Google Algorithm Update Around August 8th 2014

Google Algorithm Update Around August 8th 2014 I am seeing significant signs of a real Google update both in terms of summer/weekend forum chatter at WebmasterWorld, via the automated tracking tools and via emails sent to me with screen shots. The update seems to have around August 9th or 8th and has continued through the weekend. Here are some quotes from the Webmaster World thread: I concur with the above observations. Seeing a huge drop...

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SEO: Harder To Know If Human Error Caused Ranking Issues Vs Algorithms

SEO: Harder To Know If Human Error Caused Ranking Issues Vs Algorithms When it comes to ranking issues in Google, there are two main reasons why your rankings can drop. The first is you made a technical mistake on your own site, such as blocking Google from crawling you. The second is Google decided through algorithms or manual actions that your site shouldn't rank as well anymore. A WebmasterWorld thread has SEOs debating if it is harder to...

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My Site Is Boring. How Do I Get Links?

My Site Is Boring. How Do I Get Links? The topic of getting links to boring web sites or web sites that compete with dozens or hundreds of other web sites is not new. If you sell widgets and there are hundreds of other sites that sell the same widgets, then how do you drive up interest to get people to link to your site? A WebmasterWorld thread has one person even asking if doing link bait type of stories will change the topicality of his...

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Google Panda 4.0 Now Rolling Out; A New Panda Algorithm

Google Panda 4.0 Now Rolling Out; A New Panda Algorithm Last night was pretty wild, with Google confirming an update over the weekend targeting spammy queries and also Google's Matt Cutts posting on Twitter that Panda 4.0 was released. This is a new Panda algorithm, not a refresh that we've seen almost monthly but enough for Google to name this 4.0, which means a new algorithm update to it. Google's Matt Cutts told us at Search Engine Land...

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Google Preparing Large Update? Shifts On May 2nd & 7th

Google Preparing Large Update? Shifts On May 2nd & 7th I mentioned there was some chatter about a Google update on May 2nd but now we are seeing even more chatter and signs of flux in the Google search results on May 7th. These signs of shifts in rankings, spikes in crawl rates, often, but not always, are early warning signs of a major Google update happening in the near future. Here are flux/volatility charts from MozCast, SERPS.com, SearchMetrics...

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Google's Matt Cutts: Anticipate The Query To Better Control Titles In Google

Google's Matt Cutts: Anticipate The Query To Better Control Titles In Google Google's Matt Cutts posted a video explaining why and when Google may use something other than your title tag for the search results title snippet. MattCutts suggested that it is best for your to try to anticipate what theuser will search for when crafting your title tags. When you do that and then when it matches the query, then Google will likely show your title tag....

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Schema.org Actions: What Is It?

Schema.org Actions: What Is It? On Friday, I reported at Search Engine Land that Schema.org launched Actions, a new markup that describes actions that have taken place in the past [past actions] or could take place in the future [potential actions]. Note, Schema.org is the centralized organization backed by Google, Bing, Yahoo and other search engines, for standardizing markup that mostly search engines use to better understand text and content...

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75% Of SEOs Want Yahoo To Return To Search

75% Of SEOs Want Yahoo To Return To Search A couple months ago new rumors surfaced around Yahoo making a return to search. With those rumors, we asked you guys if you think Yahoo should indeed make those efforts or give up now? With over 200 responses on our poll I wanted to tell you that the majority would like to see Yahoo return to search 75% of you said yes, Yahoo should get back into search. Only 18% said no, they should not and 7%...

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