Do You 404 Or 301 A Web Page?

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What should this webmaster do after he deleted an unwanted page??

Should the webmaster 404 the page or 301 the page??

Let's look at the definitions of a 404 vs a 301.

  • 404 Not Found: The server has not found anything matching the Request-URI. No indication is given of whether the condition is temporary or permanent. The 410 (Gone) status code SHOULD be used if the server knows, through some internally configurable mechanism, that an old resource is permanently unavailable and has no forwarding address. This status code is commonly used when the server does not wish to reveal exactly why the request has been refused, or when no other response is applicable.
  • 301 Moved Permanently: The requested resource has been assigned a new permanent URI and any future references to this resource SHOULD use one of the returned URIs. Clients with link editing capabilities ought to automatically re-link references to the Request-URI to one or more of the new references returned by the server, where possible. This response is cacheable unless indicated otherwise.

If the page you are removing has a suitable alternative page on your web site, then 301 it. Do not always 301 the page to your home page. If there is no suitable, and by suitable it means, a page that is very similar to the page you are removing, then 404 the page.

301 if there is a related and similar page to the page you are removing. 404 if there is not.

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Google Updates Penguin Algorithm

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As I reported last night at Search Engine Land, Penguin 2.0 / 4 is now live – this is the next generation Penguin update. As Google's Matt Cutts added, this impacts 2.3% of English queries and also impacts other languages but the percentage depends on the level of spam in those languages.

Matt officially announced it while on This Week In Google see towards the very end of episode 199.

Matt said on his blog:

We started rolling out the next generation of the Penguin webspam algorithm this afternoon (May 22, 2013), and the rollout is now complete. About 2.3% of English-US queries are affected to the degree that a regular user might notice. The change has also finished rolling out for other languages world-wide. The scope of Penguin varies by language, e.g. languages with more webspam will see more impact.

This is the fourth Penguin-related launch Google has done, but because this is an updated algorithm (not just a data refresh), we’ve been referring to this change as Penguin 2.0 internally.

As you know, we've been expecting this for some time, since its been over 6 months since the previous Penguin data refresh. Again, this is not just a refresh, but an algorithmic update.

There are lots of people complaining about ranking declines and some about boosts. It is too early to tell and what to expect.

Drop a comment or post below telling us if you were impacted or not.

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Posted in SEO

10 SEO Changes In Next Few Months

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Yesterday, Google's Matt Cutts did something he doesn't often do – he pre-announced changes Google will be implementing to the ranking and indexing algorithms in the next few months. Specifically, he mentioned about ten changes coming to Google's search results and algorithms over this summer – in the “next few months” he said.
Of course, Matt, Google's head of search spam, adds a disclaimer that timelines and priorities may change between now and then – but this is what is scheduled currently.

The ten points changes that Matt Cutts poke about in a summary below:

  • Major Penguin Update
  • Advertorial Spam
  • Spammy Queries Being Looked At
  • Going Upstream At Link Spammers
  • More Sophisticated Link Analysis
  • Improvements On Hacked Sites
  • Authority Boost In Algorithm
  • Panda To Soften
  • Domain Clusters In SERPs
  • Improved Webmaster Communication

Forum discussion at WebmasterWorld & Hacker News.

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Posted in SEO

Google's Cutts: Buying Links Doesn't Hurt?

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A recent video from Google's head of search spam , Matt Cutts named If a site linking to mine gets caught selling links, what happens to my site? That video basically explains what happens if a site that sells links and Google knows it, what happens to a site that has links from the link selling site?
In short, not much.

Matt Cutts made three points in this video:
(1) The link seller's web site should notice a toolbar PageRank downgrade 30 – 50%.
(2) The link seller's web site loses the ability to send PageRank going forward.
(3) The links pointing to your web site from the link seller's web site a

re no longer counted and no longer benefit your web site.

But what about link buying penalties? Well, clearly Matt didn't discuss it in his 90 second video. It obviously, despite my title, doesn't mean that Google won't ditch out a penalty to someone who clearly buys links. But “typically” this is how Google handles it, they simply stop those paid links from benefiting you, which can often feel like a penalty.

Well, so what do you think now? Let us know in the comments below.

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bing.com logo

Bing Webmaster Tools Adds New Feature With Site Move Tool

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bing webmaster tools new feature site move toolBing announced they added a feature named the Site Move Tool to Bing Webmaster Tools.

Yea, Google does have a “Change of Address” tool but this tool does a bit more than what Google's tool does. Bing was clear to mention that:

Whereas other Webmaster Tools only allow a “Change of Address” from one domain to another, we wanted to allow web publishers more flexibility.

It offers t

wo things, one of which Google does not offer.

(1) Moving a ton of URLs from within the same domain. For example, you upgrade your CMS and all your URLs change but you are still on the same domain name. This tool allows you to communicate the mass URL change.

(2) A typical domain name to domain name change. For example, you finally acquire the domain name of your dreams and you migrate your site from the old domain name to the new one.

