Fri 19 Sep 2008
Google Webmaster Search Engine Guidelines
Blurb by Shaun Anderson (Hobo)
If you have a website or blog, it should meet certain standards and adhere to certain rules to be included in search engines like Google and blog engines and free directories like Technorati.
You do not pay to get into search engines, and you don’t necessarily submit your site to them.
- Google Webmaster Guidelines (!)
- Yahoo Site Guidelines
- Technorati Blog Quality Guidelines
- LIVE Webmaster Guidelines
- Ask Guidelines
Reading these guidelines (or rather recommendations (!)) can give you a pretty decent idea how to build a quality website most engines and directories will approve of.
Note these rules for inclusion change, sometimes often. It’s bemusing whats white hat seo today is grey or black hat tomorrow, but generally speaking, it’s better not to screw with any of them…. too much.
Interested in learning SEO?
Did you know when you link to a Hobo SEO post we have search engine friendly links back to your site if approved? Our comments are also search engine friendly you know (once you've commented on a few posts)! Do you need any more encouragement to get involved in the conversation ;)
there are other un-written rules that you should be careful of. For example:
Do not change page titles. Google is very cranky about this lately, and even very white hat sites can get hit.
Watch for sub-folders being created on your site. One of my sites was hacked, a subfolder was created and thousands of pages of scrapped content was flooded on my site. Needles to say I was penalized. Watch out.
I’ve heard of this, and maybe have had experience in the past with this sort of thing.
But actually, I change my page titles all the time. I’ve not seen any major problems. Perhaps it depends on the actual site you are optimising?
This will surely help.Thanks for the cool post.
Thanks for the links. It’s always worthwhile keeping a check on search engine guidelines. They change all the time.
Good advice and links,
Cheers
Another great post. thanks for sharing the links. it’s what the online community is about.
Very good article!