Free Answers To Your SEO Questions!

34 replies
  • SEO
  • |
Hi All,

I am offering free advice for your SEO questions, I figured as I am a new member here (however, been lurking for a while) I would try and help out some people that are having some troubles with their SEO efforts.

I have personally advised some of the largest Australian blue chips in the finance, credit card, health care, telecommunications and hotel industries.

So... like... fire away
#answers #free #questions #seo
  • Profile picture of the author maverick8
    Do you use any tools to help build your backlinks? such as:
    roboform
    scrapebox
    xrumer etc
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[1813744].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author MikevanderHeijden
      Hi Maverick8,

      To be honest I have never touched any tools like that. The only tool(s) that assist me with my link building are RoboForm (makes life so much easier) and SEO SpyGlass from the guys over at Link Assistant.

      I personally hate the term Link Building.. I prefer to look at the process as relationship management. When I build a site, or work with a client, we produce quality content that would be helpful for to say, bloggers.. forums.. regular websites and we leverage this content to create a relationship with these webmasters.

      Especially in 2010, it is more about maintaining relationships with fellow webmasters/SEOs then it is to hard drop links in as many places as possible.

      However, other techniques that I still use and are highly effective are:

      * Article writing / submission
      * Blog (creating content and syndicating this using RSS)
      * Social Bookmarking (StumbleUpon brings a decent amount of traffic)

      Hope this helps
      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[1813797].message }}
      • Profile picture of the author jan roos
        Great for you to offer your help, I have a duplicate content question.

        If I have a review wordpress blog that reviews let's say Cars. On the home page I have all the car posts with a little description and when people click on the read review it will take them to each car's review page. On the sidebar I have categories let's say they are mercedes reviews, bmw reviews etc. On each of those category pages the same excerp from the home page is posted but just BMW's or Mercedes where as the home page has them all.

        I would like to have the category pages targeting their own keywords such as BMW reviews etc but am worried about duplicate content because that content is on the home page as well.

        Right now I have the category pages set to not index. Would there be duplicate content issues here if I let the search engines index the category pages?

        Thanks in advance
        Signature

        I'll teach you how to make money like a Mamba.

        Sign up for the free money mambas newsletter!

        {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[1814350].message }}
        • Profile picture of the author MikevanderHeijden
          Hi Jan,

          You could consider adding some content to each of the category pages, say at the top before it lists the reviews. That way the content at the top of the page is different for all of your review category pages.

          Is that what you meant?

          Originally Posted by jan roos View Post

          Great for you to offer your help, I have a duplicate content question.

          If I have a review wordpress blog that reviews let's say Cars. On the home page I have all the car posts with a little description and when people click on the read review it will take them to each car's review page. On the sidebar I have categories let's say they are mercedes reviews, bmw reviews etc. On each of those category pages the same excerp from the home page is posted but just BMW's or Mercedes where as the home page has them all.

          I would like to have the category pages targeting their own keywords such as BMW reviews etc but am worried about duplicate content because that content is on the home page as well.

          Right now I have the category pages set to not index. Would there be duplicate content issues here if I let the search engines index the category pages?

          Thanks in advance
          {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[1814461].message }}
          • Profile picture of the author jan roos
            Originally Posted by MikevanderHeijden View Post

            Hi Jan,

            You could consider adding some content to each of the category pages, say at the top before it lists the reviews. That way the content at the top of the page is different for all of your review category pages.

            Is that what you meant?
            What I have on the pages is just the post title and then a 3 line excerpt of the posts with a link to click to read the full review or post. The thing is that the same post title and excerpt is on the home page as well but not in the same order because the home page has all the different posts where as the category pages only has the post title of the different models lets say BMW's.

            Does that make sense?
            Signature

            I'll teach you how to make money like a Mamba.

            Sign up for the free money mambas newsletter!

            {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[1816634].message }}
            • Profile picture of the author MikevanderHeijden
              Hi Jan,

              That is fine. However, on each of the "category" pages I would include a bunch of content which is relevant to the topic. For example, on the BMW category page, I would have some content at the top explaining this page was about BMWs, what kind of BMWs etc etc.

              That way each category page has unique content. As far as the excerpts, I wouldnt worry about it too much, as long as each category page holds some unique content.

              Originally Posted by jan roos View Post

              What I have on the pages is just the post title and then a 3 line excerpt of the posts with a link to click to read the full review or post. The thing is that the same post title and excerpt is on the home page as well but not in the same order because the home page has all the different posts where as the category pages only has the post title of the different models lets say BMW's.

              Does that make sense?
              {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[1817088].message }}
              • Profile picture of the author inter123
                Hi.

