Comments on: Non-Technical Google SEO For Dummies (No, Really)

By: Cracks

Cracks — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 21:54:48 +0000

@Joseph and @TradeShow Ninja: Thanks for the follow-ups. But I’m seeing/having a lot more success in markets that (while not SUPER competitive) are definitely quality markets. And while the success is off the back of solid website foundations and SEO, there are literally no links involved. Period. And one of these sites fits Hobo’s yet-to-be-published “Anatomy Of A Number 1 Ranking In Google”. Oh no – maybe Shaun’s stripping bare MY #1 Ranking secrets! Arrhhhh!!!!!!! (laughing. I’m sure Shaun has 10,000 #1 ranking sites of his own to choose from).

Looking forward to the article either way.

By: TradeShow Ninja

TradeShow Ninja — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 14:55:22 +0000

To follow up on what Joseph said above in response to cracks…
From what I have read (but who believes anything they read?) a LOT of searches are long tail or unique (never been searched for before). For those searches, I think the results are definately based on content. It would be interesting to see what percentage of search results are determined by onpage content only… I’d guess it is more than a lot of people would guess. Steve
PS. Shaun, about that Anatomy post…

By: Joseph

Joseph — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 09:33:59 +0000

@cracks
Great relevant content matters first to Google. In a low competitive market for example auto rentals in a small place like Goa, you can easily achieve a first page in Google for something like auto rentals goa if you design a website keeping in view basic seo principles and write great relevant content.

By: TradeShow Ninja

TradeShow Ninja — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 01:10:19 +0000

hi Shaun,
As a gentle reminder, about 11 days ago and 3 posts ago, you wrote that your next post would be “Anatomy Of A Number 1 Ranking In Google Stripped Bare.” Well, I’m still waiting…
Seriously, I hope you do that post, and I even just subscribed to your blog so I can stop checking your blog every couple of days to see if there is anything new.
As to the basics in this post, I don’t think you can repeat them to often. If you REMEMBER and live by the basic rules you outlined above, that’s about half the battle.
I’m looking forward to that Anatomy post, even if it is written in “dyslexic style”. ~ Steve, TradeShow Ninja!

By: Max

Max — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 00:53:29 +0000

I guess the person who will find the limits of Google and at the same time earn its trust – will become the richest SEO guy ever. I hope I will be able to achieve it one day

By: Dena Tasarım

Dena Tasarım — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 22:49:20 +0000

Picking on spelling… Really?

By: Shaun Anderson (Hobo)

Shaun Anderson (Hobo) — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 17:20:23 +0000

Probably. I dont see it.

By: Michelle

Michelle — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 17:05:06 +0000

“Thanks. Being dyslexic can be a problem, sometimes.”

Don’t dyslexics have spell checkers on their PCs then?

By: Dena Tasarim

Dena Tasarim — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 12:29:22 +0000

Haha if you got trolls, it means you’re successful

By: Shaun Anderson (Hobo)

Shaun Anderson (Hobo) — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 12:12:54 +0000

Thank you Dena

By: Dena Tasarim

Dena Tasarim — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 12:02:26 +0000

lol Shaun got trolled

By: Shaun Anderson (Hobo)

Shaun Anderson (Hobo) — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 11:57:12 +0000

Aye Robert I don’t need no troll defence

Its worth pointing out folks don’t employ me for spelling or blogging lol

By: Robert McKenzie

Robert McKenzie — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 11:36:41 +0000

just kidding folks

By: Robert McKenzie

Robert McKenzie — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 11:35:49 +0000

Why is he spelling you`re without an `re. `? He wrote “your writing incoherent waffle”.
He wrote you are, as if it were `your`. So who is he to talk?

By: Dena Tasarim

Dena Tasarim — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 11:32:17 +0000

People really should learn to obey google and it’s rules. I know a lot of unseasoned, impatient SEOers hacking their way for their illegal links, and getting bashed by the big G afterwards.

Some people just underestimate google like “They’ll never get my illegal links mwhaha”, yet Google didn’t make that billions by just sitting around doing nothing. For example, i was astonished when you said that Google remembers every state of every website Shaun.

By: Shaun Anderson (Hobo)

Shaun Anderson (Hobo) — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 11:30:53 +0000

Thanks. Being dyslexic can be a problem, sometimes.

• Which competitor are you?

By: Grant

Grant — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 11:24:02 +0000

Are the commenters praising you above reading the same post as me? Littered with spelling mistakes, extremely poor grammar and it reads attrociously! God only knows how a novice is meant to understand it. I haven’t commented on any of your posts before but I have to say that you’re an asset to your competitors when you churn out sausage factory style articles like that above.

When you’re not slagging off competitors your writing incoherent waffle which appears to be articles for articles sake.

Part of SEO is copywriting and if I were a client relying on you guys to write an article I wouldn’t be back again if that’s the quality you provide.

By: Chris Kennedy

Chris Kennedy — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 02:19:49 +0000

Thinking like google is very difficult, but it is essential to success. Great guide. I like the emphasis on building trust with Google which is very important, you never want to get blacklisted.

By: Jim Slinowsky

Jim Slinowsky — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 15:02:49 +0000

Hey Shaun,

Excellent post, I found the part about Google tossing a random “ranking grenade” into their SERPs to keep SEOs guessing particularily interesting. I’ve come across a couple of examples in recent weeks when doing competitive analysis, sites ranking in the top 10 for no apparent reason, given their lack of content, authority and links when compared to other top 10 results.

Jim

By: andy@Equator

andy@Equator — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 11:49:14 +0000

Great post as per usual – many good points – particularly with regards to Trust and the Google Dice! I think these are amongst the trickiest elements for non-seo types to get their heads around, as they are quite abstract concepts – a typical response being:

“What do you mean Google wants to be friends with you and develop a relationship?!! Its not alive!” ..

“ah…but it is, in a way”

- all a bit weird!

By: David

David — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 10:58:41 +0000

I try and encourage people to put themselves in Googles position and think about what things they would look at to guage a web pages relevance and authority. Add in some info about links and what they would do if they found a page that was trying to trick them and in most cases they end up with a reasonable understanding in a very short space of time.

By: seoslayer

seoslayer — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 10:37:58 +0000

there are many ways to break google’s trust and for some people it’s practicly imposibile not to do this.
but I guess that this old Romanian saying could be applied: “The thief that is not catched is an honest tradesman.”
And I think it is only fair to say :”I promise I’ll try not to upset Google” but u can upset Google without knowing…

By: SEM Antics

SEM Antics — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 09:39:30 +0000

Haha, Nice one Shaun.

Hit the nail on the head with that one. It really is easier to think about things logically and try and simplify it all. Add content, build links, earn trust.

By: Robert

Robert — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 09:37:30 +0000

Possibly the greatest basic SEO write up I’ve read so far! While there are so many technical bits behind the scenes to ensure that all of the above actually works. That really is simple SEO in a nutshell.

By: Cracks

Cracks — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 09:29:35 +0000

Hobo. EVERYBODY talks links – links, links, links, links, links. Are they really THAT important? Or are they only THAT important if you’re playing in a highly competitive market?

Do you think the value of links will change (increase or decrease) over the next few years (Google have shifted weights on ranking factors before, esp once they become gamed or over-played).

By: David

David — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 08:24:34 +0000

…and paying extra for an upgraded gmail account and apps works too. Google have your credit card and a trail back to you.

David Saunders
Plymouth