How to Benefit From the Recent Google Updates!

How to Craft Great Content and Rank Well in Google!

While it’s true that it has forever been shouted from the virtual rooftops that “Content is King”, many of us never really took Google seriously. Until now. Since recent search engine algorithm updates throughout the last several years including Panda (and its subsequent offspring)…Penguin and others, it is ever more clear that Google has finally reached the point where it’s in the position to enforce what it said, and that is nowhere more obvious than in the newest incarnation of the Google Webmaster Guidelines.

So how does this impact small business?

In its basic form, this means that quality should win out over quantity, at least in regards to content and links. Google is aware that with so many millions of web pages out there, it’s too much to expect us to not promote our pages, but at the same time we should be adding to the discussion with fresh and new content, not simply a rehashing or exact reproduction of what’s already there. So, for the small businessperson attempting to make a dent in the search rankings, this means we ought to stop trying to game the search results, and embrace natural and meaningful link building and social interaction.

Best practices and what to avoid

• Strive for social sharing – Among the more important factors in the search algorithm now seems to be the presence of social sharing of your content. Make sure you not only have the ability to share it, but that people would want to!
• Create epic content – Related to the above, one sure way to get people to help spread your content near and far is be sure it is the very best you can put together.
• Avoid content automation – Google is becoming very good at ferreting out automated content. Do yourself a favor and just steer clear of this game altogether, as anyone with half a brain can recognize spun and regurgitated text.
• Employ link diversity – Be certain that you’re varying the text that is linked. Use a combination of your keywords, URLs, click here’s and other generic phrases.
• Run from link schemes – Leave behind link farms and other ways of gaming the GoogleBot. Any gains you may have would be temporary, and the resulting penalties far more permanent!