                I am wondering how important is domain name?

                If I am starting of in a nieche such as 'classic wallpaper country home' and had the domain name 'classicwallpapercountryhome.com', further down the line expanded to focus on wallpapers, how much negatively if any would this domain name be?
                Would I have been better of starting with a variation of wallpaper like thewallpaper.com since wallpaper.com is not available?

                Cheers.

                Jim.
                {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[1817312].message }}
                • Profile picture of the author MikevanderHeijden
                  Originally Posted by inter123 View Post

                  Hi.

                  I am wondering how important is domain name?

                  If I am starting of in a nieche such as 'classic wallpaper country home' and had the domain name 'classicwallpapercountryhome.com', further down the line expanded to focus on wallpapers, how much negatively if any would this domain name be?
                  Would I have been better of starting with a variation of wallpaper like thewallpaper.com since wallpaper.com is not available?

                  Cheers.

                  Jim.
                  Hi Jim,

                  An ideal situation let's you have a domain name with your keywords. For example, if you do "classic country home wallpapers" then the ideal domain for this website would be classiccountryhomewallpapers.com as it an exact match for the keyword you're targeting.

                  Now, I do not know how many searches there are monthly for "classic country home wallpapers", I would suggest doing some keyword research to see what your most valued keywords would be.

                  Hope this helps
                  {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[1818699].message }}
                  • Profile picture of the author inter123
                    The keyword 'classic country home wallpapers' is a fictious scenario. Assuming it gets 20,000 exact searches per month, I can perhaps get 10 to 20 per cent of that traffic by presence on the first page of google.

                    The question, however, is if I want to get say 50,000 visitors per month then need to build on the nieche and expand on to other areas such as wallpapers.

                    So would I be better of getting a domain name with a variation like 'thewallpaer.com' or should I just run with 'classiccountryhomewallpapers.com' and expand onto 'wallpapers'. I have this dilema now with one site. I figure this would be a good time to change, if at all, since the site is only 1 month old with not too much backlinks.

                    Thanks

                    Originally Posted by MikevanderHeijden View Post

                    Hi Jim,

                    An ideal situation let's you have a domain name with your keywords. For example, if you do "classic country home wallpapers" then the ideal domain for this website would be classiccountryhomewallpapers.com as it an exact match for the keyword you're targeting.

                    Now, I do not know how many searches there are monthly for "classic country home wallpapers", I would suggest doing some keyword research to see what your most valued keywords would be.
                    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[1820817].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author keivn2
    Which yield better backlink result?

    Only 1 Unique articles in every article directories -OR- 10 unique articles in every article directories?

    I am asking this because what I heard that Google tends to devalue a backlink if there are too backlink come from the same source, website, directories and etc.
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[1814378].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author MikevanderHeijden
      Originally Posted by keivn2 View Post

      Which yield better backlink result?

      Only 1 Unique articles in every article directories -OR- 10 unique articles in every article directories?

      I am asking this because what I heard that Google tends to devalue a backlink if there are too backlink come from the same source, website, directories and etc.
      I would suggest submitting all 10, but spread the submissions out to say 1 a week.
      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[1814480].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author Whateva
    Hi,
    I would love if you could visit my site. I had it up on Google AU for my main search terms for about 2 years, then about 15months ago, it was relegated to page 6 on Austalian Google for the terms. Since then I have done heaps of web 2.0 promotions and nothing has happened, still hovers between page 5 and 7
    I rebuit the sit about 6 months ago, and this had no effect on it at all. The competetion is nothing, with very lttle links or anything, so I am very lost to what it is doing there.
    I will send you link via pm

    regards a fello Qld'er

    Phil
    aka Whateva
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[1818730].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author gordonr
      Hi Mike,

      I have read conflicting opinions from Industry experts regarding the difference between "regular" static websites and Blog websites like WordPress when it comes to SE ranking.

      I was wondering if you have done and research comparison testing, or if you know from your experience what that difference, if any, might be?

      In other words, if you have a "regular" static site and a WP Blog site, both with the same quality content (including the same keyword density), both with the same on-site seo, and both with the same off-site seo (backlinks etc), will the blog rank better than the regular site for the targeted keyword?

      Thanks a lot in advance for your comment
      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[1820403].message }}
      • Profile picture of the author MikevanderHeijden
        Hi Gordonr,

        If you say that you are doing the exact same things to either one, and I assume you also talk about the cleanliness of the code in the blog, the two will end up looking identical, so there would be no reason that one would rank better then the other based on the software used to serve the content.

        Originally Posted by gordonr View Post

        Hi Mike,

        I have read conflicting opinions from Industry experts regarding the difference between "regular" static websites and Blog websites like WordPress when it comes to SE ranking.

