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5 SEO Tips from Matt Cutts

Discussion in 'Search Engine Optimization' started by Geeurbie, Jul 4, 2008.

  1. doubler

    doubler Active Member

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    #101
    These are the basic tips i think everybody knows about these basics :(
     
    doubler, Jul 6, 2008 IP
  2. Geeurbie

    Geeurbie Peon

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    #102
    Did you forget that there are a lot of newbee's who could find this information useful?

    If your going to learn, it's it better to go to Google for your information? This is why I say verify... verify... verify!
     
    Geeurbie, Jul 6, 2008 IP
    minstrel likes this.
  3. SEO-Expert

    SEO-Expert Well-Known Member

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    #103
    They'd have to be real newbies to not have come across such basic tips!

    I will say one thing, at least they aren't bad SEO tips. I've been reading SEO forums for so long and doing my own research that I know what's true/false, but there's so much crap on forums like DP I can see why those without a clue about SEO would follow advice from a person like Matt Cutts like gospel, it's safe.

    Funny thing happened to me in this thread. Posted some SEO tips (linked to them) one person gave me +rep for the post, another person gave me -rep (first - in 2 years) for spamming/self promotion. LOL

    David Law
     
    SEO-Expert, Jul 6, 2008 IP
    Blogmaster and tonyran like this.
  4. Blogmaster

    Blogmaster Blood Type Dating Affiliate Manager

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    #104
    Those reps come from people who don't even understand what your posts are about, so I wouldn't be worried about it.
     
    Blogmaster, Jul 6, 2008 IP
  5. Geeurbie

    Geeurbie Peon

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    #105
    Wow, this thread was slow out the gate, but then just took off. I am truly surprised. I have seen useful posts languish while other take on a life of their own.

    What blows me away is the amount of negative comments that indicate the information is too basic to be of value. The truth be told, is that at some point this basic information, was gold to these people. Now they come of as superior and all knowing. It is amazing to me, how quickly some people forget where they came from.

    The post title didn’t read “Matt Cutt’s reveals 5 Google secrets.” It simply said, “5 SEO Tips from Matt Cutt’s.” So I am a bit perplexed by the amount of negative opinion spun around this thread. The sad thing is that it tends to turn off those who came here to learn about SEO. I specifically don’t use certain forums because of how they treat newbie’s. Is this forum devolving into a rough and tumble forum?

    This information is valid, useful, and from a Google spokesperson and is for those who have not obtained “guru SEO status” in their own minds.

    Has the long weekend left some cranky?
     
    Geeurbie, Jul 6, 2008 IP
  6. scubita

    scubita Peon

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    #106
    Hmmm, well, i don't know... SEO basics? If you want to build an house, you'll need strong bases. I can get that. As for SEO we all need those steps Matt mencioned. Some newbies know them, but never put them to practice. I see it in here all the time. So, what i ask is this:

    Are those just SEO basics or are they SEO, period?

    You gurus tell me.
     
    scubita, Jul 6, 2008 IP
  7. Blogmaster

    Blogmaster Blood Type Dating Affiliate Manager

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    #107
    no but us experienced SEOs are sick of reading about Matt Cutts playing to the ignorant. I mean those who know little and those who are easy to manipulate. It's not your fault, so what you read here is most likely not directed at you. :)
     
    Blogmaster, Jul 6, 2008 IP
  8. minstrel

    minstrel Illustrious Member

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    #108
    AH HA HA HA HA HA HA HA!!! Good one, Blobmaster! "us experienced SEOs"! :D

    Now THAT is comedy!!! :D
     
    minstrel, Jul 6, 2008 IP
  9. Blogmaster

    Blogmaster Blood Type Dating Affiliate Manager

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    #109
    You must be the dumbest shrink on the face of the earth. :rolleyes:
     
    Blogmaster, Jul 6, 2008 IP
  10. scart3r

    scart3r Notable Member

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    #110
    Oohh.. triple post - you must REALLY mean it! LOL!
     
    scart3r, Jul 6, 2008 IP
  11. SEO-Expert

    SEO-Expert Well-Known Member

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    #111
    So that's how you get to almost 25K posts here :)

    David Law
     
    SEO-Expert, Jul 6, 2008 IP
  12. minstrel

    minstrel Illustrious Member

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    #112
    yeah. Scary, isn't he? :rolleyes:
     
    minstrel, Jul 6, 2008 IP
  13. Geeurbie

    Geeurbie Peon

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    #113
    Again I say Wow... Why basic tips from Matt sets so many people off... Wow, for those of you that are new please do stick around... So times people forget their roots... And some people even triple post, but most people mean well. But do remember this triple verify everything you read and do so on authority sites... Forums don't qualify as authority sites in my book.
     
    Geeurbie, Jul 6, 2008 IP
  14. thor22

    thor22 Peon

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    #114
    well whatever he does it works because you people are still talking about it and making this thread last forever.
     
    thor22, Jul 6, 2008 IP
  15. Geeurbie

    Geeurbie Peon

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    #115
    I must admit this is the most fun I've had since joining this forum.
     
