As a Web designer, Webmaster and inhouse SEO/SEM, I was THRILLED when Google announced that its Webmaster Tools had added a “Linked From” feature. This new feature finally allowed Web site owners to find out which URLs were linking to “not found” pages on their site.
For example, let’s say you did a redesign and int he process, renamed some of your URLs. If another Web site was linking to your old URL and you move it or rename it, the link from that other site is now broken and you’re not getting credit for that link because the search engines aren’t finding anything when they follow that link. Booo!
How do we fix this? Well, for starters, I would suggest keeping the old URLs and creating a 301 redirect from the old URL to the new one. This preserves any ‘link juice” your older URL had acquired and transfers it to the new one. It also prevents “Not Found” links from appearing in your Google Webmaster Tools > Diagnostics > Web Crawl > Not Found list because anyone still linking to the outdated URL will automatically be directed to the new one and you don’t have to do a thing.
The “Linked From” function was going to make my life, and the lives of many SEO/SEMs, much easier because it could save us the time of trying to find out who was linking to our “Not Found” URLs. Alas, you can imagine my supreme disappointment when I logged in to use the new feature and 95 percent of the time I get is this error message.
This kind of tool is invaluable to SEOs, especially inhouse SEOs, who are trying to make the most of their limited time and budgets. By identifying sites that have outdated links to our site, we can contact their Webmaster and provide the updated link, thus increasing our link juice. Of course, IF Google’s Webmaster Tools’ “Linked From” feature worked, it’d be even better.
My wife forwarded a blog post she came across called “SEO Experts Are Full of It - Front-Page Rankings Are Easy” and I found it amusing, poignant and a bit misguided, all at the same time. I don’t know the author of the blog post, Josh Spaulding, or if his claims are true, but I think he makes some valid points.
He writes, “the majority of the so-called ‘SEO Experts’ are out to get your money. They run services, so they want you to believe SEO is some kind of a science.”
To a certain extent, Josh is correct. As with any industry (cough - mechanics), there are always going to be unscrupulous “professionals” who take advantage of clients that have not done their homework. For the most part, most SEO professionals I know and have worked with are reputable and often times give the basic advice away free of charge.
For example, Aaron Wall of SEOBook.com has a free online “How-to” guide called Learning Search Engine Optimization that gives users the basics of SEO in about an hour … for free.
I agree with Josh in that learning SEO is easy … the proof being - if I can learn it, so can anyone! I think the bigger issue that Josh did not address is that most SEO professionals aren’t out to scare Web site owners or steal their money; we are here to educate, give advice and help people understand SEO and how it works. All you have to do is read the popular blogs like SEOBook.com, SearchEngineLand.com, SEOMoz.org, etc., and anyone can learn the basics of SEO … if they have the time.
Ah, there’s the catch! Time. Time is money. And that’s why businesses hire SEO professionals; because they either do not have the time, or the wherewithal to learn SEO. The profession did not come about because there was an opportunity for scam artists to con Web site owners. Rather, it evolved because Web site owners did not have the time or inclination to learn SEO. These businesses are generally working full time (and then some) and simply can’t make time in their schedule to learn SEO on their own. So, they look for companies or “experts” to help them.
As an SEO professional, I encourage all of my clients to at least learn the basics of SEO. However, if it becomes too much for them, or they simply do not have the time or desire to do so, we are happy to step in and help, as I’m sure Josh is.
I have actually tried to teach a client, free of charge, the basics of SEO, only to have them say, “No, thanks. I don’t have time. I’d rather pay you to do it for me.” Well, if you insist.
I also agree with Josh that SEO is not as hard as some have made it out to be. I think where SEO can get difficult is when you start digging too deep and becoming obsessed with back links, page rank, quality score, etc. SEO can be quite simple; optimize your page with the basics such as title tags (very important), meta descriptions (good, but not a must), good copy (with relevant keywords) that people will understand and find useful (very important), relevant alt tags, a site map, and a few other easy things you can find by simply searching for “SEO tips.” If you have time, you can learn and implement SEO. If you don’t have time, at least do a little research and then hire a reputable SEO professional.
I’ve been reading up on the history of the “nofollow” tag as well as countless blogs preaching both the pros and cons, trying to decide when best to use it, and if I should use it at all. I won’t bore you with the background of the nofollow attribute; if you really want to read about it check out Wikipedia’s entry (for the record, I added the nofollow tag to the previous link - take that Wikipedia!). In a nutshell, the nofollow tag is designed to instruct search engine (SE) robots/spiders to not follow a link that includes the tag, and to not allow the linked-to page to receive a boost in page rank because of the link. Essentially, you’re telling the SEs that while you are linking to a site, you don’t want that site’s ranking to be influenced by your link.
The nofollow tag was originally intended to reduce certain types of SE spam. Though a non-standard HTML attribute, all four major SE (Google, Yahoo, MSN and Ask) support it, but interpret it differently. Again, if you want more details, click on the aforementioned link to Wikipedia.
