vangogh
04-23-2012, 01:14 AM
Not too long ago ( I think at the recent SXSW convention ) Matt Cutts mentioned that Google was going to be making changes to the algorithm to penalize sites that over optimized. This kind of thing is right in line with how Google's algorithms have been evolving over the years. Admittedly no one outside of Google can tell you exactly what over optimization Google is likely to penalize, but there are plenty of reasonable guestimates as to what they might penalize.
Last week Rand Fishkin offer some of his thoughts in a short video, 6 Changes Every SEO Should Make BEFORE the Over-Optimization Penalty Hits (http://www.seomoz.org/blog/6-changes-every-seo-should-make-before-the-over-optimization-penalty-hits-whiteboard-friday). I think it's definitely worth watching. He runs through 6 practices many have engaged in over the years and suggests it's time to stop practicing these things and making changes to your site if you've done any of them.
Here are the 6 over optimization practices.
1. Keyword stuffed page titles - For example "web design services, web design firm space brand name, whatever your brand name, web design" These titles don't get clicked often anyway since they look so spammy. Better to right something simple like "Brand Name Design Services" or "Design Services Brand Name"
2. Manipulative internal links - These are basically links in your sidebar or footer or wherever on the site that always use the same exact anchor text and point to the same page. Instead mix up the anchor text so it reads more naturally
3. Keyword filled footer links - You've probably seen those list of keyword rich links at the bottom of pages. They're often several lines long and the links are commonly grayed out a bit. They don't exist to be useful to real people, but are trying to get more keyword rich anchor text pointing at your pages.
4. Keyword stuffed copy - Don't write your copy for search engines. I'm sure you've come across sites written very poorly that will mention the same one or two words a dozen times in just a sentence or two. These are people looking to maximize some kind of keyword density in their copy. Better is to just write your copy for the real people who visit.
5. Links from poor sources - Two examples Rand gives are reciprocal links and article directories. Neither has provide much if any benefit for quite some time.
6. Lots of pages targeting similar keywords - For example creating 3 different pages each targeting a different, though very similar phrase "used cars seattle," "used autos seattle," "pre-owned cars seattle" There's no reason to create 3 separate pages for these phrases. They can all be targeted on one well written page. Creating specific pages for each is a sign you're trying to manipulate things more than you should.
I'd recommend watching the video. It's about 11 minutes long and has more detail than what I'm offering here. I think all of the above are practices that really haven't worked for awhile anyway and now could possibly get your pages or site penalized.
Last week Rand Fishkin offer some of his thoughts in a short video, 6 Changes Every SEO Should Make BEFORE the Over-Optimization Penalty Hits (http://www.seomoz.org/blog/6-changes-every-seo-should-make-before-the-over-optimization-penalty-hits-whiteboard-friday). I think it's definitely worth watching. He runs through 6 practices many have engaged in over the years and suggests it's time to stop practicing these things and making changes to your site if you've done any of them.
Here are the 6 over optimization practices.
1. Keyword stuffed page titles - For example "web design services, web design firm space brand name, whatever your brand name, web design" These titles don't get clicked often anyway since they look so spammy. Better to right something simple like "Brand Name Design Services" or "Design Services Brand Name"
2. Manipulative internal links - These are basically links in your sidebar or footer or wherever on the site that always use the same exact anchor text and point to the same page. Instead mix up the anchor text so it reads more naturally
3. Keyword filled footer links - You've probably seen those list of keyword rich links at the bottom of pages. They're often several lines long and the links are commonly grayed out a bit. They don't exist to be useful to real people, but are trying to get more keyword rich anchor text pointing at your pages.
4. Keyword stuffed copy - Don't write your copy for search engines. I'm sure you've come across sites written very poorly that will mention the same one or two words a dozen times in just a sentence or two. These are people looking to maximize some kind of keyword density in their copy. Better is to just write your copy for the real people who visit.
5. Links from poor sources - Two examples Rand gives are reciprocal links and article directories. Neither has provide much if any benefit for quite some time.
6. Lots of pages targeting similar keywords - For example creating 3 different pages each targeting a different, though very similar phrase "used cars seattle," "used autos seattle," "pre-owned cars seattle" There's no reason to create 3 separate pages for these phrases. They can all be targeted on one well written page. Creating specific pages for each is a sign you're trying to manipulate things more than you should.
I'd recommend watching the video. It's about 11 minutes long and has more detail than what I'm offering here. I think all of the above are practices that really haven't worked for awhile anyway and now could possibly get your pages or site penalized.