SEO: 214 Top tips and takeaways
 

It's a bit of a long list but there are a few good titbits here, even though I don't agree everything...it was too long to post on GFY, but it's worth a click...

http://www.xxxjay.com/index.php/2013...and-takeaways/

Interesting list man!

17) What is Penguin? It?s a penalty filter ? designed to dull the effect of people chasing the Google Algorithm.
Paul Madden

More specifically, it's a filter that devalues shitty links :)

It's why mass link trading from templated blogs and tubes isn't working as well anymore, and why so many who were doing that have been losing ranks since last summer.

Same here.

Many points I don't agree with and many that contradict each other but some good ideas too.

Thanks.

No problemo. I'm with you, there is stuff I din't agree with and there was stuff that gave me ideas. The social media tie-in was cool.

I don't think you actually get a penalty (in the strictest sense of the word), but Google did dampen low quality links substantially. If you could just point a bunch of shitty links at a site, it would be way too easy to link you competition out of existence.

I'm not so sure.

http://trafficplanet.com/topic/2369-...e-seo-results/

it would be way too easy to link you competition out of existence.

See my post above yours. You'd think that would be the case but search around on google and see how many people have lost rankings because of bad links. Mostly they do it themselves but google doesn't know that.

Also, why would google give 'un-natural linking' warnings to webmasters in webmaster tools?

Reading now. Thank You.

That's true, actual penalties could result in opening up the door for negative SEO, which is why Penguin normally only devalues the link value that passes through low quality and over-optimized links. And this is why guys with a lot of these low quality links lost their ranks.. the link value they used to have was removed.

Negative SEO is a different topic altogether.. and for the most part it's a myth, no matter what you read around the web.

If your site is strong, meaning you have content and good links and Google trusts you, than getting blasted with shit links isn't going to hurt you. Google's filters are just going to kick in and remove the value (negative or otherwise) that would have passed through them.

But if your site is weak or new or not yet trusted, than negative SEO can hurt you, because you don't have any other value to help insulate you.

I would be more worries about the links you have on your page vs. the ones that are pointing at you. At the end of the day, most links won't hurt you as they are relevant. You have to think outside the box and diversify your links.

:2 cents:

Still believe you can be punished for bad backlinks (yours or someone else's) unless you are a BIG brand.

reading now, thanks

You need to read some of the comments under the blog.

Damn, very nice list!!

Yep ... just read them after I hit enter.

Still ... this article I mentioned above shows that it is possible to destroy your competition if you are not a mega brand.

http://trafficplanet.com/topic/2369-...e-seo-results/