So, should I use nofollow tags? Well, here’s what I’ve decided to do with my sites: I plan to use the nofollow tag for internal links to non-relevant (to my intended audience) pages such as the “terms of use” page, the “site map” page and the in some cases, the “about us” page. This use is encouraged by Google’s Matt Cutts, who is the co-creator of the nofollow tag. And, well, if Google says jump, we all say how high … uh, not so much. But, in this case, I agree.
I have no problem allowing the SE’s to count my link in the linked-to page’s ranking. I kind of thought that was the point of linking? You link to a page because it is relevant to the topic on which you are writing, so why would you want the SEs to ignore the relationship? For example, I write for a couple of Virginia Tech sports-related blogs because I’m a big Hokie fan (class of ‘97 baby!), so if I’m writing for the football site and I add a link to the box score found on another Web site, I wouldn’t want to use the nofollow tag on that link because the information on that linked-to page is relevant to my topic and I want the SEs to know it.
Now, I could see an example, though rare, in which you would want to add a nofollow to a site, that while relevant to your discussion or article, may contain content you find objectionable, or that you do not agree with. This is an extreme example, but say you are a new reporter, or you blog about race relations in the U.S., and you are writing about a hate site that posted a particularly offensive article - well, you may want your readers to see for themselves what you are objecting to, but you definitely don’t want the Web site’s ranking to be positively influenced by your link, so in that example (rare as it may be), I would certainly add a nofollow tag.
Please keep in mind, I’m not talking about the comments people leave on your blog or site. For example, SEOMoz.org automatically adds nofollow tags to all comments left on their site and I completely support that decision because it makes sense. You don’t want some SEO celebrity wannabe spamming your comments with links to his/her blog or Web site trying to build up their ranking from a credible and legit site like SEOMoz. The nofollow tag was intended to prevent this type of abuse, though the argument has been made by many SEOs that it isn’t working because Google misinterpreted the intent of spammers in that they don’t necessarily care as much about their site’s ranking as much as they care about blasting as many people as they can with their crap in the hopes that a few clueless individuals will actually click on their links.
OK - I’ve given my thoughts, what about yours? Am I way off? Am I missing something? Help me out here - it’s the only way we get better!
A special Q&A from TheButterRoom.com:
Ah, so this is The Butter Room … it’s everything I imagined and more! Seriously, though, I am excited to be a part of such a talented group of professionals and I’m even more excited about my first contribution to this unique site.
First, allow myself to introduce … myself … I’m Gary Cope, the In-house Search Engine Optimization and Marketing Professional for a company in Roanoke, Va. I also founded and run CWI Media & Marketing. If you want more detail, check out my bio. The bottom line is, I spend about 10-14 hours a day working on search engine optimization.
SEO is a never-ending learning process, mostly in part because the search engines (Google, Yahoo!, Ask, MSN) are constantly modifying their algorithms to adjust for changes in the SEO landscape and to combat Black Hat SEO practices. The biggest part of my job is keeping up with those changes and that means reading a lot (and I mean A LOT) of SEO-related blogs. And that brings us to our interviewee Jane Copland, a Search Marketing Consultant for SEOMoz.org. Jane has established herself as one of the most respected search marketing professionals in the business. SEOMoz is a Seattle-based SEO company that serves as a hub for search marketers worldwide, providing education, tools, resources and paid services.
Photo of Jane is Property of SEOMoz.org.
The Butter Room and SEO-KungFu.com thanks Jane for her time and response.
For those who may not be familiar with your background, can you give us a quick overview and a little bit of info about SEOMoz?
Jane Copland: SEOmoz is a search marketing company based in Seattle, Washington. We specialise in creating both SEO tools and in creating educational content for the search marketing community, as well as maintaining a popular Q&A service and a daily SEO blog.
I started working here in September 2006. Looking back, I was incredibly lucky to get this job: there were over 100 applicants, many (most?) of whom were way more qualified to work here than I was. However, I made it through the rather grueling interview process SEOmoz had set up and have been working here for almost a year and a half. Before that, I attended Washington State University and competed on the school’s swim team for four years. I’m originally from New Zealand, but I’ve been living in the U.S. for six years now.
Check out the new official SEO-KungFu.com jacket that we’ll be sporting at the upcoming Search Engine Strategies conference in New York (March 17-20)! Order yours today and show off your SEO Kung Fu skills. One quick note; if you like form fitting jackets, then order the size you normally would. If you prefer looser fitting clothes, then I suggest ordering a size larger - these are track jackets and are designed to be form fitting. Here’s to SEO enlightenment, everyone!
As an Search Engine Optimization professional, I regularly follow SEOMoz.org. And if you work in SEO, then you should, too! Anyhow, I am particularly a fan of SEOMozer Jane Copland, who has established herself as one of the most respected SEO pros in the biz. Jane is one kool Kiwi and enthusiastically agreed to an Q&A with me. The reason I chose to ask Jane for an interview is because like so many of us, she is a relative newcomer to SEO, but she has clearly demonstrated a unique gift for the trade - hence her gig with SEOMoz.org. I think you’re going to enjoy the Q&A once it is complete, so stay tuned!