Just like the Google change of address, Bing still wants you to have your 301 redirects in place.
Bing also has two caveats; (1) you must set up the redirects to a new domain that resolves, and (2) once you do the move, you cannot issue another move request for six months.

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Posted in SEO

Did BBC News Get Penalised to Unnatural Links?

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The BBC News, the world's largest broadcast news organization, has just received a unnatural links notification from Google. I kid you not.
A Google Webmaster Help thread has representative of the BBC web site asking Google for help in identifying the unnatural links, so they can make sure BBC.co.uk is clear of any Google penalty.
Nick from the BBC wrote:

I am a representative of the BBC site and on Saturday we got a 'notice of detected unnatural links'.
Given the BBC site is so huge, with so many independently run sub sections, with literally thousands or agents and authors, can you give us a little clue as to where we might look for these 'unnatural links&

#039;.

The truth is, he is not saying the BBC or one of the agents who run a section of the BBC didn't do anything wrong. He is saying that he needs help finding which section has the issue.

Was the BBC penalized by Google? Hard for me to tell. They do rank for their name [bbc]. Have they lost any traffic to their site due to this link notification? Only the BBC would know for sure.

But clearly Nick is looking to rectify the situation as soon as possible.

It makes you wonder, even a site with such a huge backlink profile can have these issues. I am not sure if the issue is with incoming links or external links – but it seems to imply this is an incoming link issue.

This doesn't hurt Matt's claim that big brands do get penalized and treated equally to other brands.

Update: It turns out Google has said that they only took granular action against the BBC for this unnatural link issue. Specifically, only one article on the BBC web site.

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How SEO Can Help In Making Your Business A Success

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If you're hip to internet marketing culture, then you already know the value of having good search engine placement. Read on for some simple search engine optimisation advice that you can integrate into your site for increased search engine rankings.

You will only be successful when you truly understand how SEO can work to your advantage in your site structure. Due to the sheer volume of available sites, search engines must use automatic methods such as formulas and algorithms to evaluate them all. Search engines cannot visually see a website the way people look at a website, so even if you designed your website beautifully, it may not have any effects on a search engine. Every search engine factors in many components to figure out where your website should be placed in the rankings. That is why SEO is so important to understand! Search engine optimisation will get your website to the top and let it be found much more easily.

Search engines have various means of ranking your website. They scan the headings and the content of your site for search keywords. Another thing that they look for is the amount of traffic that your site generates.

Discovering the right SEO techniques for your company takes time and dedication. Your site should be appealing to consumers and e

asy to locate. By including more keywords in the text and subheadings of your site, you are helping it to be ranked higher by the search engines.

You cannot pay for higher search rankings for your website. Featured positioning can be bought, although a ranking cannot be. These featured or sponsored listings are generally labeled as such, and the link typically appears in one of the top three results. Most small business are unable to buy these spots due to the high cost of doing so.

There are many ways to optimize your site besides keywords and phrases. Links within your own site, as well as links to other websites are also options. Try working out deals with other webmasters, so you can get links from outside sites.

It is possible to have random guests. Accidental visitors do not normally convert to customers. Aim your marketing message at the customers who have a specific need for what you offer. Making use of powerful search parameters, and making sure your ads are found on related websites, are some great ways to reach the people who matter most to your business.

It is helpful for every business to have a website, especially if your company gets a lot of its sales from the internet. An ideal website can be easily created by following the advice given to you here.

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Posted in SEO

Tips To Understand Email Marketing

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When you are marketing your business on the internet, you have to make sure that you interact with your customers and clients. One excellent way to do this is to have an email marketing plan that keeps you in touch with your target market; here are some smart ways to make your plan a great one.

When following up with customers, try following up with a sale schedule. Include a link in order for them to view this schedule. The end of the email could inform them that they can get all the specifics on this sale schedule by clicking on the link that was provided to them.

When developing an email marketing campaign, you must make your material look professional. If it does not look professional, customers will pass over it without paying any attention at all. There are plenty of scams and junk emails going around, and your legitimate marketing campaign must stand out as something they want to look further into.

P

ay attention to the demographics within your subscriber base. See what content and links intrigued a particular segment of your audience, and then follow up with a new email to that subgroup. The boost in your response rate from peeling away the top layer will really surprise you, but in a delightful way.

Do what you can to make your email go into your customers' inboxes. You must work to get your email to pass ISPs and not get tagged as spam messages. If they get tagged as spam messages, your recipient may never see them. Check with customers to see if they are getting your emails, or if they're no longer interested.

Interacting with your customers and clients is the best way to get them to buy your products or services. A good email marketing plan can help you with that. Follow the tips in this article, and you will be able to convey information while building a relationship with your target market.

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Advice For Social Media Marketing

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Social media marketing has become an obviously powerful advertising tool in the online world. The focus has now shifted to the best media to produce, its core message, and how best to supply it. While this is something that is unique to each business owner, it is also a decision you should make with some core principles in mind. This article will give you a better understanding of social media marketing and how to approach it delicately.

