linking profile doesn't include links from high PR pages and
social sites, you're only going to suffer as time goes on.

Come on guys, Google didn't build Plus1 for nothing!

Everything else is the same - biuld a natural looking backlink profile.

Diversity is the key.

Plenty of unique domains, varied anchor text and mixed PR.

For every 200 PR0 links you build you'll need to add some good PR
links to the mix, and add a splash of social juice too.

Yes, PR0 profile links and bookmarks aren't enough to rank you on
their own anymore, they're not as good as they used to be but
they're still part of the puzzle.

Off Page SEO Checklist:

1. Blog Networks (UAW, MAN etc)
2. Article Directories
3. Web 2.0 sites
4. Social Bookmarks (for good measure)
5. High PR Blog Comments
6. Profile Links
7. *High PR Contextual Homepage Backlinks
8. Social Links - Tweets, Likes, +1's
9. Video Submissions
10. EDU Links
11. Press Releases

* All links are equal, but some links are more equal than others.

==================================================

Bottom line people....

SEO isn't complicated.

It's simple.

But simple doesn't mean easy.

It takes hard work to move up those rankings.

The 'easy' days of SEO are behind us, it's time to move on or step up your game!

[Kauzmo]

SEO isn't complicated.

It's simple.

But simple doesn't mean easy.

This is the concept that most are failing to realize. I would add one thing to your "On Page" list - Unique Relevant Content

Kauzmo

[JSProjects]

Pretty spot-on. Unfortunately a lot of people are going to ignore this thread, and instead, remain in a panic.

Instead of creating 5 micro niche sites which each only focus on ONE
keyword, why not create 1 larger niche site around FIVE keywords.

The sites which I'm raniking really well for are all targeting at least
TWENTY keywords.

I agree with this point the most. A ridiculously long EMD with 5 poorly written or spun articles just isn't going to get it done. Go for a broader niche related term as your domain and target different keywords on your internal pages.

Don't worry. You can still rank your internal pages high as long as you've done your research, have good on-page SEO, and good backlinks.

[d0rhk]

On-page seo is certainly playing a huge role now. Optimizing your pages and your content is extremely important.

I've found this the case over the past few weeks. I've been going back and updating the content on my terrible niche sites I made in the past.

[agmantz]

Originally Posted by Carl-Reed

Bottom line people....
SEO isn't complicated.
It's simple.
But simple doesn't mean easy.
It takes hard work to move up those rankings.
The 'easy' days of SEO are behind us, it's time to move on or step up your game!

Another WOW!!!

You're on Target and Let's move on to the next level!

[Carl-Reed]

Originally Posted by Daniel Wilson

Hi!

So what you are saying is that screw all the high budget SEO companies, they don't do nothing. Just make your onsite seo and quality content and that is it?

Well I don't think SEO companies would stick around if this was the case.

I think you missed the second part of my post!

[Ernie Lonardo]

I love how people who havent been hit my Panda love to tell people to calm down and that they must be at fault.

No offense Carl but its a little patronizing to be honest. I appreciate your willingness to help believe me, but it doesnt help us who followed the rules and still got punished.

The truth is SEO is a BS industry based on hope, guesses and deception.

Most people game the system which forces everyone else to do the same to compete. Yet Google dont like people trying to beat their system, and have this fantasy that a site will naturally be linked to and rise to the top? Perhaps in some cases, but many sites cannot even be exciting enough or may be in such a small niche that makes natural linking impossible/uneffective.

Its anything but easy I'm afraid.

[TheFBGuy]

Hahaha, screaming at people to calm down, looks like you need to calm down yourself, lol.

[JSProjects]

Originally Posted by Daniel Wilson

Hi!

So what you are saying is that screw all the high budget SEO companies, they don't do nothing. Just make your onsite seo and quality content and that is it?

Well I don't think SEO companies would stick around if this was the case.

High budget SEO companies definitely have their place. I think this thread was mainly aimed at individuals promoting smaller niche sites.

[36burrows]

Of all the things I've been doing to repair some of the Panda damage, varying your anchor text and deep linking seems to be the most effective.

[Carl-Reed]

No offense Carl but its a little patronizing to be honest. I appreciate your willingness to help believe me, but it doesnt help us who followed the rules and still got punished.

Wasn't meant to be patronizing at all mate, I just thought I'd write a simple checklist so people who have been hit by the panda could quickly learn where they could improve on their SEO, rather than reading through hundreds of QA threads.

The truth is SEO is a BS industry based on hope, guesses and deception.

You don't have to hope and guess, just let the boys with the money to burn do their testing and keep upto date with what they discover.

Deception? I agree! Building your own backlinks is simply decieving Google, no two ways about it.

Most people game the system which forces everyone else to do the same to compete. Yet Google dont like people trying to beat their system, and have this fantasy that a site will naturally be linked to and rise to the top? Perhaps in some cases, but many sites cannot even be exciting enough or may be in such a small niche that makes natural linking impossible/uneffective.

Give it five years and SEO will be more of a social game with todays backlinks being the least important ranking factor.

Its anything but easy I'm afraid.

I said it's simple but not easy, it's simple to understand but it's hard work to achieve.

[JSProjects]

Definitely. SEO is pretty easy to understand. But VERY hard to properly implement. And a lot of people make it harder than it is simply by over-thinking the whole process.

[johnnychou]

seems helpful. Thanks!

[Fraggler]

Originally Posted by Ernie Lonardo

many sites cannot even be exciting enough or may be in such a small niche that makes natural linking impossible/uneffective.

What's an example of a niche that can't get natural links?

SEO/SEM is more about knowing how to market your business than manipulating the search engines. That does take work and creativity though.

It will take your further than bolding and italicising keywords in a 600+ work page - and worrying about everything else on this on-page checklist.

Keyword in meta title & description twice...Seriously?

[Kom]

Great JOB buddy !..

Love it

KOM

[emigre]

I read all these SEO tips and think they're fantastic - and then I come across this spammy FB page that has basically no unique content, just a couple of sentences with an affiliate link, less than 50 likes, less than 10 comments and it's no. 1 on serps for a highly competitive kw.

[guzpra]

I agree to that SEO is simple, but it needs a lot of patience and consistency to be able to suceed!

[RevSEO]

The biggest problem is that people don't have patience.

We live in an instantaneous world, where we get everything immediately.

Search engine optimization doesn't work that way. It requires patience
and a long term strategy. None of this silly, one click overnight success
stuff.

Implementing the strategy you mentioned above works. But be sure to
link to your internal pages as well and not solely the homepage. Most
beginners overlook this and then have to readjust their backlink campaigns
too late.

[penpoint]

Not every tip will be for everyone. Take the ones you can use and incorporate them into what you are doing. Strive to move forward.

[Oracle_320th]

In the end, stop trying so hard to game the system. What Google wants is quality website. What your customers want is quality website. Google will give you traffic and your customers will give you money when you provide quality website. It's as simple as that.

[BigNorm]

Great post and I see your point. I wasn't hit with the dramatic reduction of traffic as some people but I don't count myself lucky, I count myself as smart. The onsite SEO rules which applied last year, the year before and so on still apply today. The only difference is diversity in quality backlinks, which isn't any new secret. People have been selling courses aimed at backlinking social media accounts for years so this shouldn't be something which has hit people out of the blue.

The simple plan truth....if you want anything out of life you have to work for it and adjust.