Pandas and Penguins are abound in the SEO world as they aim to change internet marketing yet again. Here are the stories you need to know this week: how to protect yourself against negative SEO; changes to the ad rotation setting in Google AdWords; Google's Penguin algorithm update and best practices; is it ok to autotweet your blog posts?; and a new search engine with a twist.
This Week in Internet Marketing 2012 05 08
What is Negative SEO? And How to Protect Yourself
Negative SEO is the practice of performing spammy off-page activity on your competitors' sites. It's a very real threat and though it's not something you can completely defend against, there are steps you can take to protect yourself. Content is the best way to tell Google what you're about, a solid site structure helps too, user-friendly design and a clean link profile will also win you points. The bigger your site is, the higher your spam threshold will be. At the same time Google is aware of this practice and does make considerations for those victimized by this black hat tactic.
Changes Coming to AdWords Ad Rotation Settings
When testing multiple ads Google has three settings optimize for clicks, optimize for conversions, and rotate evenly. The third setting "rotate evenly" will now be limited to a 30 day period. After that the ad that is expected to generate the most clicks will be run. The change is designed to deliver the more relevant ads to Google users and deliver a better ROI for advertisers.
The Google Penguin Algorithm Update has Arrived. Here Are Some Penguin-Friendly Link Building Tips
Penguin has arrived on the heels of the Panda 3.6 update. The new updates target so called "over-optimization" e.g. aggressive use of exact match anchor text, low quality article marketing, and high volumes of links from low quality sites. This article focuses on link building methods that will benefit your site in light of the new update. Read the article for more strategies such as leveraging your fanbase, linking to inner pages (the more content, the better), diversified anchor text, focusing on quality over quantity of links and finally making your content link worthy.
Is it OK to Autotweet Your New Blog Posts?
This is something we do for many of our clients through both Facebook and Twitter, so when Google's Matt Cutts fielded a question regarding this exact topic, our ears definitely perked up. In the video Cutts explained that while excessive abuse of this could be annoying and cause you to lose followers, the practice is 100% Kosher in Google's eyes.
Are Search Results Too Mainstream? Try Out Million Short!
Million Short is a one of a kind idea for a search engine, although it's usefulness is debatable. The concept is simple: remove the first million results and give you the stuff Google doesn't want you to see. Try it out for a laugh.
More Internet Marketing Headlines
Google Maps Business Photos Launched in Canada, Ireland, Netherlands
LinkedIn Acquires Slideshare: Five Predictions for What’s to Follow
Confirmed: Panda Update 3.6 Happened On April 27th
