Checklist and To-Dos for the New Google Algorithm

ABAKUS Internet MarketingArticle Posted 2004 March 20, Wednesday
by Alan Webb
ABAKUS Internet Marketing
Hannover, Niedersachsen | Germany

The following checklist is based on my and others observations of the Google algorithm since the Florida update and how to become an "authority site". Below is a seven point checklist for Google which be warned, in most cases is going to require a lot of work. These are in no particular order.

  1. Have you increased your total site size?

    Check the top five rankings for your target main keyword/phrase with the site: search function on Google. For example...

    site:www.example.com

    This shows you how many pages Google have indexed from a site. Nine times out of ten they will have more indexed pages than your own if you have been hit by the Florida and subsequent filters. If not, read the next point as a possible reason.

    Solution: Start thinking more content. Glossary, FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions), more product details, articles, forum, etc.

    Size matters in my opinion. That's why Amazon, major portals, hubs and professional doorway spam with literally thousands of indexed pages are ranking so highly. Get your website to about the same number of indexed pages as those ranking top 10 (average). The less competitive the term, the most likely you will not need too much new content.

  2. Have you made a big effort since the Google Florida update to obtain more incoming links with ideal link text?

    Those sites coming up top are seen to have either a whole lot of indexed pages (point 1) or, a whole lot of thematic and non-thematic inbound links. Most at the very top have both. Links from sites of your own theme containing your targeted keyword in the body title and body text are the most powerful.

    Submit to directories and get working on link exchanges. Remember, it doesn't have to be exactly reciprocal, suggest you will link to another of their domains so the links aren't exactly reciprocated (if they have another domain). Try and get on par, or of course more links, than those ranking currently at or near the top.

  3. If you have a budget buy text links.

    Even the best sites out there need to compete with those with budgets, even though they will get more natural links through excellent content. Those in competitive areas certainly need to consider a monthly link purchasing budget. As much as I'd like to be able to say that quality content will suffice for link popularity, the fact is, currently to compete you may need to purchase links. Some themes just simply require that you purchase links to have a chance. Sad, but true.

  4. Special effort should be made on finding directory and hub links.

    An ODP (Open Directory Project) link for sure and a link from Yahoo!, even at $299.00 USD, is worth considering as the link will be thematic and does count. Also, be on the lookout for smaller thematic directories. Do a Google search using advanced search parameters such as:

    • mainkeyword +add url
    • mainkeyword +directory
    • mainkeyword +links
    • mainkeyword +resource
    • mainkeyword +submit url
    • mainkeyword +surf tips

    This will help you find the smaller little known directories that are specific to your theme and many are free inclusion.

    Important: Do not submit your site to anything that even looks like a link farm or bad neighborhood.

  5. Check existing link partners.

    Verify that...

    • they are still linking to you.
    • if there is perhaps a more appropriate thematic page that they could link to you from (homepage not always the best).
    • that the link text is ideal and not the common error of just company name (assuming no keyword in company name).
  6. Don't worry about trading links with competitors!

    Consider an "other resources" page somewhere on your site. If you explain to your competitor that it is now of mutual benefit to do so due to the new Google algorithm putting increased weight on thematic incoming links, they will be more open to do so.

  7. Internal linkage should be thorough.

    I am no longer concerned about PageRank™ drain. My opinion is that PageRank™ has nowhere near the ranking significance it used to have. I've increased the number of internal footer links on each and every page I have and have made sure my sitemap is up to date. If you don't have a sitemap, get one, and get some footer links as an alternative navigation. Link to pages not covered in your main navigation.

    Don't worry about PageRank, worry about getting as many internal links to each and every page as you can. Clearly for large product sites footer links should only go to say main categories. Also consider multiple sitemaps, one for each category. This I know flys in the face of some SEO thinking on just linking to main pages due to PR drainage, things change quickly though.

The top two and point seven are vital to becoming an authority and ranking well. Note, I haven't said anything about on page optimization. That is secondary to becoming an authority right now. When you are an authority, is when on page optimization really counts. This is where the over optimization theory is flawed. Those sites that got booted were not in my opinion due to over optimization, but because they weren't an authority for their term yet. Hence they dropped in ranking with all the other non-authority domains. My own site has more h1s and h2s than you can shake a stick it at, but for my German market, I'm still right up there for the terms I'm targeting. You have to be an authority site first though.

In a nutshell, site size (and therefore number of internal links) and link popularity are crucial and should come before on page optimization.

ABAKUS Internet MarketingAlan Webb is CEO of ABAKUS Internet Marketing, a Germany based multi-lingual search engine marketing company. Visit the ABAKUS Internet Marketing Consultants Profile.

©2004 ABAKUS Internet Marketing - All rights reserved.

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