Weekly SEO news: 13 March 2012

Welcome to the latest issue of the Search Engine Facts newsletter.

In an online forum, webmasters are discussing Google's latest algorithm. It seems that things have become very complicated and that it is difficult to keep up with Google's latest changes. What can you do to get your website listed with Google's latest ranking algorithm?

In the news: a new eye-tracking study, the latest search engine statistics, Bing as good as Google and more.

Table of contents:

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Best regards,
Andre Voget, Johannes Selbach, Axandra CEO

1. How to understand Google's latest ranking algorithm

In an online forum, webmasters are discussing Google's latest algorithm. It seems that things have become very complicated and that it is difficult to keep up with Google's latest changes. What can you do to get your website listed with Google's latest ranking algorithm?

Things have changed and you cannot follow the old rules

The thread starter summarizes the problem:

"In the past, we all knew that search engines were just a bit more complicated than they appeared, but we created mental models that did a pretty good job explaining the SERPs and we let it go at that... for a long long time.

I like to think of those old models as the 'punch list' approach - here's all the factors we think Google measures and combines into their recipe - let's make sure we hit each one. [...]

As several members had shared here recently, Google may be so complicated that no one anywhere understands the whole thing any more."

Google demystified

One-size does NOT fit all

Different websites get different rankings and Google's uses different algorithms for different keyword types. It makes a difference if your query indicates that you're looking for information or if your query shows that you want to buy something.

That's why we developed the Top 10 Optimizer. The Top 10 Optimizer in IBP analyzes the top 10 ranked pages and compares these pages to your website. Then you will get detailed information on what you have to change so that your website gets listed on Google's first result page.

Up-do-date information that works with Google's latest algorithm

The beauty of IBP's Top 10 Optimizer is that it automatically works with Google's latest algorithm and the specific keyword type that you target.

The idea is simple: the websites that currently have top 10 rankings must have done everything right. They have all the elements that are needed to get listed on Google's first result page.

Information that is tailored to your website and your keyword

The Top 10 Optimizer analyzes the on-page content of your web page, the backlinks and the social mentions. You will get detailed information on what exactly you have to change and how you have to change it.

The Top 10 Optimizer analyzes all factors and their influence on the position of a web page for the targeted keyword.

Google's algorithm has become very complex but it is possible to optimize your website for this algorithm.

Although the Top 10 Optimizer in IBP does not fully reverse-engineer Google's ranking algorithm, it comes close enough to make sure that your website will be listed on the first result page for your keywords.

The method works so well that we can offer a top 10 ranking guarantee: if you use IBP as described in the manual and do not get top 10 rankings for your keywords, you will get your money back.

 

2. Search engine news and articles of the week

BingNew eye-tracking study: people ignore ads on the right

"Approximately 90% of participants looked at the sponsored results above the organic results in each search task. [...]

Fewer participants looked at the sponsored results on the right side of the page – only 28% of participants looked at these results on Google and 21% on Bing. [...]

100% of participants looked at the organic search results in each search."

Editor's note: the study shows the importance of being listed in the regular search results.



Microsoft says decaffeinated Bing tastes as good as Google

"If you look at the freshness of our queries, I hope you feel that Bing’s freshness — search quality in terms of freshness — is at least on par with Google. And, yes, it all starts with the infrastructure. [...]

After a lot of effort, we understand search quality problems better than before, and that if you look at Google and Bing, the quality is beginning to be very comparable."



StatisticsFebruary 2012 U.S. search engine rankings

"Google Sites led the U.S. explicit core search market in February with 66.4 percent market share (up 0.2 percentage points), followed by Microsoft Sites with 15.3 percent (up 0.1 percentage points) and Yahoo! Sites with 13.8 percent.

Ask Network accounted for 3.0 percent of explicit core searches, followed by AOL, Inc. with 1.5 percent."



Keeping your free hosting service valuable for searchers

"Unfortunately, sometimes these lower barriers (meant to encourage less techy audiences) can attract some dodgy characters like spammers who look for cheap and easy ways to set up dozens or hundreds of sites that add little or no value to the web.

When it comes to automatically generated sites, our stance remains the same: if the sites do not add sufficient value, we generally consider them as spam and take appropriate steps to protect our users from exposure to such sites in our natural search results."

Editor's note: if you want to get high rankings on Google, you need a good website with good content, good backlinks and social mentions. IBP will help you to get your website on the first result page.



How Internet service providers affect SEO

"For all their faults and failings, Internet Service Providers can be critical allies in the search optimization process. [...]

The ISP blocks web crawlers at their router [...] the ISP puts you on a crowded server [...] the ISP configures your .htaccess file for you [...] your hosting provider takes you offline for maintenance."



Search engine newslets

  • 22 websites that promote your infographics.
  • Google to expand SSL search around the globe.
  • Safely share access to your site in Webmaster Tools.
  • Google Places: review bug or new link to a Google property?
  • Google enables you to hide sites from the search results.
  • Google's word count experiment.
  • Yandex opens offices in Europe.
  • Google's moves raise questions about 'don't be evil' motto.

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3. Success stories

Tell other readers of this newsletter your success story!

Let us know how IBP has helped you to improve your website and we might publish your success story with a link to your website in this newsletter. The more detailed your story is, the better. Click here to tell us your story.



IBP

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