        I was wondering if you have done and research comparison testing, or if you know from your experience what that difference, if any, might be?

        In other words, if you have a "regular" static site and a WP Blog site, both with the same quality content (including the same keyword density), both with the same on-site seo, and both with the same off-site seo (backlinks etc), will the blog rank better than the regular site for the targeted keyword?

        Thanks a lot in advance for your comment
        {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[1821606].message }}
        • Profile picture of the author gordonr
          Originally Posted by MikevanderHeijden View Post

          Hi Gordonr,

          If you say that you are doing the exact same things to either one, and I assume you also talk about the cleanliness of the code in the blog, the two will end up looking identical, so there would be no reason that one would rank better then the other based on the software used to serve the content.
          Thanks a lot for your feedback Mike.

          Just so you know, the reason for my question originally is that it has been
          widely stated by supposed experts that Google gives Blogs, in particular WordPress, and more recently their own blog platform, a favoured position in the SE rankings, placing them higher than regular sites with "equal" content and seo.

          But based on your answer, that does not seem to be the case at all, and
          is not remotely correct.

          Am I understanding your comments correctly?
          {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[1822129].message }}
          • Profile picture of the author MikevanderHeijden
            Hi Gordonr,

            From personal experience, I have not seen the SE's choose favorites, I have had static sites outrank blogs in one niche, and blogs outrank static sites in others.

            Originally Posted by gordonr View Post

            Thanks a lot for your feedback Mike.

            Just so you know, the reason for my question originally is that it has been
            widely stated by supposed experts that Google gives Blogs, in particular WordPress, and more recently their own blog platform, a favoured position in the SE rankings, placing them higher than regular sites with "equal" content and seo.

            But based on your answer, that does not seem to be the case at all, and
            is not remotely correct.

            Am I understanding your comments correctly?
            {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[1822157].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author JustMint
    Hi Mike - and welcome from a fellow aussie!

    I just posted a question on this forum (probably just a few down the list from this thread), it's called:

    Offline biz site SEO question (sorry, can't seem to link to it).

    Don't want to hijack your thread, but could you take a look at it if you can - it's about SEO for an offline services business.

    Cheers mate.
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[1821761].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author MikevanderHeijden
    Hi JustMint, I have replied in your other thread
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[1821840].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author ITOutsourcing
    Hey Mike

    I'm really very impressed with your response and Help. So here's my question:
    When I create content (articles, blogs etc...) I tend to create a quality spinned/rewritten version of that article and submit it to different places. Is that a good strategy?

    Also I tend to submit the spinned article to my blog, EZineArticles.com , GoArticles.com, ArticleDashboard.com, ArticlesBase, iSnare.com and Sqweedoo, Considering that I put good effort in spinning the article properly I would love to submit it to a lot of other places, but I understand that the 500 directory lists that people usually provide is kind of useless. What other places would you recommend me to submit to?
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[1822374].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author gordonr
      Thanks a lot for your response Mike.
      Your help is very much appreciated.
      Gordon
      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[1833397].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author rawblark
    Thanks Mike for your generous offer!

    We are into distant learning and currently shopping for an excellent SEO expert. My guess is that it's not just the SEO expert, but the whole team that should matter ? Is that correct ?

    What should we look into an SEO expert or SEO team to be confident that they are not overcharging us and can in fact deliver ?
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[1836363].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author MikevanderHeijden
      Originally Posted by rawblark View Post

      Thanks Mike for your generous offer!

      We are into distant learning and currently shopping for an excellent SEO expert. My guess is that it's not just the SEO expert, but the whole team that should matter ? Is that correct ?

      What should we look into an SEO expert or SEO team to be confident that they are not overcharging us and can in fact deliver ?

      Hi rawblark,

      When shopping for an SEO team, you should definitely have some questions ready for him to see some referrals and ask him about his experience. Ask him about his strengths and weaknesses (any SEO that has no weaknesses should be a red flag). Be weary of teams/experts that can promise you search engine rankings, as nobody knows the Google algorithm so how the hell can they PROMISE rankings right?

      You should also note that some keywords are more competitive then others and some might require more work then others. In my personal opinion the best thing would be to get an SEO to consult, and have a seperate IT team that can help with the implementation of it's changes.

      If you wish to discuss the matters in a bit more detail, or if you have any more questions, don't hesitate to leave another message or contact me privately.

      Cheers,

      Mike
      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[1836990].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author standfast999
    If you are optimizing a html web site is it better to just on page seo and add a blog or is it much better to port the site over to wordpress?
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[1837142].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author MikevanderHeijden
      Originally Posted by asarno View Post

      If you are optimizing a html web site is it better to just on page seo and add a blog or is it much better to port the site over to wordpress?
      Sorry, I might be missing her, but your question really doesn't make much sense to me.

