If you’ve been around the Search Engine Optimization (SEO) world for
some time, the name Matt Cutts surely familiar for you. He is one of
Google’s leading algorithm developer. His focus? Stopping web spam and
punishing low-quality content websites.
Remember that expression; “keep your friends close and your enemies
closer?”
Although I don’t view Matt Cutts as an enemy (I actually
appreciate his endeavor to rid the world of terrible, spammy websites), I
do believe that it’s important to heed his advice when it’s given.
One of the greatest mysteries in online marketing is knowing how
Google works. By following advice that comes straight from the mouth of
Matt Cutts, you can get a better grasp on how to write SEO content.
Here are the top five tips from Matt Cutts that we believe you should follow in your SEO content marketing strategy.
Tip #1: Don’t Neglect the Body of Your Content.
My two cents: There’s a wealth of SEO advice that tells you to think
about the headlines and title tags in your documents. Although
important, it’s equally critical to supplement your headlines with
meaningful body text.
Strengthen the claims you made in your headlines by backing them up
in the paragraphs on your pages. Focus on elaborating a little bit more
in the text on your web pages and posts. That will make it easier for
Google to see why they should rank your website higher up on the search
engines.
Tip #2: Know Your Audience
My two cents: When trying to balance jargon vs. clear content, ask
yourself this; “What terms is my audience using in the search box?”
Those terms are telling of the depth of content your audience wants.
Most of the time, your audience will want information that’s clear
and easy to understand. You want to write something that’s compelling to
your end reader. Knowing the terminology they use to describe their
problem or question will help you know what terminology to use when
answering their needs.
Once in awhile, jargon is okay to use on a website. For example, if
you’re speaking directly to people in a scientific industry who know and
understand technical terms, it’s okay to use them once in awhile in
your content.
For the most part, using general terms and clarifying a complex topic
will make you look smarter and more reliable. Remember, as Matt Cutts
says, the easier you can explain a topic, the better you appear to
understand what you’re saying. The more you add in jargon and technical
speak, the messier things get, which scares a lot of people away.
Tip #3: The Best Way to Compete is With Better Content on Your Site.
My two cents: Offers that sound too good to be true, usually are.
Follow your gut. If you get an offer for an SEO strategy that guarantees
to skyrocket you to the top of search engine results, run! Theproduce
high quality content to score higher seo rankingsse offers are obviously
bogus and could do more harm than good.
To make your website competitive in search engine results, focus on
offering high-quality content. If you’re helpful, people will land on
your web page, share your content, and show Google you’re worth ranking
high.
That takes time. It takes effort. But it works. More important, it’s
cheaper and more sustainable over the long run to use a “white hat,”
(Google’s preferred) approach to SEO.
Tip #4: Take a Goldilocks Approach to Your Home Page Content
My two cents: It’s one of the most debated topics in content marketing; “how much content should be on my homepage?”
Having too much could take too long to download, slowing down your
website and scaring your audience away. Having too little won’t tell
your visitor or Google what you’re all about, which could get you
punished in the long run.
Use the Goldilocks rule when it comes to home page content.
Matt Cutts tends to prefer a little bit more text on the home page.
He suggests using text where it makes sense on your home page. If you
have a lot of images, add short descriptions below the text to describe
what the pictures are all about. Remember, Google can’t read images so
you need to use your text to tell GoogleBot what you’re showing.
Another good way to do this is by including your blog posts on the
home page. You’ll add keywords and content naturally, without slowing
down the performance of your website.
Tip #5: Fight Back When Your Content is Stolen
My two cents: One of the most damaging things that can happen to your
online reputation with Google is having other pages rip off your
content. Suddenly, Google doesn’t know whether you copied Joe Schmo’s
content or vice versa, so you’re both punished for duplicate content.
If you notice someone has copied your content, file a Digital
Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) notice with Google. This is where you
send Google the details of the copied article and let them know it’s a
copy of your original article. The other person will get the notice and
they can either take it down or dispute the request.
Most of the time, Google has an accurate record of the original
creator of the article. That’s good news because it means your site
won’t get punished for another site’s poor SEO practices. Still, it’s
good to be vigilant and report duplicate content whenever possible, just
in case.
Matt Cutts' Google SEO TiPS-2015
Reviewed by kreative Station
on
Thursday, February 19, 2015
Rating: