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New Penguin Proof Writing Tips

by Benjamin Ehinger
52 replies
  • SEO
    • |
Okay, maybe these tips won't be new to everybody, but if you want great content that Google will love, you need to understand what they are looking for.

One of the goals of all the updates Google has made is to make their search bot think and act more like a human searcher. This means you need content that humans will love. Besides, when was the last time Google made a purchase from your website? So, why would you specifically write for them?

Here are my tips, please feel free to add to the list:

1. Length matters

Short blog posts are no longer ranking well with Google and you need to make sure you write at a very minimum of 500 words per posts. It's actually better to make sure all your posts are over 700 words.

2. Quality matters

Now, you can't just write 700 words of garbage content. You have to provide useful content to your readers or it won't rank. The content you get from foreign writers for less than $1 per 100 words won't cut it anymore! You need high quality content written by writers that actually know how to use a conversational tone.

3. Keyword Usage has changed

The days of shoving your main keyword into the content wherever you can are over. Did you know that if you write a post around a 3 word keyword, you don't have to use all three words together to get the right density? For example, if your keyword is "custom golf clubs", you just need to use custom, golf, and clubs throughout the posts. It's recommended that you get between 5% and 7% density with each of the words in your keyword phrase......LET ME SAY THAT AGAIN.....It's recommended that you get between 5% and 7% density with each of the words in your keyword phrase

I don't mean a density for the main keyword shoved together of 5% to 7% because that will just make your content look spammy. NO, I mean each single word from your main keyword. If you feel like you must use your exact keyword together each time you mention it, shoot for a density of 1.5% to 2%.

4. Related Keywords are more important than ever

To get great content that Google will love, it's better to write with one main keyword in mind and a handful of related keywords. This may even get you ranked for the related keywords, as well. When you write like this, your content will read better and will look better to Google.

5. Edit, Edit, and Edit again

Spelling errors, typos, and unnatural sounding sentences will now get you penalized. Many want to say the latest update had to do with over optimization and the backlinking you do, but really, the goal of Google was to eliminate bad content. This included foreign written and spun content, which nearly always comes with sentences that make very little or no sense.

Make sure to read over your content before you post it and you will catch your errors. A simple spell check isn't enough and you must make sure you catch as many errors as you can.

I hope these tips help all of you that want to write your own content.

Benjamin Ehinger
#article #content #penguin #proof #tips #writing
  • Profile picture of the author StrawZall
    Interesting tips regarding changes in Penguin
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    • Profile picture of the author Benjamin Ehinger
      Originally Posted by StrawZall View Post

      Interesting tips regarding changes in Penguin
      Thank you......it changed quite a bit of things. Some of the clients I write for actually maintained or gained more ranking, but others (usually the ones giving me guidelines that go against the tips) didn't. One client watched a site of over 2,000 posts and pages fall off the map because he kept feeding in foreign content. I tried to warn him, but you can only do so much.

      Benjamin
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  • Profile picture of the author Seatbelt99
    Good tips. Thanks!

    As many of us have been saying for years, QUALITY content on QUALITY sites will give you long term success (and therefore profits). Taking short cuts may get you some quick cash but it won't keep coming in and in the long run it is a lot more work since you're constantly chasing the latest theory.

    Thank you

    Michael
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    • Profile picture of the author Benjamin Ehinger
      Originally Posted by Seatbelt99 View Post

      Good tips. Thanks!

      As many of us have been saying for years, QUALITY content on QUALITY sites will give you long term success (and therefore profits). Taking short cuts may get you some quick cash but it won't keep coming in and in the long run it is a lot more work since you're constantly chasing the latest theory.

      Thank you

      Michael
      I couldn't agree more. I never understand when I get that client that wants me to use some crazy keyword phrase that makes very little sense 15 times in a 500 word article.

      Benjamin
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  • Profile picture of the author Ettienne
    Good tips for sure, however I'll add my 2 cents to the mix...

    1. Quality matters, for sure.
    2. Length doesn't necessarily. It all depends on what the query (on Google search) is about. If it's a subject that can be explained thoroughly in a 300 word article, it will rank. But of course, -if it's a broad subject, more is always better (700-800+ words as you say).
    3. Keyword density, in my opinion 2% is already too much. Even 1.5% might be too much if you don't position your keywords strategically. I'd say keep it close to 1% (I've had articles rank higher than ever before with 0.9% density, so 2% is definitely not necessary). Anything above 2% is a BIG no-no after the algorithm updates.

    Aaand... I'm done.
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    • Profile picture of the author Benjamin Ehinger
      Originally Posted by Ettienne View Post

      Good tips for sure, however I'll add my 2 cents to the mix...

      1. Quality matters, for sure.
      2. Length doesn't necessarily. It all depends on what the query (on Google search) is about. If it's a subject that can be explained thoroughly in a 300 word article, it will rank. But of course, -if it's a broad subject, more is always better (700-800+ words as you say).
      3. Keyword density, in my opinion 2% is already too much. Even 1.5% might be too much if you don't position your keywords strategically. I'd say keep it close to 1% (I've had articles rank higher than ever before with 0.9% density, so 2% is definitely not necessary). Anything above 2% is a BIG no-no after the algorithm updates.

      Aaand... I'm done.
      I agree completely and as far as keyword density is concerned....personally, I rarely use the main keyword, i.e. "custom golf clubs" all as one phrase unless it makes sense.

      Benjamin
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  • Profile picture of the author tateburns
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    • Profile picture of the author John Romaine
      Originally Posted by tateburns View Post

      These are some really good tips, I've been wondering the same thing for a while now.

      Anyone have any more?
      If you've been slammed due to Penguin, its obvious it will be due to over optimization. There are two key areas to look at to identify potential issues.

      1. Onsite (onpage keyword density).
      2. Offsite. (backlinks - targeted keywords)

      In terms of what you should be looking at onsite is of course, keyword density. If youre using the keyword repeatedly in your title, header tags, keyword meta tags, your URL, description, image names, and alt tags, you're just asking for trouble.

      The best advice I can give you is to work, ONE PAGE AT A TIME/ONE KEYWORD AT A TIME. Work in a methodical manner, dont just skip and jump around all over the place trying anything and everything. Also, dont go changing things every 5 minutes. Make a change, then let it sit for at least 10 days. If youre constantly changing stuff willy nilly, you wont know if your rankings improved or worsened because it was something you did, or if it was additional changes at Google's end.

      The best tool Ive found to check keyword density (onpage) is Free Keyword Density Analyzer Tool Your keyword density should be in and around 1-2%. From what Ive seen 0.6% seems to be very effective. Although, having said that, Ive seen some pages with keyword density of 15% rank - so who really knows. Best advice I can give you is JUST WRITE NATURALLY. If you do this, you should find your density naturally falls around 0.6% anyway.

      To check your offsite stuff, I would recommend opensiteexplorer.org

      In particular, check your anchor text. If you're targeting "chicken twiddles" and you have 100 anchors, and 99 of them contain the phrase "chicken twiddles" then its obvious these links arent natural. You need to fix this fast!

      In either case, youre checking for "keyword saturation". If youre overdoing it, chances are once you start looking, youll see the patterns.

      You have two choices, dilute the keywords through either...

      1. removing as many instances as possible
      2. adding more keywords/content/backlinks in an effort to reduce the overall keyword density.

      This is a rough and dirty version ...

      Hope this helps.
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  • Profile picture of the author John Romaine
    5-7% density is far too high.

    The entire post could be summarized by .."Just write naturally"

    If you're thinking about Google, keyword density and rankings, then its already game over.
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  • Profile picture of the author Mantasmo
    So... write naturally? Who the **** worries about stuff like keyword density? You identify a good keyword, do research into the topic, create a nice title for your article and get writing. That's it.

    Also, Penguin has very little (if anything) to do with on-page. Google have so many on-page filters already... I received my first ever "low page quality" notice back in 2009.

    Google can't tell good content from garbage content. At least for now. That doesn't mean that you should write **** articles.
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    • Profile picture of the author Danijelb
      Originally Posted by bnetwork View Post

      So... write naturally? Who the **** worries about stuff like keyword density? You identify a good keyword, do research into the topic, create a nice title for your article and get writing. That's it.

      Also, Penguin has very little (if anything) to do with on-page. Google have so many on-page filters already... I received my first ever "low page quality" notice back in 2009.

      Google can't tell good content from garbage content. At least for now. That's doesn't mean that you should write **** articles.
      Maybe Google can't make difference between good or bad content, but your visitors can, and if you write quality post that will actually help the visitor and make him trust you, it's more likely that user will buy something you recommend to him. And no need to be that rude.
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      • Profile picture of the author Mantasmo
        Originally Posted by Danijelb View Post

        Maybe Google can't make difference between good or bad content, but your visitors can, and if you write quality post that will actually help the visitor and make him trust you, it's more likely that user will buy something you recommend to him. And no need to be that rude.
        Re-read my last sentence, captain obvious.

        This thread title is very misleading, hence I'm going to be rude. Deal with it.
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        • Profile picture of the author Benjamin Ehinger
          Originally Posted by bnetwork View Post

          Re-read my last sentence, captain obvious.

          This thread title is very misleading, hence I'm going to be rude. Deal with it.
          I may not completely agree with what you said, but I didn't find it to be rude.
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    • Profile picture of the author Benjamin Ehinger
      Originally Posted by John Romaine View Post

      5-7% density is far too high.

      The entire post could be summarized by .."Just write naturally"

      If you're thinking about Google, keyword density and rankings, then its already game over.
      Obviously you didn't read what I said and I even REPEATED myself. 5% - 7% density for EACH word within your main keyword phrase actually ranks very well. Many of my clients have asked me to write this way and have seen GREAT results.

      YES 5% to 7% if you use the entire keyword all as one phrase every single time is Way too high.....I stated that already.

      Originally Posted by John Romaine View Post

      If you've been slammed due to Penguin, its obvious it will be due to over optimization. There are two key areas to look at to identify potential issues.

      1. Onsite (onpage keyword density).
      2. Offsite. (backlinks - targeted keywords)

      In terms of what you should be looking at onsite is of course, keyword density. If youre using the keyword repeatedly in your title, header tags, keyword meta tags, your URL, description, image names, and alt tags, you're just asking for trouble.
      This is very true, but it's not a keyword density issue, its an over optimization issue. They are two different things. You can avoid putting the keyword phrase in the headers, meta tags, URL, as alt tags, etc. and still not become ranked well because your density is way too high.

      Originally Posted by John Romaine View Post


      The best advice I can give you is to work, ONE PAGE AT A TIME/ONE KEYWORD AT A TIME. Work in a methodical manner, dont just skip and jump around all over the place trying anything and everything. Also, dont go changing things every 5 minutes. Make a change, then let it sit for at least 10 days. If youre constantly changing stuff willy nilly, you wont know if your rankings improved or worsened because it was something you did, or if it was additional changes at Google's end.
      Okay, yes you should avoid jumping around and changing things over and over again, but I simply don't agree with One keyword at a time. This is horrible advice as the best results come from targeting a handful of related keywords within the same post/page. Yes, work on one page/post at a time, but don't only target one main keyword phrase.

      Originally Posted by John Romaine View Post


      The best tool Ive found to check keyword density (onpage) is Free Keyword Density Analyzer Tool Your keyword density should be in and around 1-2%. From what Ive seen 0.6% seems to be very effective. Although, having said that, Ive seen some pages with keyword density of 15% rank - so who really knows. Best advice I can give you is JUST WRITE NATURALLY. If you do this, you should find your density naturally falls around 0.6% anyway.
      Most keyword density tools don't even figure it properly. The best tool is to use CTRL + F on the actual page/posts, then enter EACH INDIVIDUAL word from your keyword phrase and see how it looks. This will give you a better idea of whether you have over used something or not.

      A density of 0.6% might be okay if you have related keywords with a similar density or at least included.

      Originally Posted by John Romaine View Post


      To check your offsite stuff, I would recommend opensiteexplorer.org

      In particular, check your anchor text. If you're targeting "chicken twiddles" and you have 100 anchors, and 99 of them contain the phrase "chicken twiddles" then its obvious these links arent natural. You need to fix this fast!

      In either case, youre checking for "keyword saturation". If youre overdoing it, chances are once you start looking, youll see the patterns.

      You have two choices, dilute the keywords through either...

      1. removing as many instances as possible
      2. adding more keywords/content/backlinks in an effort to reduce the overall keyword density.

      This is a rough and dirty version ...

      Hope this helps.
      This isn't bad advice. Your anchor text should vary when doing linking and only half should be your exact main keyword. The rest should be variations including "click here" and things that have nothing to do with your keyword phrase.

      I don't get what is rough or dirty about this version at all.

      Originally Posted by bnetwork View Post

      So... write naturally? Who the **** worries about stuff like keyword density? You identify a good keyword, do research into the topic, create a nice title for your article and get writing. That's it.

      Also, Penguin has very little (if anything) to do with on-page. Google have so many on-page filters already... I received my first ever "low page quality" notice back in 2009.

      Google can't tell good content from garbage content. At least for now. That's doesn't mean that you should write **** articles.
      Obviously you missed the boat almost entirely. The Google Penguin update was aimed directly at ONSITE issues like spun content and poorly written content. Yes they have been working on ranking better content for quite some time, but that doesn't mean they have perfected it.

      Google CAN tell garbage content from good content and if your site has GARBAGE content it won't rank anymore. AGAIN this is EXACTLY what Penguin was aimed at.

      To Summarize, YES write naturally, if you know what that means. The best way to explain that is to choose a theme and write about a theme instead of trying to include a specific keyword phrase a certain amount of times.

      Also, don't believe everything you read, even on this forum. Some of the advice about SEO and writing is outdated or simply terrible.

      Benjamin
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      • Profile picture of the author John Romaine
        Originally Posted by Benjamin Ehinger View Post

        Obviously you didn't read what I said and I even REPEATED myself. 5% - 7% density for EACH word within your main keyword phrase actually ranks very well. Many of my clients have asked me to write this way and have seen GREAT results.
        My apologies Benjamin, I misinterpreted what you wrote. Perhaps its the way you worded it that confused me. Sorry dude

        Originally Posted by Benjamin Ehinger View Post

        YES 5% to 7% if you use the entire keyword all as one phrase every single time is Way too high.....I stated that already.
        Agreed.


        Originally Posted by Benjamin Ehinger View Post

        This is very true, but it's not a keyword density issue, its an over optimization issue.
        Hang on, isnt that the same thing? :confused:

        Originally Posted by Benjamin Ehinger View Post

        Okay, yes you should avoid jumping around and changing things over and over again, but I simply don't agree with One keyword at a time. This is horrible advice as the best results come from targeting a handful of related keywords within the same post/page. Yes, work on one page/post at a time, but don't only target one main keyword phrase.
        I meant as a means of troubleshooting, Benjamin.

        Originally Posted by Benjamin Ehinger View Post

        Most keyword density tools don't even figure it properly.
        Most tools dont do anything properly, but its at least a start.

        Originally Posted by Benjamin Ehinger View Post

        I don't get what is rough or dirty about this version at all.
        It was quick n dirty, because I posted it minutes before going to bed (at 5am)

        Im sure at the end of the day, there's one thing we can ALL agree on - and thats to just write kick ass content.
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  • Profile picture of the author avajo71
    Are you google's staffs?
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    • Profile picture of the author Mantasmo
      Originally Posted by avajo71 View Post

      Are you google's staffs?
      Are you WF's trollolols?
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      • Profile picture of the author paulgl
        Originally Posted by bnetwork View Post

        Are you WF's trollolols?
        You're playing my song.

        How does a googlebot know anything about the quality
        of pages and content? That is, good, well written content?

        Virtually all changes in SERPs are done by robot.

        Wikipedia, for the best example, warriorforum as another.

        Where's the quality?

        Toss in something like, oh, yahoo answers,....

        If people would stop, and I mean STOP, trying to come
        up with some new and improved shmooze list, people
        would actually write and create pages for the love of
        it and for HUMANS! Google be damned. Funny how
        they have said this forever, keep on saying, and will
        continue to say it.

        Nobody listens.

        So you get threads that are just over and over and over,
        with some new list, it only leads to more threads about
        why google does not like them. I mean, hey, I followed
        the list, They must love me.

        Paul
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  • Profile picture of the author yukon
    Banned
    Originally Posted by Benjamin Ehinger View Post

    1. Length matters

    Short blog posts are no longer ranking well with Google and you need to make sure you write at a very minimum of 500 words per posts. It's actually better to make sure all your posts are over 700 words.
    That comment is totally wrong.

    You don't need 100's of words on a page to rank that same page in Google SERPs. I rank pages all the time with very short descriptions, similar to what you would see in a image caption (yes, that little bit of text).

    Not only do I rank pages with very little text, I usually top it off with double or triple pages ranked for the exact same keyword. It depends on the amount of traffic vs. the amount of time I'll invest in ranking multiple pages per keyword.

    Now If you plan on going after multiple keywords with a single page, then sure create 100's of words per page, If it makes sense for traffic.

    A large amount of text on a page does have a few advantages, still If you can rank a page that has a lot of text, you can rank the same exact page with very little text.

    BTW, I don't pay much attention to all these algo. updates. The rules of SEO haven't changed in the last 14 years, it's all about text + quality links, the rest is little minor details.
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    • Profile picture of the author PhilJensen
      Originally Posted by yukon View Post

      That comment is totally wrong.

      BTW, I don't pay much attention to all these algo. updates. The rules of SEO haven't changed in the last 14 years, it's all about text + quality links, the rest is little minor details.
      Good advice...cut through all the distractions and focus on the most important factors.

      This is not reiterated enough.

      Phil
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  • Profile picture of the author cooler1
    The Google Penguin update was aimed directly at ONSITE issues like spun content and poorly written content. Yes they have been working on ranking better content for quite some time, but that doesn't mean they have perfected it.
    I thought Panda was aimed at poorly written content and Penguin was aimed at over optimization?
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  • Profile picture of the author hotboy18
    Thanks for the tips guys. If everyone follow these content tips then there should be no problem with future Google updates.
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    • Profile picture of the author Benjamin Ehinger
      Originally Posted by paulgl View Post

      You're playing my song.

      How does a googlebot know anything about the quality
      of pages and content? That is, good, well written content?

      Virtually all changes in SERPs are done by robot.

      Wikipedia, for the best example, warriorforum as another.

      Where's the quality?

      Toss in something like, oh, yahoo answers,....

      If people would stop, and I mean STOP, trying to come
      up with some new and improved shmooze list, people
      would actually write and create pages for the love of
      it and for HUMANS! Google be damned. Funny how
      they have said this forever, keep on saying, and will
      continue to say it.

      Nobody listens.

      So you get threads that are just over and over and over,
      with some new list, it only leads to more threads about
      why google does not like them. I mean, hey, I followed
      the list, They must love me.

      Paul
      Content can easily be analyzed by the Google bot. Have you ever had to edit and fix foreign written content? If I knew how to create a program, I could easily set it up to find about a dozen common writing errors used by those that claim English is the first language when it's not. For example, the wrong use of the word "avail' or even using it at all, as most writers rarely use it, using "moreover" constantly, using "go for" instead of "choose", the constant lack of words or misuse of words like "the", "then" and "a" and the super long paragraphs.

      Foreign writers are easy to spot and so is spun content. I have fixed quite a bit of it for clients that thought they were getting a great deal and I can tell you the mistakes are consistently the same.

      I agree, though, creating pages for humans is what matters most.

      Originally Posted by woolabee View Post

      This tool is great, thank you for the info.

      Thanks
      You are welcome!

      Originally Posted by cooler1 View Post

      I thought Panda was aimed at poorly written content and Penguin was aimed at over optimization?
      They were both aimed at poorly written content, but Panda didn't do the trick. Over optimized content is also poorly written and I know for a fact that even after Panda people could buy horribly written content with the keyword phrase used in a certain way and gain ranking. One of my largest clients did that and now I am fixing all his horrible content because he got killed by Penguin. He went from well over 1,000 visitors a day to nearly nothing overnight because his content is simply dreadful.

      I believe that along with Penguin, Google released another update that was aimed at over optimization.

      Originally Posted by hotboy18 View Post

      Thanks for the tips guys. If everyone follow these content tips then there should be no problem with future Google updates.
      I agree completely.

      Benjamin
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      • Profile picture of the author Complex
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        • Profile picture of the author Benjamin Ehinger
          Originally Posted by Complex View Post

          Googlebot does not have the capability to do what you assume it has the capability to do. You think that you would be able to set up a program to do what you want it to do, but that does not mean that you can. Just like I assume that I could give Halle Berry multiple orgasms, it does not mean that I actually would. (srsly, though I sooo would)
          Are you all of the sudden working for google? If you can't support your theory, then I don't buy it. The Google bot is much smarter than most people think.

          Originally Posted by Complex View Post

          Googlebot's primary objective is to scan, collect, and organize data. The algorithm then ranks the data.

          The word "avail" is used by college educated writers as is the word moreover. Plus, they use the word moreover quite a bit across the pond. So, even then, if you did have the hypothetical capability that you assume you had, you would be flagging UK English as opposed to American English. Even in the US, there are regional dialects that you have to take into consideration, so again, you would probably falsely flagging things because they don't use that dialect where you are from. An example of this is, the use of the word "buggy" to mean shopping cart. In NY, we don't use the word "buggy" ever. Down south that's what they call a cart. Lol, I could speak straight up New York and you probably wouldn't have a clue what was talking about. Regional sh*t. Oops, is my paragraph too chunky for you? Guess I must not be American, even though I am. Born, raised and educated here.
          Yes the word "avail" and "moreover" are used by college educated people quite a bit, but not by marketers and not incorrectly. There is a time to use "avail" and a time where it simply makes no sense. Foreign writers use it all too often and incorrectly, that was my point.

          You may speak straight up New York, but if you have any marketing sense you would never write that way, unless you were only trying to market to New Yorkers.

          Originally Posted by Complex View Post


          My point is, what you assume to be a simple task is not a simple task. For one, English is considered a pretty hard language to master. Not to mention all of the rules and properties that the English language has. Plus, as you revealed yourself, some are ignorant to the way that college educated people speak. Or the fact that there are regional linguistic differences. Talk to an MIT professor for an hour. You might hear him use the word, moreover, several times. Guess he wouldn't be up to par to your greatness, huh? That Noam Chomsky really needs to get an education. He uses the word, moreover, and the expression, "to no avail" a lot.
          Do you only market to college educated people? If so, you are missing out on the majority of those that spend money. I know exactly how college educated people speak, as I am constantly surrounded by them, and you are lumping them all in one group. MIT is much different than just college educated.

          BTW - "to no avail" is the proper way to use that word. Read a foreign writer's work and you will find they rarely use "avail" correctly.

          Originally Posted by Complex View Post


          What do you get, like $ 10-$ 15 an article so you are an "expert" on linguistics all of a sudden? How many years of formal academic study do you have under your belt? I always thought NYU writers were pretentious. Then I saw internet self anointed writers. Now I think NYU writers are salt of the earth kind of folk.

          (Go ahead and fix and edit my native NY tongue.)
          I have been paid more than $1 a word on many occasions and yes, I also write for cheap depending on the need and what I am trying to accomplish. Many times, new clients that start by paying me lower rates see the quality of my work and I can get them up to the rate I want them at. Beside, that is really none of your business.

          Marketing isn't about writing like an NYU writer. It's about appealing to a specific audience.

          Obviously, you are the expert, though, so I guess you know everything about how Google works and how to get listed high on Google. All I tried to do was provide some useful tips for those looking for a little bit of help. I NEVER SAID IT WAS THE ONLY WAY or the end all be all, but you the expert couldn't figure out how to decipher the information and assume that you know everything about the Google bot.

          My guess is that you don't know much about how to get listed on google or how to put together solid content for those online. Did you know that most websites try to keep their content at an 8th grade reading level or lower? Of course, if we go by what you say we should all be marketing to MIT graduates and the elite few that know how to use moreover and avail to sound pretentious.

          Go ahead and laugh at my comments all you want, as I really don't care. I know what puts money in my pocket and what keeps my clients coming back for more.

          Benjamin
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          • Profile picture of the author Black Hat Cat
            Banned
            Originally Posted by Benjamin Ehinger View Post

            Did you know that most websites try to keep their content at an 8th grade reading level or lower?
            Benjamin
            That would be news to most website owners.
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            • Profile picture of the author Benjamin Ehinger
              Originally Posted by tansks View Post

              Interesting, but who can prove this?
              Anybody willing to provide good content to the visitors of their websites or blog.

              Originally Posted by Black Hat Cat View Post

              That would be news to most website owners.
              Not the ones making money in most niches. Very few niches require content at a higher reading level and if you provide content above an 8th grade level, in most niches, you actually alienate a good portion of your potential audience.


              Interesting statistics:
              1/3 of high school graduates never read another book for the rest of their lives.
              42 percent of college graduates never read another book after college.
              80 percent of U.S. families did not buy or read a book last year.
              (Source: Jenkins Group) more stats here.              According to the US Census Bureau, among the population that is 25 years old or older (meaning they've had time to complete their education), the numbers are:

              84.5% have a HS diploma or higher.
              27.5 % have a bachelor's degree or higher.
              10.1% have an advanced degree or higher.

              Keep in mind, not everybody fills out the census. This shows that if you only market with writing at a college reading level, you are leaving out over 70% of your potential market. Don't get me wrong there are some products that should be marketed with college level writing, but they are few and far between.

              Also, realize that in order to get a High School diploma, you don't have to read at a 12th grade level. Most of those that can, go onto college.

              Benjamin
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              • Profile picture of the author John Romaine
                Originally Posted by Benjamin Ehinger View Post

                84.5% have a HS diploma or higher.
                27.5 % have a bachelor's degree or higher.
                10.1% have an advanced degree or higher.
                85% of statistics are made up on the spot, too.
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      • Profile picture of the author Mantasmo
        Originally Posted by Benjamin Ehinger View Post

        I believe that along with Penguin, Google released another update that was aimed at over optimization.
        Your posts are hilarious. How do you know that Penguin was targeted at poor quality content "which Panda just couldn't catch"?

        Oh, was it the SenukeX video that gave you that idea? The guy in that video is clueless.

        Penguin == backlink stats, Panda == on-page stats (NOT content quality though).
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  • Profile picture of the author tansks
    Interesting, but who can prove this?
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  • Profile picture of the author curious and eager
    very good information. Thanks a lot
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  • Profile picture of the author PatrickDownes
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    • Profile picture of the author Benjamin Ehinger
      Originally Posted by PatrickDownes View Post

      I think overall that's a really great summary. And I personally have taken note. I'm knew to this game and the more help the better, cheers!
      Thank you and I am glad you found it useful.

      Originally Posted by PatrickDownes View Post

      PS - writing good content has to be the number one goal!
      That is the right mindset and if you stick to it, you will find success.

      Benjamin
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  • Profile picture of the author seorules
    I agree to you Benjamin, thanks for sharing this idea, really helps....
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  • Profile picture of the author Oranges
    2. Quality matters
    Now, you can't just write 700 words of garbage content. You have to provide useful content to your readers or it won't rank. The content you get from foreign writers for less than $1 per 100 words won't cut it anymore! You need high quality content written by writers that actually know how to use a conversational tone.
    Fatt Cuntts is a Gaymo!
    Write 700 words on that.
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  • Profile picture of the author seoforu
    Penguin has changed the Seo game. No garbage stuff , only quality content and quality backlinks would count now. The penguin update basically looks after 2 things- Semantic search results and spammy backlink profile. So you need to make sure that your site's content has been prepared semantically and the backlink profile is not spammy. The third important thing would be lots of social media buzz.
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  • Profile picture of the author WraithSarko
    lol, now wait a minute. 5 to 7 percent for each word that comprises the key word, so taking your recommended 700 word article... I'm going to say the word golf 50 times? custom 50x and bag 50x?

    So by the time I'm done the keywords I'm targeting are literally 1 of every 5 words in the article?

    Sounds legit.

    Edit:
    Bloody ell. The more I think about this the more I'm over here tripping.

    You will probably say NO, and you may even come up with a decent reason as to why you say no...but here it is anyway.

    Would you please write a 700 word article about custom golf bags using 7% kw density for each of the words and post it here?

    Maybe it's cause I'm new to this, but I can't see ANYONE pulling that off without looking WORSE than the foreign writers you are talking about.

    Will you please educate this newbie on how to do that by writing it and posting it?
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    • Profile picture of the author Benjamin Ehinger
      Originally Posted by seorules View Post

      I agree to you Benjamin, thanks for sharing this idea, really helps....
      You are welcome.

      Originally Posted by John Romaine View Post

      My apologies Benjamin, I misinterpreted what you wrote. Perhaps its the way you worded it that confused me. Sorry dude



      Agreed.




      Hang on, isnt that the same thing? :confused:
      Not quite keyword density is a part of over optimization, but not all of it. You can over optimize and still have an overall density under 2% or even 1%. Over optimization also has to do with your header tags, meta tags, how and where you use the keyword, and linking strategy.


      Originally Posted by John Romaine View Post


      I meant as a means of troubleshooting, Benjamin.



      Most tools dont do anything properly, but its at least a start.



      It was quick n dirty, because I posted it minutes before going to bed (at 5am)

      Im sure at the end of the day, there's one thing we can ALL agree on - and thats to just write kick ass content.
      Yes I have no choice but to agree with that!

      Originally Posted by John Romaine View Post

      85% of statistics are made up on the spot, too.
      Also true.

      Originally Posted by bnetwork View Post

      Your posts are hilarious. How do you know that Penguin was targeted at poor quality content "which Panda just couldn't catch"?

      Oh, was it the SenukeX video that gave you that idea? The guy in that video is clueless.

      Penguin == backlink stats, Panda == on-page stats (NOT content quality though).
      I haven't even watched the SenukeX video considering I find programs of that nature to be a waste of time. How do I know that penguin went after poor content, well, I write for a couple of highly successful SEO firms and, honestly, it came from them. They get first page and top three ranking for most of their clients, so yes, I trust what they say. Of course, anybody paying attention to what Google has done over the past 5 years would know that nearly every update has to do with content in one way or anonther.

      It wasn't even penguin that targeted backlinks stats, that was actually an entirely different update done back in March, then again updated right before penguin. Matt Cutts may have made it seem like that was what penguin was doing, but the guy also owns a backlinks service that sells "the right kind of backlinks", too, so you can't believe everything that comes out of his mouth.

      Originally Posted by seoforu View Post

      Penguin has changed the Seo game. No garbage stuff , only quality content and quality backlinks would count now. The penguin update basically looks after 2 things- Semantic search results and spammy backlink profile. So you need to make sure that your site's content has been prepared semantically and the backlink profile is not spammy. The third important thing would be lots of social media buzz.
      Agreed....social media is huge now!

      Originally Posted by WraithSarko View Post

      lol, now wait a minute. 5 to 7 percent for each word that comprises the key word, so taking your recommended 700 word article... I'm going to say the word golf 50 times? custom 50x and bag 50x?

      So by the time I'm done the keywords I'm targeting are literally 1 of every 5 words in the article?

      Sounds legit.

      Edit:
      Bloody ell. The more I think about this the more I'm over here tripping.

      You will probably say NO, and you may even come up with a decent reason as to why you say no...but here it is anyway.

      Would you please write a 700 word article about custom golf bags using 7% kw density for each of the words and post it here?

      Maybe it's cause I'm new to this, but I can't see ANYONE pulling that off without looking WORSE than the foreign writers you are talking about.

      Will you please educate this newbie on how to do that by writing it and posting it?
      Yes I will educate you. Maybe it was partially my fault for not being 100% clear. You are not looking for 5% to 7% for EACH word in your main phrase JUST in the content alone. There are other on page factors like sidebars, tags, footer, images, etc. This is something many people forget about and I even forgot to mention. If your content comes out to 5% to 7% it is waaaaay too high, unless you don't use those words at all on your site.

      So, for example, a page or post about "custom golf clubs" would probably use the word custom at least 5 - 10 times on the page outside of the content, if not more. Golf would probably be used almost double that and clubs about the same.

      You have to look at the ENTIRE page, since this is what your visitors and what Google would do anyway, and not just the content you wrote to put on the page.

      My favorite way to do this is to use CTRL + F on the preview (before I publish it) and type in each single word I am targeting, then click to "highlight all". If it looks like its all over the page, then I edit the content, but if it looks like each word is spread throughout the content in a good way, I go with it. For me, it's visual and I don't really pay close attention to the density. The numbers I included here come from a couple successful clients of mine, but when I do my own sites, I don't use keyword density tools at all (a bit of a trust issue there) and I don't pay close attention to the numbers. I have never been much of a numbers guy, but gotta throw some out there here and there since I know I am in the minority on that one.

      Benjamin
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  • Profile picture of the author Mantasmo
    Penguin has nothing to do with content quality. Neither does Panda (to be completely honest). I can rank sites filled with mediocre (at best) content all day long.

    You are way over thinking this. But whatever man, let's agree to disagree.
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  • Profile picture of the author MikeFriedman
    Not saying your ideas are wrong as far as content (although I don't agree with all of them), but none of these points have ANYTHING to do with Penguin. Penguin is all about low quality backlinks, and not about your onpage content.
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    • Profile picture of the author Benjamin Ehinger
      Originally Posted by bnetwork View Post

      Penguin has nothing to do with content quality. Neither does Panda (to be completely honest). I can rank sites filled with mediocre (at best) content all day long.

      You are way over thinking this. But whatever man, let's agree to disagree.
      I do disagree with you 100% because you are wrong or misinformed....both Panda and Penguin had quite a bit to do with content.....just because you think content is mediocre doesn't mean google does.....read below to find links to sites that PROVE what I said.

      Originally Posted by MikeFriedman View Post

      Not saying your ideas are wrong as far as content (although I don't agree with all of them), but none of these points have ANYTHING to do with Penguin. Penguin is all about low quality backlinks, and not about your onpage content.
      Also wrong and here is my proof.......

      This article: Google Over Optimization Launched, Google Names It Webspam Algorithm

      specifically states that the "over optimization" algorithm Specifically targeted "content spam, spun articles and keyword stuffing" - directly from Google.

      This article states that this same "over optimization" algorithm is named Penguin:
      Google Names The Over Optimization Penalty The Penguin Update

      Another article talking about how the Google Penguin update targeted CONTENT: Google

      An article stating that the Google Panda update targeted Content Farms (again Content): Google: Panda Update Originally Aimed At Content Farms

      This article Google Announces Panda Updates Will Resume talks specifically about keyword density issues that PANDA targeted and a percentage between 5 and 8.

      This article How Google's PANDA Updates Changed Article Marketing ~ Analyst District talks all about how Panda changed article marketing. Article directories lost their ranking because many of them had LOW QUALITY content, which diminished their linking power. Again, this is about content not backlinks.

      An article Official Google Webmaster Central Blog: High-quality sites algorithm goes global, incorporates user feedback about an update to Panda, that talks all about how the QUALITY of the site matters. THIS one is from Google themselves.

      Some of us have known for years that Google was slowly working towards updates that would take out a large amount of content seen as not useful. Maybe I should have defined HIGH QUALITY content for the two of you at the beginning.

      High Quality Content - content that addresses the issue, problem or question the searcher/reader/visitor is looking for. Also, content they can actually use to fix an issue, problem or answer their question.

      With that said, Panda knocked out the ranking of many article directories and similar sites, but you claim it had nothing to do with content. Obviously, you were misinformed or just don't understand what these updated did at all.

      Penguin knocked out many sites with spammy, spun, or poorly written ( I have referred to this as foreign content, maybe unfairly as some Native English Speaking people can't write good content either, but most of what I saw get knocked off the front page was content I know for a fact came from India and the Philippines.), but you both say this update also had nothing to do with content.

      Ignorance is bliss......that much I know.

      Benjamin
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      • Profile picture of the author Mantasmo
        Originally Posted by Benjamin Ehinger View Post

        but you claim it had nothing to do with content.
        Content quality. Two very different things. Website content = many things.

        I could keep going back and forth with you all day long here, but I really don't care how many more newbies this thread misleads, so whatever man.

        I learned a lot from this thread (not what you think). In fact, it was an eye-opener for me - in a very, very strange way. So thank you for that.
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        • Profile picture of the author Benjamin Ehinger
          Originally Posted by bnetwork View Post

          Content quality. Two very different things. Website content = many things.

          I could keep going back and forth with you all day long here, but I really don't care how many more newbies this thread misleads, so whatever man.

          I learned a lot from this thread (not what you think). In fact, it was an eye-opener for me - in a very, very strange way. So thank you for that.
          You do whatever you want and nit pick if you feel the need. I know what works for me and was generous enough to share the content strategy that has helped many of my clients climb to the top of Google and stay there through both panda and penguin.

          There is no one magical strategy, but I will stick with what puts money in my pocket.

          Benjamin
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  • Profile picture of the author retsek
    Umm... maybe it's just me ..but what does Penguin have to do with Writing tips ? Is somebody selling something in their sig again and using buzzwords like Penguin to get attention ?

    The evidence now clearly shows Penugin looks at your external & internal backlinks. Keyword stuffed and empty pages still rank immediately after a refresh.
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  • Profile picture of the author BettyM
    If you use Google analytics, Google can know good quality content from bad quality content. Your bounce rates and length of time on site, helps them gain info on your pages.

    My sites with many pictures, video or slideshows on the pages, do very well.
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    • Profile picture of the author retsek
      Originally Posted by BettyM View Post

      If you use Google analytics, Google can know good quality content from bad quality content. Your bounce rates and length of time on site, helps them gain info on your pages.