This morning, my son Nicholas, who will turn three in May, was his usual rambunctious self and running around the house. He is a very high-energy little boy and sometimes he gets so focused on going fast, he forgets about his surroundings. This morning he was running full speed ahead and realized much too late that the French doors were coming up on him fast. He tried to stop, but it was too late. BAM! Face first into the French doors and the tears flowed. But, thankfully, Nic’s at that age where a Band Aid® can make almost any boo boo feel better.
After the Backyardigans Band Aid was applied and the pain had subsided, Nic was running around again, but this time he was a little more cautious, slowed down and was more aware of his surroundings. That got me thinking (scary, I know) - learning search engine optimization (SEO) is a lot like being a toddler. To often, people first getting started with SEO learn a couple of things (title tags, alt tags, h1 tags, etc.) that build their confidence and they take off running, full speed ahead without paying much attention to their surroundings and all of the other factors that go into SEO.
Let’s be honest, SEO is not something you can part time and do consistently well. Algorithms changes, strategies evolve, keywords and phrases must be continually monitored, link building never ends, tactics that work today may not work tomorrow and if you aren’t staying on top of things, you’ll have a tough time keeping up with the Joneses.
Today, my son learned the hard way that even though he knows how to run fast, he must slow down and be aware of all of his surroundings. Learning SEO requires a similar strategy. There is a lot of information on the Web about SEO, some good, some bad. Find trusted sources, learn, test your new knowledge, learn soe more, test again and network, network, network.
I read a great blog comment-turned-blog post on SEOmoz.com. It was actually written by a colleague of mine who goes by the handle “Crash” over at SEOmoz. I have actually begun implementing her strategy for my company since I am an in-house SEO who is still learning the ropes. Thanks to Melanie for this writeup and congrats on getting the upgrade to an SEOmoz Blog post! Linkity link!
Hello fellow SEOers and SEMers! Welcome to SEO-KungFu.com, formerly the In-House SEO Blog (inhouseseo.wordpress.com). I chose the domain name SEO-KungFu.com because of a comment I posted on SEO-Chicks.com. In my comment I quoted an upcoming Dreamworks movie called Kung Fu Panda. Stay with me. The main character, Po the Panda (played by Jack Black), is a noodle maker that wants to become a Kung Fu master, but he’s not quite Fung Fu material … or so we’re led to believe. During his training his master asks him to demonstrate his skills, to which Po replies very hesitantly:
“Yeah, OK. I mean, I just ate, so I’m still digesting. So my Kung Fu might not be as strong as … laaaater on.”
If you haven’t seen the trailer, watch it and you’ll laugh yourself silly. Anyhow, Po’s explanation for his lack of skills kinda of reminds me of my path to becoming an SEO Kung Fu master. I am a relative newcomer to the world of SEO. I started in early 2007 and have been working hard to catch up.
I attended the Search Engine Strategies 2007 Conference in New York and will be attending the 2008 conference as well. I read most of the major SEO-related blogs like SearchEngineLand, Matt Cutts, SEOMoz, SEOBook.com, etc. I comment occasionally, but I feel I am, for the most part, out of my league with the SEOers who post regularly. That’s about to change thanks to this blog.
Hmmm, it just dawned on me that I should probably introduce myself! My name is Gary Cope and I am the De facto in-house search engine optimization and marketing professional for Luna Innovations in Roanoke, VA. I am also a member of SEMPO’s In-House Committee.
Before you get off and running through the rest of the site, and I know you’re dying to, let me throw out a couple of disclaimers before you start rummaging.
First, I think I have a pretty good grip on the SEO basics, h1 and h2 tags, title and alt tags, link building, CSS, etc. I also do a considerable amount of keyword research for my company’s four Web sites. I am an army of one, which I suspect is the case for many of you who are also in-house SEOers.
Secondly, I am not Aaron Wall, Danny Sullivan, nor do I claim to know as much about SEO and SEM as they do. My path to an SEM career is one that would make your head spin. In short I’m a former sports journalist, turned corporate communications specialist, turned Web designer, turned Web developer, turned search engine optimization professional. It’s a long story. E-mail me and I’ll tell you about it if you enjoy tearing your hair out from sheer boredom.
When Luna Innovations hired me in 2006, they did so with the idea that I would redesign their Web site and then maintain it along with their three other sites. No problem. I was a relative newcomer to the Web development world, but obviously I was doing something right because they liked my work and gave me the job. (It should be noted that Web development wasn’t my only responsibility. I do other stuff, too!)
So after the development process began, I started getting questions about SEO. S-E-What? I replied? Thus began my journey into the world of search engine optimization and search engine marketing. Now, more than a year later, I feel I can speak intelligently and authoritatively on the subjects of SEO, SEM, PPC and CSS. In fact, I am even a member of SEMPO’s In-House SEM committee. Scary, huh?
If you are an in-house SEOers at your company and would like to talk shop or bounce some ideas of a fellow SEOer, by all means, give me a call at (540) 769-8447 and I will be more than happy to talk. You can also e-mail me at gary.cope@gmail.com.
Together, we can make our SEO Kung Fun strong and fight the good in-house SEO fight!