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You Can’t Spam Your Way to the Top of Google

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Article Overview

You have to be patient when it comes to your Google rankings. Businesses want speedy results and to be rankings in record time but it simply doesn't work like that . You have to be in it for the long haul and be prepared to work hard on your website to get the rankings you've always wanted. To succeed online and outrank your competitors you have to put in the hard yards, which requires lots of work. Thinking you can spam your way to the top of the rankings is a fools dream and will never happen.

If you think that you can push your SEO campaign to turbocharge mode in the hope of getting your website to the first page of Google, then you are mistaken.

SEO is a lengthy process, a time consuming, labour intensive campaign that can take many months ( up to a year in some cases) to play out.

So, if you are wanting best practice SEO and want to rank on Google in a compliant manner then you simply cannot spam your way to the top of the rankings by building backlinks quickly.

Why is Spamming your way to the top a bad idea?

Google expects to see quality, organic search engine optimisation happening on your website. If they detect or see any unnatural linking or a spike in inbound links then they are going to respond to this with what is termed a ‘Google Penalty’ or at least a manual action. Yes, that’s correct. Your site will be manually inspected by a Google employee and they will let you know that your site is penalised and will remain so until all those links have been removed. A lengthy and in some cases impossible task. The question is; do you want to risk it? To have the Google penalty removed takes is difficult and requires tie and in some cases, lots of money so don’t risk it unless you are very risk-averse. But, Google is far too smart for spammy link tactics and their algorithms will get you very quickly. They are now far too sophisticated to try to circumvent any ranking filters.

Google has clearly documented this and it’s well worth reading this before you start pressuring your SEO agency to ramp up the inbound linking: https://support.google.com/webmasters/answer/2604824?hl=en

As a business owner in Sydney, you want to see your website rankings shoot up to page 1 very quickly. Any delays or fluctuations (especially drops) are cause for concern and are the things that can keep you awake at night. I totally understand that you want to rank really quickly and get your service or product out there and start selling ASAP.

In a perfect world, this would be possible. But, unfortunately, we no longer live in an environment where you can rely on traditional media to drive business. Now, all we have is Google and they dictate precisely what is needed to be done to rank a site. They are, without doubt, the judge, the jury and the executioner. They have the final say the final word on who will be on page 1 and as an SEO company, all we can do is play by their rules.

Many business people who I speak to think that we can move mountains and somehow have an influence on the way Google ranks a website. The answer to this is YES, we do have an influence to a certain degree, but there is only so much we can do. What we can do to help your rankings is to implement an SEO campaign that is Google compliant.

If we defy any of their rules they will immediately see this. Their latest algorithm can detect link building immediately and in real-time. Known as Penguin 4.0, Google has become very adept and picking up spammy links and immediately penalising those sites. I guess the good news is that because it’s in real-time as soon as you remove the links the Google filter will notice this and release you from the penalty. And, it’s not sitewide. It will only affect that specific page that these spammy links are pointing to.

Our core principle when it comes to SEO is to work in as natural and organic fashion as possible, this is the only way your site will have any chance of getting to that coveted top position. If you feel that this ranking can somehow be manipulated by doing SEO in a speedy, accelerated or hasty manner then Google is one step ahead of you.

If you can take anything away from this article, I would say that if you are prepared to stick it out for the long haul and are not expecting instantaneous results then SEO is the right path forward for your business. Realistic timings are really the key here to achieving your long term goals online. If you are operating a business that needs instant results then we suggest that you run other online campaigns in tandem with your SEO . Look at other platforms that will generate leads such as Facebook, Linked In or Instagram. If you have extra marketing dollars then Adwords is probably the best way to go as it’s instantaneous and does produce fantastic results.

When it comes to your website and the online space you have to understand that although Google does deliver incredible results, you have to earn your place on the search engine. You have to prove that your site is trustworthy and authentic.  This takes time, lots of effort and constant attention to your site. Then and only then will you start to see your rankings rise.

4 ways to improve your website’s authority

1) The best thing you can do is add rich content to your site.

This is done through your blog or your news articles. Constantly add towhees and always make sure that you are writing for your customer base. You can even add videos if you like to improve these experiences. All of these small things matter as Google looks at how long people remain on your website. Keep the content interesting, unique and informative.  This is one of the best things you can do to boost the authenticity of your site.

2) No need to rely on the overuse of inbound links.

This will have an extremely negative effect on your website. If you are going to get links make sure they are from trustworthy sources or brands.

3) Best user-experience

Your site has to offer people a first-class experience and if it doesn’t they will leave very quickly. Known as excessive bounce rates, Google will pick this up and it will have an impact on your website overall quality score. Looks at your page load speeds, all on-page SEO elements, graphics and the content on the page. Make it very specific to the topic of that particular page.

4) Friendly URL structure.

Complicated site structures make it difficult for users to navigate the site and cause havoc for search engines to clearly index pages. A simple, clean SEO friendly URL structure with easy to understand URL pathways is the best way to help potential customers find what they want and in turn help with conversion rates.

steven waldberg - ceo seo sydney experts

About the author

Steven Waldberg

Steven is the director of SEO Sydney Experts and is one of the founding members ( that’s over 18 years ago). He has one of the longest careers in the SEO and content marketing industry and has written for many prestigious websites, including B & T and AdNews. If you’re serious about working with someone who will dedicate 100% of himself to your business; Steven is your SEO Expert.

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