      My sites with many pictures, video or slideshows on the pages, do very well.
      Google doesn't use analytics for that. For one, it's unreliable. Last study, said less than 15% of websites use it and WebmasterTools. The percentage is even lower among the top 1,000 sites.

      Second, the real bounce rate they measure (and MAY consider) is not the same as what you can record with analytics or any stats program. It's the rate at which users bounce back to the search results after leaving your page unsatisfied.

      So, recap. Your site can have a high bounce, as high as in the 80s or 90s and that would be perfectly ok if the searcher's informational query is satisfied instantly and they move on to something else or go about their business. Google does not penalize for that.
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  • Profile picture of the author SwedishDemocracy
    Thanks, great post. As a copywriter/SEO manager, I had kinda got accustomed to writing quick 300-word blog posts. Oh well.
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    • Profile picture of the author Mantasmo
      Originally Posted by SwedishDemocracy View Post

      Thanks, great post. As a copywriter/SEO manager, I had kinda got accustomed to writing quick 300-word blog posts. Oh well.
      Strong post from someone who claims to be an "SEO Guru".
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    • Profile picture of the author Benjamin Ehinger
      Originally Posted by SwedishDemocracy View Post

      Thanks, great post. As a copywriter/SEO manager, I had kinda got accustomed to writing quick 300-word blog posts. Oh well.
      Shorter posts can still rank, but they don't rank as well as longer posts. Of course, it does depend on the keyword you are targeting, as some are easier to rank for than others. For example, it's easier to rank for many local keyword compared to non-local because they simply are not as competitive.

      I have just seen better results with my longer posts and with all the article directories and other content based sites upping their minimum word count, I believe that it's going to hold even more benefit in the future.

      Benjamin
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  • Profile picture of the author GoalMe
    There's also the concept known as LSI content. This means that you submit synonyms instead of your main keyword to let Google know it's all natural and you aren't stuffing.
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    • Profile picture of the author Benjamin Ehinger
      Originally Posted by GoalMe View Post

      There's also the concept known as LSI content. This means that you submit synonyms instead of your main keyword to let Google know it's all natural and you aren't stuffing.
      Yes, I agree. Usually when I write I have one main keyword and at least 2 LSIs I am working with. Even just getting them in there naturally one time each makes a difference.

      Benjamin
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  • Profile picture of the author IsaacWendt
    Originally Posted by Benjamin Ehinger View Post

    Okay, maybe these tips won't be new to everybody, but if you want great content that Google will love, you need to understand what they are looking for.

    One of the goals of all the updates Google has made is to make their search bot think and act more like a human searcher. This means you need content that humans will love. Besides, when was the last time Google made a purchase from your website? So, why would you specifically write for them?

    Here are my tips, please feel free to add to the list:

    1. Length matters

    Short blog posts are no longer ranking well with Google and you need to make sure you write at a very minimum of 500 words per posts. It's actually better to make sure all your posts are over 700 words.

    2. Quality matters

    Now, you can't just write 700 words of garbage content. You have to provide useful content to your readers or it won't rank. The content you get from foreign writers for less than $1 per 100 words won't cut it anymore! You need high quality content written by writers that actually know how to use a conversational tone.

    3. Keyword Usage has changed

    The days of shoving your main keyword into the content wherever you can are over. Did you know that if you write a post around a 3 word keyword, you don't have to use all three words together to get the right density? For example, if your keyword is "custom golf clubs", you just need to use custom, golf, and clubs throughout the posts. It's recommended that you get between 5% and 7% density with each of the words in your keyword phrase......LET ME SAY THAT AGAIN.....It's recommended that you get between 5% and 7% density with each of the words in your keyword phrase

    I don't mean a density for the main keyword shoved together of 5% to 7% because that will just make your content look spammy. NO, I mean each single word from your main keyword. If you feel like you must use your exact keyword together each time you mention it, shoot for a density of 1.5% to 2%.

    4. Related Keywords are more important than ever

    To get great content that Google will love, it's better to write with one main keyword in mind and a handful of related keywords. This may even get you ranked for the related keywords, as well. When you write like this, your content will read better and will look better to Google.

    5. Edit, Edit, and Edit again

    Spelling errors, typos, and unnatural sounding sentences will now get you penalized. Many want to say the latest update had to do with over optimization and the backlinking you do, but really, the goal of Google was to eliminate bad content. This included foreign written and spun content, which nearly always comes with sentences that make very little or no sense.

    Make sure to read over your content before you post it and you will catch your errors. A simple spell check isn't enough and you must make sure you catch as many errors as you can.

    I hope these tips help all of you that want to write your own content.

    Benjamin Ehinger
    Great Post only thing I don't agree with is the length. I think if you have an amazing post, that helps people solve there problem/s they searched for.Google will reward you and so will your users by sharing liking and giving that page great user metrics.
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    • Profile picture of the author Benjamin Ehinger
      Originally Posted by IsaacWendt View Post

      Great Post only thing I don't agree with is the length. I think if you have an amazing post, that helps people solve there problem/s they searched for.Google will reward you and so will your users by sharing liking and giving that page great user metrics.
      I agree with you. It is a strategy I use and as a writer it's usually very easy for me to come up with 700+ words. Half the time I get a bit long winded and find myself well over 1,000 words.

      Benjamin
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  • Profile picture of the author virtueinfo11
    Banned
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    • Profile picture of the author Benjamin Ehinger
      Originally Posted by virtueinfo11 View Post

      informative discussion, before new update some time we are doing keywords spamming to get content more attractive and seo friendly.

      thanks to share
      Yes you are very correct. If it looks or sounds (tastes ) like spam, then it probably is.

      Benjamin
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