Some discouraging results - Google lies

[searchangel]

I have been working on my project at work for 5 or 6 months, and because of my link building methods, we are seeing a gradual but steady increase in traffic. I have also improved the conversion rates of the site by moving calls to action, including better content etc.

The one thing that I find really discouraging however, is the traffic for our microsites. Before I came here, we employed an Indian company who built links to the main site as well as a few microsites. We are a law firm, so we offer different types of law service. The microsites target each service separately.

The only links the microsites have are the spammy directories, article placement, social bookmarking etc. Everything Google tells you not to do, but 2 of the microsites are steadily improving in traffic on a daily basis. This makes me look bad as the first thing I said was that I am concentrating on the main site, and will not do anything on the microsites (don't agree with them unless they concentrate on something that we can't sell on the website.)

The two microsites that are ranking are not that competitive. For example, we do employment law and that microsite has never improved. From these findings though, I will say that if you are in a fairly uncompetitive niche, then these links that Google say they hate actually work.

 

[OldWelshGuy]

Of course black hat works

CAVEAT. eventually the site will get burned, not IF but when. could be a week, a month ayear or more, but burned it will get at some point..

This is why pay for position while it appears great to the customer, isn't so great as it encourages bad practices.

 

[thetomwhatley]

+1 on what OldWelshGuy says. I've seen Google penalise sites time and time again because of this.

If they're all linking to your main site then this could have a negative effect on that too - especially if all sites are sitting on the same server. Be careful here!

 

[OldWelshGuy]

yep, lots on minisites run the risk of getting slapped for spamming. At the very least make sure any links to your main money site are nofollow. otherwise you could get hit for manipulating PageRank.

 

[VirtualContent]

This is one of these cases of you get what you pay for, unfortunately! A few genuine mentions and links on high quality, relevant sites is better than a few hundred in spammy, dodgy lists and directories. It sounds like a house of cards has been built - you can only go so far with these black hat practices before it's all going to come tumbling down. As thetomwhatley said - tread carefully!

 

[NickGrogan]

Sorry, where/when did Google lie?

Sites which use dodgy techniques can rank in "fairly uncompetitive niche" - not surprising really.

Backlinks from any site, no matter how good/bad are only a small part of the way people believe Google ranks a site, if everything else is OK they can and do rank well.

It is quite possible to rank a site with no backlinks.

 

[searchangel]

+1 on what OldWelshGuy says. I've seen Google penalise sites time and time again because of this.

If they're all linking to your main site then this could have a negative effect on that too - especially if all sites are sitting on the same server. Be careful here!

Thankfully they are not. They were advised to create all this content for the microsites that we don't even have on the main site, which is pretty infuriating from my point of view. But that's what happens when you look to India for your online marketing.

 

[thetomwhatley]

Thankfully they are not. They were advised to create all this content for the microsites that we don't even have on the main site, which is pretty infuriating from my point of view. But that's what happens when you look to India for your online marketing.

Why not just create sub-pages on your main site? If these are services you provide then that should work. This tactic is focusing solely on SEO. The other benefits (lead gen, list building, branding etc.) are being missed.

Feel free to PM me links to your sites and I'll try and give my recommendation. More than happy to help.

 

[searchangel]

Why not just create sub-pages on your main site? If these are services you provide then that should work. This tactic is focusing solely on SEO. The other benefits (lead gen, list building, branding etc.) are being missed.

Feel free to PM me links to your sites and I'll try and give my recommendation. More than happy to help.

I was brought in to work on 2 departments solely, and that's exactly what I did for them. Conversions are up 400% from what they were before.

For the other departments, it has been harder to get the OK for this, but I am continuing to push for it. But you're dead right, improving conversions is always the main goal.

 

[thetomwhatley]

I was brought in to work on 2 departments solely, and that's exactly what I did for them. Conversions are up 400% from what they were before.

For the other departments, it has been harder to get the OK for this, but I am continuing to push for it. But you're dead right, improving conversions is always the main goal.

Sounds like you know what you're doing, then! You might want to share your insights with whoever is in charge of the other departments (if there is anyone?)

 

[searchangel]

I have a meeting this month so hopefully it will be sorted by then.

 

[sirearl]

Google don't give a toss about SEO.its just a PR sideshow to the main event.

99% of the things google says it will do don't happen.IMHO

 

[1977]

Well don't stop there earl, what's the main event...

 

[sirearl]

Well don't stop there earl, what's the main event...

I suspect its about making money.

 

[Greg H]

Well don't stop there earl, what's the main event...

I believe earl is implying Google AdWords. Doing SEO is in a way an opposing factor to AdWords, one of Googles main streams of income

 

[NickGrogan]

Google don't give a toss about SEO.its just a PR sideshow to the main event.

99% of the things google says it will do don't happen.IMHO

Did I just find myself agreeing with @sirearl ?