The Easy Guide todealing with

Bad SEO!!!

Free

How to identify bad SEO TechniquesHow to deal with themHow to prevent them

Executive Summary

Who should you share this with ?Business ConsultantsState BodiesBusiness OwnersFinancial ControllersMarketing ManagersWebsite AgenciesInternet ConsultantsSEO Consultants

DISCLAIMERPlease note that the discovery or identification of any of issues, symptoms or problems described herein do not necessarily indicate a direct failure or problem with your SEO strategy. It’s a high level document designed to help website owners, webmasters and others to discuss and learn about SEO and to create more understanding. If you have concerns, then discuss them with your web team and with some other SEO’s.

It’s also worth noting that in an experience-led profession, it may be helpful to have more than one person create, manage and implement your overall SEO and Search Strategies.

Some background education• SEO stands for Search Engine Optimisation• SEO is process or set of activities designed to

help search engines discover, understand, index and rank websites

• Google supports users, designers and marketers with free information, guidelines and tools to help them

Making it clear• Google has a strong set of DO’s and DONT’s

that constitute it’s Terms of Service (TOS).• Violating the TOS can result in a range of

penalties, including being dropped or removed from Google’s Search Index

• Google constantly expands this list to ensure that it easy to understand and implement

TIME

Doctors Agree Milk is good for you

Could something

that’s supposed

to be good for you, be

bad for you?

Defining “bad” SEO

Any activity, techniques or strategies that could result in being listed = Blackhat

Defining “bad” SEO

Any activity, techniques or strategies that could result in being listed = Blackhat

Any strategy or activity that doesn’t work or takes too long = opportunity loss

Defining “bad” SEO

Any activity, techniques or strategies that could result in being listed = Blackhat

Any strategy or activity that doesn’t work or takes too long = opportunity loss

Any strategy or activity that damages you, your brand or your business through bad publicity or

misrepresentation

Avoid Spam. At all costs.

Many spammers, particularly those based overseas, don’t even know that they are spamming.

Many spammers, particularly those based overseas, don’t even know that they are spamming.

It’s not enough to ask – get a contract that includes a NO-SPAM clause. If the vendor breaks it, they are in breech of contract or guilty of fraud if they planned to use spam at

the outset

Avoid Spam. At all costs.

Discovering “Bad SEO”

Top clues to watch out for

Avoid Guarantees.

Avoid any company who has any form of guaranteed or pre-secured placements. They don’t exist.

Especially avoid any company that suggests that they have a special relationship with Google. Google’s Ranking

system is not only closed, it’s possible to directly benefit or promote a website within it.

Be careful of Sales Centres

Many SEO Websites don’t have a real base and are just a front for an overseas company.

Whoever you employ, you need to know the people that will be designing, implementing and measuring your SEO campaign.

Always ask for referees that are relevant, and speak to them.

Some practices to watch for

You get e-mails from people who complain your company is spamming their blog

Blog spam is a first sign of bad practice SEO. Having someone leave spam comments on other blogs is a no-no.

This practice is a sign of either laziness or badly managed SEO. It’s short sighted and doesn’t work. There isn’t really any excuse: if your SEO is aware of – or worse, condones - this practice, then they could get you into a lot of trouble

Do the math....

Check the hourly rate you’re being charged or the pro rata rate if paying a retainer... If its too good to be true,....

Any two companies are free to choose a contract rate that is mutually agreeable but if you’re paying less than the average industrial rate or even minimum wage, then something could be wrong.

This is quite common and signals either that the hours are manufactured or that the company is off-shoring. This isn’t bad per se but they should be upfront. If you’re paying less than €10 per hour and the minimum wage is higher – then something doesn’t add up.

Working with just a small set of keywords

Your SEO limits you to a small set of keywords (phrases)

There shouldn’t be a number limit. There are natural limits due to competition but focusing on groups such as 10, 15 or 20 don’t really make sense. They include long tail and permutations too.

This is very common where the SEO company is buying links from spam-ware services which typically group keywords either by single digits or groups like 5 and 10.

Is your site being used for free self promotion?

Your SEO Agency puts a link to themselves on your site

In my opinion, there is nothing worse – using a collection of client sites for free advertising.

This is a terrible practice – it does nothing for your own site except alert competitors to who you’re using. There’s no reason for this for you – insist on having it removed.

About Google Webmaster tools

Tools like the Index tool, Robots Access Control, Site settings and others are very precise and powerful tools. It’s very easy to get these wrong or to forget to adjust them.

Incorrect settings can cause dramatic effects quite quickly. For example, blocking a site via the Robots control file or setting a wrong country.

In most cases, however, these are reasonably easy to undo and the site will return to normal within a few days or weeks.

Getting Penalised

• Most penalties aren’t penalties at all• You can check to see if your site is blocked• Get in touch with your webmaster and other

industry professionals to get their opinion• How to check for a complete ban/delisting:• Google [Site:mydomain.com]• If the site isn’t returned, it means that it may

be delisted.

What to do next

• Find out what you may have done to be penalised

• Have the site checked with Google Webmaster tools– There may be messages or notes from Google that

may tell you what is wrong– Test the Fetch as Googlebot tool to make sure its

accessible• Get some professional help

Resolution

• Google User Support Forums• Webmaster Forums• Repair the site and make sure it meets

Google’s Guidelines• Request a review of your site and outline what

happened and what you’ve done to rectify it

Common Issues

• Cloaking (accidental and intentional)• Robots file blocking access to part or all of the site• Incorrect Geo Setting• Badly structured site – no user sitemap for

example• HTML that Google can’t parse. A good example is

having two title tags for example• Bad 404 handlers, especially pages that are

malformed or content cloners

Empower yourself...

Some good advice...

• Seek more than one opinion– Talk to different SEO’s and Website owners

• Discuss your options• Look for transparency• Arrange to meet regularly• Always have a list of actions• Doing it? Then measure it!

How to deal with the end stage

• If you have been banned or are at significant risk– Discuss this with your existing vendor– See what they offer in terms of rectifying the

situation– If they propose to “fix” it, do you trust their

workmanship?

Moving on

• Find a reputable company with good clients and strong industry recommendations

• Talk to Enterprise Ireland if you’re a client– Or talk to your County Enterprise Board

• Talk to your business associates• Google SEO, in your county, city or country

– A good SEO should have a rank of somesort

About the author

David Quaid is the founder of Primaryposition.com and has been working in SEO since 2001. He is the 111th tallest person in Ireland. He lives with his wife and drives an eco friendly Toyota powered by organically recycled dinosaurs.

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