30 Day Challenge To Get Your Business Online

[Dave A]

Are we talking about Adwords, or organic search? Let's not confuse the two.
Also, Google has been well aware of click bombing for the longest time and has taken extensive measures to identify and discount its effects.

When it comes to bots and blackhat SEO issues - I think for the purposes of this thread all we need say is:
It exists.
Search engines hate it and do whatever they can to penalise it severely once discovered.

I am afraid I must see it before I believe.

No problem. Please don't believe me and proceed accordingly. In fact, use a lousy description that no-one will click and see how that improves things.

(You really haven't thought this through, have you)

[workshop]

(You really haven't thought this through, have you)

To the contrary, I think of nothing else. But my personal experience tells me a different story.

Most of us are obtuse. Despite everything I do, to put them off, they still ask questions, they still make enquiries. Enquiries that convert into sales. It is the way things work for me. I can do almost everything that needs doing with little or no help from anyone else. That does not however mean that I do not understand that I can do better by listening to and learning from others.

This is where there is a common disconnect.

When it comes to bots and blackhat SEO issues - I think for the purposes of this thread all we need say is:
It exists.
Search engines hate it and do whatever they can to penalise it severely once discovered.
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Do we refrain from unsound practices because of the threat of being penalised or because it is just plain dumb? There is a difference.

Where do you draw the lines? Where does Google draw the lines?

[Dave A]

Do we refrain from unsound practices because of the threat of being penalised or because it is just plain dumb?

As someone who would personally prefer search results to point to the best information rather than the most artificially promoted information, I fall in the latter category. Unfortunately some have no such concerns for the bigger picture. (Or even concern for the consequences of penalties, for that matter - but what else can anyone do when it comes to these folk ).

Where do you draw the lines? Where does Google draw the lines?

Billion dollar questions...

ps. It looks like you missed something I left for you.

[workshop]

ps. It looks like you missed something I left for you.

I concede.
You are right I missed it.
But despite everything, it still doesn't mean you are not wrong

Let's try another one:

"You have to post four times a day to get Google to take notice of you"

Everyone has different ideas about all these things. And it all gets quite confusing, if you know no better.

[Dave A]

Is the fishing in Knysna good at this time of year?

[workshop]

A lot better than off the net. But as with everything, you need to know where to throw the hook.
Local knowledge is everything and a stainless steel braai makes it a perfect evening

[workshop]

"You have to post four times a day to get Google to take notice of you"

Yes: Google likes big. But why post if you have got nothing to say?
Yes: The spider will visit you more often. But that doesn't help you in the serp's

Google likes big. That is true. So common practice turns this into an unwritten rule which gets translated to mean that you have got to keep updating your site.
Yes? No?

[Dave A]

So common practice turns this into an unwritten rule which gets translated to mean that you have got to...

The source of many a dogma, to be sure.

[workshop]

The problem with all dogma is that when one loses sight of the essentials it starts to get complicated.

Unfortunately some have no such concerns for the bigger picture. (Or even concern for the consequences of penalties, for that matter - but what else can anyone do when it comes to these folk ).

And as it becomes more complicated, it simply becomes a game where each player pits themselves against Google. And the more they win the wider that divide becomes. Which is damned silly.

What we should be doing is sticking to the basics, demonstrating how simple it all really is. We should be reinforcing the importance of working with Google, of nurturing and growing what we start. Google has no interest in micro managing anyone's portfolio. They don't have to. Time does it for them. So there is no need to get shifty eyed, to talk in whispers and assume airs and graces. Authority this and organic that is nothing but hot air and gobbledy gook.

SEO is common sense, ethics and a personal commitment.

[workshop]

There was a time before the Big Moment when Google advised webmasters to go forth and add their web sites to listing directories. But this was way back then. Things were nice and simple in those days. But then came the flashy suits, gold teeth and sweat shops. There was Adsense, the link pimps, Page Rank and the fast talking marketing gurus. Full of bravado, the noise was deafening. They, the market, lost all sense of sense of respect, responsibility and restraint. That was until one memorable night when Google mounted an ambush and swept them all off the board with a couple of deft key strokes.

There was silence. For a while.

And today those self-same experts are back, charging those self-same clients to remove all the links they placed to create an unnatural linking pattern. Nothing has changed. Nothing ever will change. Google does not penalise anyone for links over which they have no control. Right or wrong?

[Dave A]

In any war there will always be some level of slaughter of innocents.

[workshop]

No innocents, just greed and short sighted thinking. No slaughter either. Just fast talking and sleight of hand.

The fundamentals haven't changed. Google has just got smarter, making it easier to pick out what is relevant and what is not. SEO is something anyone can pick up and master over time. Common sense, determination and patience is all that is needed. Google does the rest.

[lance71]

I would just like to give you all an update on the progress of my site.

Although I have increased in the rankings in Google, I have also increased in the amount of traffic I am getting, yesterday had the most in one day being 7 visitors (I know not much but its looking better)

Now just to convert these into sales.

[workshop]

If you get sales you will be lucky. Expect to get an enquiry when you least expect it and you can't go wrong. But don't make the mistake of thinking you are going to hook a fish for a little while. Most of that traffic is noise rather than buyers looking for the services you offer.

However it's probably time to give some thought to structuring your site. This is where it gets difficult. What I am interested in is building a site for Google. Whereas you want to convert the genuine visitors, you do get, into sales.

After 1, I'd strongly recommend:

Content tag: Treat it as an advert that will appear in the Google SERP listing and will help people to decide whether to click your listing or someone else's.

You need to consider things like design, your info tags and sales psyche. Whereas I will have you spinning in circles creating page after page and fine tuning the way you arrange your title tags.

[lance71]

Yes that was going to be my next step, asking for any advice on the design of my site that would increase traffic turning into sales.

I have recently added a call to action on each page with a contact us now button.

Also another update - i have received 2 enquiries so far from my site this week things are definitely looking up.