Google Update Their Webmaster Quality Guidelines

Andrew Baker · Oct 2, 2012

Announcement here > http://googlewebmastercentral.blogspot.co.uk/2012/10/google-webmaster-guidelines-updated.html

Google has also included examples of what they view as bad practices...

Websitehandyman · Oct 2, 2012

I already got the book

I, Brian · Oct 4, 2012

Interesting - Google now consider forum sigs spam.

aidan1980 · Oct 4, 2012

I said:
Interesting - Google now consider forum sigs spam.

I noticed that, might be time to do a test with "nofollow" tags, there is only 2 forums that I use that are open so should be interesting

OldWelshGuy · Oct 4, 2012

I said:
Interesting - Google now consider forum sigs spam.

And possibly blog posting? Their guidelines are seriously ambiguous, in fact, worse than ever!

I, Brian · Oct 4, 2012

Well, they used to be very grey on links. Now they are being more plain about it.

Not least that almost everyone at UKBF is now in breach of Google's guidelines and should prepare for a penalty! You have been warned!!

OldWelshGuy · Oct 4, 2012

Ah but they are not, they are saying spammy links, again talking about anchor text abuse.

I have started a thread in the Mods area about the nofollow BBcode tag

andygambles · Oct 4, 2012

Given the forum footer example it had three keyword stuffed links. I suppose it depends on what Google considers spammy and excessive (who knows apart from them!)

OldWelshGuy · Oct 4, 2012

That was my point AG, they cited a spammy signature, but what constitutes abuse? I heard Google were going after platforms, so why don't they just remove the benefit from all forums? BECAUSE forums often have great content that is valid. It is pathetic that they are impinging on marketing efforts. ALL google have to do is to place a maximum link benefit flow cap.

andygambles · Oct 4, 2012

For us forums provide the majority of our traffic (links posted by other users within posts). So is Google clever enough to determine posts that are by separate individuals rather than one individual and what is a sig versus what is a in post link?

If I join forums and comment on posts where we have been linked to (which I often do) will this count against me because they will see my name wherever there is a link?

I can see the intentions are good but it does muddy things even more in some ways.

OldWelshGuy · Oct 4, 2012

Google don't have a clue what they are doing and are quite happy to burn businesses of quality as there are plenty more to take their place on page 1. Google care only about themselves, and the big brands, beyond that there is nothing that is sacred to them!

It is SO simple for them to do, but they just don't do it. I have again seen a new site burned this week by a competitor using blogroll links, it STINKS, yet Google allow it.

awebapart.com · Oct 5, 2012

OldWelshGuy said:
I have started a thread in the Mods area about the nofollow BBcode tag

IMO what is also crying out to be nofollowed (or better still switched off for free members) is the link in the popup menu under the user's profile link for each post, the "Visit usernames homepage" link.

This is available to all members, even the free ones, and may be one reason why this site gets so many spammers.

LianneF · Oct 5, 2012

So if your link is on a page with no page rank is that ok? would it still help with rankings? so are guest blog posts a no too as you are offering the content in exchange for a link back. Trying to get links seems virtually impossible now as just waiting for them to naturally appear will never happen anytime soon especially for start-ups.

OldWelshGuy · Oct 5, 2012

This is what I meant by the guidelines not being clear. The SIMPLY answer is to have a link ignore facility in WMT in one fell swoop, google would place the power back in the hands of the site owner.

webgeek · Oct 5, 2012

allthingsgifts said:
So if your link is on a page with no page rank is that ok? would it still help with rankings? so are guest blog posts a no too as you are offering the content in exchange for a link back. Trying to get links seems virtually impossible now as just waiting for them to naturally appear will never happen anytime soon especially for start-ups.

Waiting/hoping/begging will not turn startups into wildly popular sites.

Viral content/wickedly valuable content/free services can get attention and links in a short amount of time.

Be remarkable. Sound easy?

DesignerNick · Oct 5, 2012

It does make you wonder how much Google could / do play a part in economies of countries?

mugatea · Oct 5, 2012

If forum sigs becomes spam won't this website be facing a kick in the nuts regarding revenue? I imagine quite a few members pay simply for the sig.

OldWelshGuy · Oct 5, 2012

The blog facility is worth far more with regard SEO than the sig link

RedEvo · Oct 5, 2012

The URLNO link type takes care of the issue if you're worried about followed sig links folks.

d

mugatea · Oct 5, 2012

Ah! I forgot about the blog! For seo purposes is it beneficial to add links to blogs? As a quick browse I've noticed some havent got links in their posts!

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Google Update Their Webmaster Quality Guidelines

Andrew Baker