Find out where your customers are getting their social fix. You can leave yourself twisting in the wind if you start a social media campaign that reaches none of your target audience. You need to know if your customer base will be reading blogs, are tweeters or perhaps, they Facebook often. Research is the key to maximizing your efforts.

If you are looking to use Twitter as a social media marketing method, make sure that you choose a username that displays w

ell and is easy to remember. This username should get the point of your company across, but should also be easy to remember. Don't choose usernames like TommyXo1009. No one will remember it and it is likely irrelevant to your company's name.

Sign up for Twitter. Get as many followers as you can by signing up for blogging sites like Tweepi.com. Using a site like this makes it easier for people to find you on Twitter. Tweet regularly about other bloggers. You should also automate your tweets so they aren't forgotten about by your followers.

If your message, media, platform, and audience all align; the result will always be successful. After you begin pulling in the traffic from your quality advertisements, all you must do is learn and evolve with the changes around you. It is a demanding world online, but the rewards outweigh the work, and it is impossible to argue with profits.

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Making The Most Out Of Search Engine Optimisation

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The best websites out there grow organically in popularity, in the sense that their recognition is grass-roots and not necessarily always purchased through sponsored advertising. You can find out how you can also work to grow your site organically by implementing the great search engine optimization tips (SEO) in the text below.

Search engine optimization is completely useless if you have a very weak or even a non-existent call to action. This means make sure that the point of your website is clear and very obvious to users that are viewing your site. Don't draw people in with pictures of kittens and then have a focus on cars, that will just confuse people and cause you to get bad reviews and even less hits.

Even though you want to add keywords to your site to increase your rank in the search engines, you still have to write content that will appeal to your users. It will not matter how high you are in the search results if users are not interested in what it is you are selling.

If you want to get the best, most specific result possible, using a search engine, then use quotation marks. For example, if you want to know Andy Pettite's statistics in the final year of his career, type: “Andy Pettite” + “final year statistics.” This ensures that the engine doesn't pull up unnecessary results, like his statistics from the other years of his career.

As you design your website and add new technology to it you need to make sure it continues to be accessible to all browsers on all platforms. Consider cell phones, tablets, and different screen resolutions as you test and tweak your code. The larger the number of people who can appreciate your site, the greater your audience will be.

When putting in keywords, make sure that you put in some variations of those important words. Diversifying your keywords is a great help to the overall search engine optimization of a site. This can be done as simply as using synonyms and plurals of your main keywords. This way people who are searching for similar terms will be more likely to find your page as a result.

Don't overwhelm visitors to your website with too much color or too many busy patterns. If you have a lot of text for people to read, just use a plain white or off-white background. Add touches of color as an accent, but don't use a brightly colored, busy background that will leave your website visitors with eyestrain.

How you present keywords is just as important as using them consistently. By adding bold or italic tags, you impart importance to your visitors and draw their attention to them. This also has an impact on the search engines. This simple addition brings weight to searches and drives visitors to act.

When you are trying to increase traffic you should avoid any kind of flash. Flash might look go

od on a website, but it does nothing to increase your search optimization. The problem with this is that you cannot link a single page when using flash so try to stay away from it.

Make sure that your site is written in accessible HTML. This will make sure that both the spiders of a search engine crawl and readers can find and read your site. A site that is designed for one or the other is never going to rank in the top search results.

If you're building a website for your business from scratch and the perfect domain name has already been taken, consider some alternatives. Adding a hyphen or two sometimes allows you to keep the same term that you originally intended to use. If the name has been taken by a dot com website, see if it's available as a dot net domain. If possible, use a synonym for one or more of the words. As a last resort, consider purchasing an existing domain.

Consider more than just a single keyword for search engine optimization, instead go with a two or three word phrase. When you search for something how often do you only use one word? Consider what you would type in if you were seeking the information you're providing and then go with that.

Provide links to other websites and blogs to increase your views. If you have an active linking system, you will improve your search results within the major search engines. Find articles that you like that relate to your content and add links to them. Be sure however to keep your page from becoming just a page of links or you'll lose your viewers.

Increase your website traffic and the revenue from your site by ensuring it has no broken links or pages. Broken links prevent customers from navigating your site. Broken pages are even worse, since then the content is just missing. Broken content can't be indexed by search engines either, which is also poor marketing.

With regards to search engine optimization your META description tags should be written in sentence structure. Simply placing a series of keywords or keyword phrases is an simple way to get your website penalized by the search engines. Make sure that you follow proper formatting techniques with regards to META tags.

Use CSS to keep your HTML pages as clean and clear as possible. A search engine spider will look for code that has a clear structure and is easy to navigate. This will make your site easier to index. You should strive to create a site that is easy to navigate.

This article has made it clear to you that there are many ways to skin a cat when it comes to SEO. You may not need to apply all these tips in order to increase your ranking, or you may have to apply even more. It all depends on your site's market and other factors. You should just focus on using these tips for the time being if you want a solid start.

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Posted in SEO