So, the wait is over and we’re living in the rubble.
Google’s latest initiative to curb the massive amount of spam that we face everyday has been rolled out, and code named – “Over optimization penalty”.
Now, this clearly rings the death bell of SEO as we know it.
If Panda has slapped the wrists of low quality content or sites that are housing duplicate content, this new brainchild of Google – Over Optimization penalty, is going to give a hard time to those people who are only expert at copy and paste jobs.
So does this mean that Over Optimization penalty is only going to affect those who are earning their daily living by doing some sneaky things in the name of SEO? Nope, this is not that.
This new update has greater and deeper implications.
What I personally believe is that this new update is an extension of Google’s Panda update, whose purpose is to ax those sites which are still violating Google’s guidelines.
There are some big things to worry about.
However, I am no fear monger and I do not want to make you see the world in dim light, rather what I am trying to do is help you see things in a different light so that you can have a better “algorithm” proof blogging career.
1. Do not Write Crap Posts
Google is heavily targeting sites that have gone too far with their optimization process, alongside crap content (i.e. content that can easily be found on other websites or rewritten content).
What Google wants you to do is to come up with great content that no one has ever written, and then go on promoting it on Google Plus and other social media outlets.
You may have a love-hate relationship with Google Plus, but promote your blog posts heavily in that location.
2. Do not stuff Keywords
Remember the good old days, when your clients used to provide you with a long list of keywords and asked you to come up with articles based on those keyword topics?
Well, these days were nuked by the great Panda update.
But to be honest, I do not see much difference when it comes to quality content.
People are still much in the belief that Panda only affects sites that harbor duplicate content.
But the reality is vastly different.
After the over optimization penalty you need to consider the visitors, not search engines, and write posts that are best for the user’s experience.
Do not write 250 words in a blog post, with keywords stuffed in every cranny.
Write something that makes people feel good and not just for monetary gains.
3. Do Not Bluff
I have seen numerous articles that do not serve any purpose to readers.
These fluffy articles do not make any sense.
They’re boring, and don’t help you hone your creativity and writing skills.
For example, if you are writing on a subject that you do not know much about and are just paraphrasing existing content – you’re not going to deliver as much value to your readers.
Stick to the field you are most comfortable, and do some research before you start typing like a mad-maniac.
This will be a win-win situation for both reader and writer.
4. Do not be Evil
Since over optimization is going to hit your blogging career hard, you should not go mad.
Keep calm and write on.
However, do not be evil.
People are continually trying to find the flaws and loopholes of this new over optimization penalty.
But do not go overboard with the new findings.
Stay calm and bring improvements in your write-ups.
This is what will help your blogging career rise like nothing else.
Michael Evans is a passionate blogger and he is currently associated with MotoCMS that has the coolest Flash themes available.
"You’re such a smart boy!" were his first accolades heard. So, it’s no wonder that this phrase became the title of his business, Smart Boy Designs.