We regularly host seminars on search engine optimization yet it never ceases to amaze us by the number of small businesses who are using SEO dirty tricks.
Around 3-4 years ago the practice of invisible text was in widespread in search engine optimization. This involved creating paragraphs of keyword rich text on a background of the same colour - ie white text on a white background. Clearly this text couldn't be seen by the visitor so it didn't matter if it made sense or not but the real advantage was that the search engine spiders found it attractive and sites employing this method had great results. However, the search engines got wise to the trick and adjusted their algorythms to weed out sites engaged in this practice.
Sadly, there are many DIY novices who still believe this myth and no sooner do they employ the technique than their site drops off the rankings like the proverbial hot potato.
Another common misconception is that you have to repeatedly submit your site to the search engines to get listed. To extent resubmitting your site to some search engines is ok - but no more than once a month. Google however clearly states that you do not need to submit as their spiders will do all the work of finding your site.
What certainly is not good practice is the use of automated submission tools. These tools encourage you to enter your URL, click a button then sit back and let it do the work for you. Most people who use these tools far too often and this only results in spamming the search engines. The end result - your site gets banned. Simple advice here is to avoid using them.
One important note on automatic submission programes and services. You know the ones the submit to 5000 search engines for £99. Avoid them like the plague. At best you get submitted to 5000 unknown search engines and your inbox fill swith spam email. It's just simply not worth the effort.
Doorway pages are specially created pages that are targetted towards a particular phrase. These pages are created for search engines and ot humans. Search engines like google consider the use of doorway pages as a breach of the terms of service. If you use doorway pages to influence your position, it's only a matter of time before you are caught, reported and banned.
Link farms, free for all links.
It's no secret that links to and from your site are seen as a measure of your site's importance and good quality links can help your site's position in the search engine. However, you should avaoid at all costs programmes that give you thousands of links to your site at the click of a mouse. Google realises that sites link back and forward to each other and can score your site accordingly. However, if you engage in a free for all scheme and you suddenly gain 1500 links in one fell swoop then there is obviously something afoot and this will be picked up by the search engines. The other factor here is the quality of the links. Out of the 1500 links only 10 or so may be links from similar sites and the rest may be from sites such as pornographic and gambling sites. Is this what you want? Again, avoid these schemes like the plague.
Breeze media can help get your website listed on the Serach engines. Contact us to see how we can improve your website's search engine visibility.