Martin Koss – thinking out loud…

If we all used the same SEO tricks, the link-building and the many other ‘secret’ methods that all the “experts” have been writing about for the past several years, then we’d all be the same, right? None of us would stand out!

Every car dealership would have a similar website, they’d all have similar blog content and they’d all weave a web of links by hiring in some dude who knew how to position links in forums, blog comments and the like – they’d all be doing what the experts say would get them to the top of Google.

If every builder provided the same sort of content, used the same analysis software to determine the perfect meta-data, page titles, headings, body content, etc., (based largely on ‘averages’) and each blogged about all the breaking news in the building sector – along with weaving their web of inbound links – how could Google decide which should be numbero uno and which should be demoted to positions 2, 3, 4 etc., – or worse – dropped from the index all together?

Not sure about you but the idea of upsetting the Google bots doesn’t float my boat – nor does being ‘average’.

There’s always going to be competition for the top slot and someone will always find something that will give them that extra boost and nudge themselves into the eyes of the eager searchers who don’t want to scroll down to the bottom of the top-ten. How do you make sure that is your business?

Regardless of all the ‘game-changing’ ‘turnkey’ ‘hidden’ ‘amazing’ ‘secrets’ it’s not about tricks.

There are very few secrets. There are very few ‘methods’ that Google’s team haven’t seen as ‘spamming’ and have not already slammed the door shut on those ‘below the belt’ moves.

Why would Google sit there while everyone is trying to pull the wool over their eyes with spammy methods and dirty tricks?

Google has an objective to deliver the best results to every user of their system and that can only be achieved by being several steps ahead of all the self-proclaimed “experts”. The “experts”, I should add, who spend half their time in Starbucks speculating and writing about what Google will do next (with very little evidence they are correct – but they convince the vulnerable and desperate) and the other half willy waving about how many number 1 rankings they’ve got.

Its all been done before. Long before these marketing rookies with their analysis software and their cloaking, redirects and spam came along there were ways of ‘playing the system’ for all it was worth.

Remember when the Yellow Pages listed companies like AAAArdvark Building Services and 111111 Double Glazing? The trick was used by many advertising agencies who capitalised on loopholes in the way the Yellow Pages printed the listings based on who could have the most As at the start of the business name. Yellow Pages slammed the door firmly shut on that trick in the late 90s / early 00s but many companies still tried it – even today business will modify their listing name to jump from page 3 to page 1 f their preferred business category.

Dirty tricks don’t work long-term. Never had and, fortunately, never will.

Google has consistently slammed doors shut on ‘tricks’ because once the trick gets out and everyone starts using it, the accuracy and relevance of search results becomes compromised. Every time some spammy method becomes so widely used, it loses it’s ‘oomph’ – it is no longer unique, no longer being used by one or two forward leaping websites. If everyone did it then everyone becomes the same – again.

A football team could have the world’s greatest player (or the worlds ‘hardest/feared’ player) but still be mid-table when the silverware is handed out.

The one thing Google has been consistent about in all their years of development is that they want to deliver relevant results – and that means preventing dirty tricks from influencing the rankings. Just like the football teams. They all have the same size squad, they all start with zero points but, no matter how evenly matched they seem, only one can come out on top. The ones who try dirty tricks lose players to suspensions and injuries while the ones who keep their noses clean, play by the rules but play smart; they are the ones most likely scoring the goals, steering clear of penalties and finishing the season with a dilemma every other team swishes they had – do we need a bigger trophy cabinet?

Playing within the rules, avoiding cheating tactics that may (or may not) provide short-term results, playing fairly but playing better than anyone else is what generates long-term ‘champion’ status.

Try to trick Google and it will be like tripping the forward as he enters the 18-yard box – you will be penalised; you will concede a goal, you will most likely lose the match, the player and suffer at the end of the season – was it worth it?

Google is a keen eyed referee and they (he, it) doesn’t miss a thing.

Cheating, tricking, ‘spamming’ might get you five minutes of nose-bleed dizzy heights but in the long-term, the websites and blogs that play within the rules – consistently creating relevant content – will win. All other things being equal, of course.

Do you want to be an ‘also ran’? Do you want to finish with ‘mid-table’ mediocrity or in the relegation zone? Or are you going to play by the rules, train harder, run faster, have supreme ball control and come out with your arms waving to the crowd as you do your lap of honour?

Anyone can be an also ran! Anyone can break the rules! But not everyone can be remarkable and stand out above the crowd. You can!

 

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