Google’s recent delisting of sites used by BMR (Build My Rank) and other Blog Networks has not only put these companies literally out of business, they’ve also tanked the rankings of their numerous clients.
I can’t say I feel bad for either side of that transaction.
There will always be SEO shortcuts & cheats around, whether we like it or not. All systems have their holes. However, it’s going to get more and more difficult to use them.
Google’s ranking algorithm and filtering capability is getting better and better.
If your business is in it for the long term, resorting to these ‘gray area’ and just straight up black hat techniques are more trouble than they’re worth.
Quality, enduring SEO will be – and always has been – about content, subject focus & the visitor experience.
Too many SEOs sell their services based on keyword stuffing, link spamming and other methods that are the mark of dangerous amateurs who should be nowhere near your business.
It’s like waving a red flag in front of the entrance to your china shop during the running of the bulls.
Google is now looking at visitor engagement, response and quality indicators of your website and its content when it computes your ranking. You can’t ignore this.
You MUST have well-written, clear content that holds your visitor’s attention and helps them get whatever it is they want.
In other words your SEO must now look at the visitor’s experience – whether your content is attractive, comprehensible and, yes, alluring.
Cramming a keyphrase repeatedly into your pages doesn’t work anymore. This has always been the Present & Future of SEO for those smart enough to look forward.
If you’re not seeing this now, you will be seeing your rankings drop later. It’s that simple.