    Geeurbie, Jul 6, 2008 IP
  16. SEO-Expert

    SEO-Expert Well-Known Member

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    #116
    I agree with the verify everything approach, for a bit of fun I'm interested to know how you'd suggest someone new to SEO go about confirming anything? Thinking from the authority sites on SEO (which sites?).

    Lets take those 5 basic tips from the start of this thread and try to confirm they are good tips for someone brand new to SEO.

    Here's my breakdown based on years of SEO research and thousands of tests-

    1. Spotlight your search term on the page. If you want to be found for your keyword, make sure that term is on the page you want to rank. The term should be at the top as well as peppered throughout your copy.

    No major problem with this, would have been nice to suggest how to use it, maybe suggest using headers, anchor text, alt attribute text maybe.

    2. Fill in your "tags." The two most important tags are Title and Description b/c that's what is displayed on the search results.

    Lets ignore the fact the title isn't even a tag, it's an element, the two most important 'tags' are not the title element and the description meta tag.

    Title element yes, definitely number 1, but the meta description is not used in the Google ranking algo so is not important for gaining high SERPs (we are talking about high rankings here right). The description may (but then again may not) be used as the description for the pages listing in a Google search result. If you write a compelling meta description and it's used you could increase the click through rate for some SERPs, but it will never increase a pages rankings for any keywords used and so is not an important tag for high rankings.

    2. Get other sites to "link" back to you. This is one of the most important of the 100 factors Google considers when ranking sites

    Yes.

    3. Create a blog and post often. This can help you get links.

    If you can't get links directly to your most important content, create some more content that others will link to then link from that to your main content.

    4. Register for free tools. Cutts recommends using the tools at google.com/webmaster, as well as creating a text-based sitemap www.xml-sitemaps.com, and adding your business to Google's Local Business center (google.com/local/add)

    I've never needed tools like these, so wouldn't consider this a SEO tip per se, though others might. A sitemap for example shouldn't be needed if good site navigation is observed and if a page is in the sitemap, but lacks links (so can't be found naturally by a spider) it's highly unlikely to do well in Google.

    So out of those tips I've found one obvious SEO error regarding the description meta tag.

    What about this, where would you go to confirm which is best if any?

    Hyphenated filenames keyword1-keyword2.html
    Underscored filenames keyword1_keyword2.html
    No separator filenames keyword1keyword2.html

    Not asking anyone here which is best (I know through testing), but where would someone brand new to SEO be guaranteed to find the answer to this easy question (not opinions, but tested facts on an authority site)?

    David Law
     
    SEO-Expert, Jul 6, 2008 IP
  17. Blogmaster

    Blogmaster Blood Type Dating Affiliate Manager

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    #117
    It works for him, I agree. But I don't believe it works too well for webmasters, newbies or oldies. Or newbish oldies like Minstrel.
     
    Blogmaster, Jul 6, 2008 IP
  18. lightless

    lightless Notable Member

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    #118
    Haha. Some People are dissatisfied with how google operates now.I didn't see anybody blaming or flaming anyone new to SEO.
    Just because one came from simple beginnings doesn't mean he shouldn't call something like what he feels it is.

    It's not the forums. It's the people in them. Creative, hard-working and/or smart People who test, experiment and find out things. Seo tips from authority sites will only take you so far. The rest will have to be learned from "non-authority" sites.
     
    lightless, Jul 6, 2008 IP
  19. Blogmaster

    Blogmaster Blood Type Dating Affiliate Manager

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    #119
    I do agree, the real secrets don't get shared on sites, they get shared but those who experiment and network.
     
    Blogmaster, Jul 6, 2008 IP
  20. Geeurbie

    Geeurbie Peon

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    #120
    To answer the question on authority sites I would suggest you read this thread. It should answer that question.

    http://forums.digitalpoint.com/showthread.php?t=920638

    They are not always right but they are industry leaders with proven track records.

    You Said:

    1. Spotlight your search term on the page. If you want to be found for your keyword, make sure that term is on the page you want to rank. The term should be at the top as well as peppered throughout your copy.

    Matt addressed this in the article.

    When weaving keywords into a main page, Cutts says, some zealous Web publishers will use the term over and over again. That's called "keyword stuffing." It's a big Google no-no that can have your site removed from the index.

    "After you've said it two or three times, Google has a pretty good idea — 'OK, this page has something to do with this keyword,' " he says. "Just think about the two or three phrases you want to be known for and weave that in naturally."

    I'll go with Matt on this one.

    One last thing the Description Tag in invaluable in getting visitors to visit your website since around 45% of searchers say that they make their decision to visit a site based on this tag.

    So while Google may not use it to rank your website, it certainly does use it.
    As for your other points... Too many questions...so little time.
     
    Geeurbie, Jul 6, 2008 IP