      If you are optimising a website don't put all your eggs in one basket. On-page SEO is just as important as "off-page" seo.
      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[1837155].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author amoeba
    thanks for prompt reply's mike,i am struggling to find perfect answer for this..
    would you target a keyword that has old websites in top 10 serp results but this sites have very few backlinks to that page n low page pr, with new domain (minisite)??
    what should be your strategy?
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[1838039].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author MikevanderHeijden
    I would definitely do a competitive analysis of the competition for your keyword. Meaning, I would look at their backlink profile, their amount of pages indexed, the amount of on-topic pages (e.g. how many pages are about your topic). That would give you a pretty good indicator of the struggle that you're up against.
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[1838143].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author justineoaker
      I'm just wondering if what's more important the content or the links in a website? I am aiming to get my blog more search engine friendly and I am sort of a beginner in the business. Any explanation is highly appreciated. Thanks! This site is really great!
      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[1838599].message }}
      • Profile picture of the author MikevanderHeijden
        Originally Posted by justineoaker View Post

        I'm just wondering if what's more important the content or the links in a website? I am aiming to get my blog more search engine friendly and I am sort of a beginner in the business. Any explanation is highly appreciated. Thanks! This site is really great!
        Hi Justine,

        To be honest, you shouldn't have one without the other, if you create good content people should naturally start to link to you. So I would say, both are very important.

        But also, if your trying to make your blog more search engine friendly, consider reviewing your information architecture to see if your focusing on the right keywords for your industry, make sure your on-page SEO is up to the status quo.

        Because you can build great content, get great links, but without having properly structured your website/blog and pages you will not be maximizing the return you should be getting.
        {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[1841954].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author keivn2
    Let be pessimistic here.

    Let just say that I am freaking untalented in this SEO game..but if I continue to build one backlink per day, will I success in the future?
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[1839129].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author MikevanderHeijden
      Originally Posted by keivn2 View Post

      Let be pessimistic here.

      Let just say that I am freaking untalented in this SEO game..but if I continue to build one backlink per day, will I success in the future?
      Hi Keivn,

      It depends on what industry your in, what your competitors are doing and much more. If your only strategy is to build one backlink per day, your chances of competing for even a slightly competitive keyword are pretty darn slim!
      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[1841958].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author rawblark
    Hello,

    Thanks for your reply about what to look in an SEO expert or team when shopping. How much hours per day and number of SEO guys are required to do a good SEO job ?

    My guess is that one guy is SEO supervisor, link builders and content writers, online seo html guy. Is that right ?

    Once a product is delivered (say the target keyword search gets your site at the top in google search) what is next ? I'm sure it won't be there until actively SEOed continuously .. for ever ?
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[1839752].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author MikevanderHeijden
      Originally Posted by rawblark View Post

      Hello,

      Thanks for your reply about what to look in an SEO expert or team when shopping. How much hours per day and number of SEO guys are required to do a good SEO job ?

      My guess is that one guy is SEO supervisor, link builders and content writers, online seo html guy. Is that right ?

      Once a product is delivered (say the target keyword search gets your site at the top in google search) what is next ? I'm sure it won't be there until actively SEOed continuously .. for ever ?
      It all depends on the capability of the people you hire, and the amount of money you are willing to spend. As they say, if you pay peanuts, you get monkeys and nowhere has this been more true then in the SEO game. Every guy and his dog are calling themselves SEO's because there is no standard or qualifications or even a governing body.

      I would suggest hiring an SEO guy with experience, to evaluate your current situation (e.g. where you are compared to your competiton) and that will give you a realistic view of what needs to be done.

      My clients usually have an internal development team and hire me to consult and guide their development team to implement the correct changes.

      I tend to not hire link builders (as seen in the forums) but I teach people the value of creating relationships with other webmasters where getting links or link exchanges could be profitable. I dislike the term link building, and especially in 2010 I think we are leaning more towards relationship management!

      So realistically if you have a good development team/person and an SEO consultant you should be able to get a long way.
      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[1841978].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author TheKeys
    Wow, I love your information Mike. Thanks again - it helped me
    Signature

    Help fund a trip to California
    Please donate to help fund my trip to California.
    Please share or tweet this
    http://goo.gl/VidCzJ

    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[1839799].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author MikevanderHeijden
      Originally Posted by TheKeys View Post

      Wow, I love your information Mike. Thanks again - it helped me
      Thanks for the kind words
      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[1841980].message }}

Trending Topics