How to Comply with Google Panda and Penguin Updates
Doing effective SEO has evolved into a more “natural” and “social” process. Algorithm updates, particularly Google’s Penguin and Panda, are continuously changing the course of conducting search engine optimisation. Penguin targets bad links while Panda goes after poor content. Google, through their algorithm updates, has reiterated that website owners and search engine optimisation practitioners must create a better experience for users. And that trying to manipulate rankings through keyword over optimisation, link schemes, and black hat methodologies will only harm your website — and your business.

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Here are some Penguin and Panda update-compliant SEO methodologies.

Publish High Quality Content

The era of run-of-the-mill, duplicate, and poor content is over. If you want to get into the SEO battle and win, then producing high quality, compelling content should be in your arsenal. Great content is key to increased visitors, more engagement, more inbound links and higher rankings.

• 72% of B2B marketers use content marketing as part of their overall marketing strategy – BtoB Magazine
• 86% of B2C marketers use content marketing – Content Marketing Institute
• 90% of consumers find custom content useful. – TMG Custom Media
• 90% of CMOs say high quality content has a positive effect on audience attitudes – Custom Content Council
• 79% of marketers say their organisations are shifting to branded content – Forrester
• 72% of marketers rate branded content as more effective than magazine ads – Custom Content Council
• 60% of consumers feel more optimistic about a company after reading onsite custom content – Content Plus

Stamp it with Google+

Google+ Authorship & Publishership
Google+ is not just the search engine giant’s answer to Facebook. Plus is a social layer that connects all your Google activities. Google+ authorship in particular is a powerful SEO tool as it stamps your content on your website or blog with your identity as an author or publisher; and you are given credit for every piece of content you publish. The accumulation of authorship credits helps you to rank higher on search engines.

Google+ is Growing Fast

• Has 359 million monthly active users as of March 2013
• This is way up from 135 million in December 2012
• From only 100 million users in September 2012

Claim your Authored Content
By creating a Google+ profile and linking it to your website or blog, you can claim authorship of your content with your Google+ profile. Once authorship is claimed, your Google+ profile will show up next to your search results.

Get Indexed Immediately
Content posted on your Google+ will be indexed immediately into the Google search results, increasing the possibility of your Google+ network seeing your posted content in their search results. When your audience engages with your content it will be further advertised to your audience’s network. In this chain reaction, posts have the ability to go viral.

Great Content plus Google+ Influence Search Rankings
High quality and compelling content will most likely receive +1s and shares. These act like social recommendations, influencing what searchers see on Google SERPs while they are logged in to any Google account.

Blog It!

Create Content and Publish it on your Blog
Blogging revolutionised publishing content on the web and is the mother of social media. It is now, and more than ever, a great tool for providing high quality and fresh content to your target audience and for SEO.

Write informative and engaging posts that people want to read, make use of and share with their friends and you acquire back links without engaging in black hat techniques.

Blogging/Content Generation

• Companies that blog have 97% more inbound links – HubSpot
• 92% of companies who blog multiple times per day have acquired a customer from their blog – HubSpot
• B2B marketers who use blogs generate 67% more leads than those that do not. –InsideView
• Companies that blog receive 434% more indexed pages on average – HubSpot
• Businesses that blog at least 20 times/month get 5x more traffic than those that blog 4 times or less – HubSpot

Do Articles, Press Releases the Right Way

Mass-produced articles and press releases are often tagged as duplicate or poor content, partly due to article spinning, anchor text over optimisation and massive submissions. But when implemented the right way, well-written articles and press releases attract the right kind of site visitors.

• 70% of consumers prefer articles over advertisements when it comes to getting to know a company – Content Plus
• 80% of business decision-makers prefer a series of articles over advertisements when it comes to getting information about a company – Content Marketing Institute

Just make sure to AVOID:

• Massive submission of articles and press releases
• Submission to article and press releases farms
• Keyword-rich, overly optimised anchor texts

Use Promotional Copy

Promotional content is a powerful tool. Consumers are attracted to promotional copy because people inherently like good deals. And it’s also a type of content that they will share with friends. Consumers visit a site over and over again to check on their latest promotions. Promotions attract visitors, are shared around and produce back links naturally. Promotions attract traffic, leads, customers – and keep them loyal.

• 83% are likely to tell a friend about a company that uses sales promotions, such as special offers, discounts or coupons
• 76% said they have a positive feeling toward a company that offers online sales promotions
• 71% said they are likely to be loyal to a brand that offers online sales promotions
• 66% said online sales promotions improve a company’s image
• 65% said online sales promotions help finalise decisions for undecided buyers

Share It Socially

It’s not enough to create high quality content. You need to share it with the world; make sure everyone sees it so that they can link back to your site and share it with their networks. Social sharing completes the modern SEO methodology of attracting social and natural traffic and links. Social media is beneficial not just to SEO, but also to sales as 90% of users listen to recommendations shared from friends.

• 92% of consumers around the world say they trust online recommendations from friends and family, above all other forms of advertising
• 70% read other experiences
• 65% learn more about businesses, brands, products & services
• 53% compliment brands
• 50% express concerns about brands, products & services — Nielsen
• Users spend 30% of their time online on social channels where content can be shared. – AOL & Nielsen

“Natural and social” SEO focuses on creating high quality content users want to read, use, and share. High quality content can spread naturally across social networks as well as build natural links. This consequently results to higher Google rankings.

Google Penguin and Panda updates are meant to improve Google search results for users. Business owners can do their share in improving the user experience by employing SEO service providers that use natural and social methodology. Quality SEO will result in increased exposure of your website, higher rankings in the search engine, more traffic to your website, and result in more sales for your company.

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