Dear SEOs, please talk less about quality and more about patterns. We have all heard it before: “The future of SEO is high quality content.” or “Its time to start building high quality links.”. Here’s a little secret that I have mentioned in the past: Search engine algorithms don’t care about quality. Search engines are more interested in patterns that are typically associated with web sites that large audiences love to visit. So whats the difference? The difference comes into play when SEOs ignore large negative patterns and instead push forward with high quality content or high quality link development. By ignoring these patterns, the SEO is wasting their time with new content or links because the negative patterns are holding them down.
Here are a few patterns to look out for, and the algorithms they are associated with:
- Excessive patterns in URLs. (Panda)
- Irrelevant terms in URLs. (Panda)
- IA uses a singular topic for all content. (Panda)
- “Money Terms” as internal anchor text. (Panda/Maybe Penguin)
- Excessive duplicated footer links on every page. (Panda)
- Excessive secondary navigation in sidebars. (Panda)
- High concentrations of exact match anchor text on inbound links. (Penguin)
- Site wide links. (Penguin)
- Links from multiple domains on the same C-class IP address. (Penguin)
- Links found inside scraped content. (Penguin)
- Links on domains with overt ties to SEO. (Penguin)
- Links on domains with overt ties to link building. (Penguin)
Don’t get me wrong, I am not saying that you can or should quit building high quality content, and links. But, the truth is you should be doing that anyways. Building high quality content and links shouldn’t be a corner stone to your SEO efforts, it should be a default marketing objective; something that should be done way before SEO enters the conversation. Unfortunately, I often times see the reverse, and as a result, all of the time effort and money that goes into building high quality content is wasted because it is surrounded by bad patterns.
What are some patterns that you have identified?
Comments
New @webuildpages: SEOs Should Focus On Patterns, Not Quality http://t.co/oZ37Mzajv5
SEOs Should Focus On Patterns, Not Quality: Dear SEOs, please talk less about quality and more about patterns…. http://t.co/ISly7tVq7V
Wrote this for all of you: SEOs Should Focus On Patterns, Not Quality http://t.co/qv0BBzSVSF
RT @joehall: Wrote this for all of you: SEOs Should Focus On Patterns, Not Quality http://t.co/qv0BBzSVSF
Freshly fresh. SEOs Should Focus On Patterns, Not Quality http://t.co/8GvE1uxgz0
SEOs Should Focus On Patterns, Not Quality: http://t.co/gxsqxDzAGG #seo http://t.co/ZjZlJd2B9H
SEOs Should Focus On Patterns, Not Quality @NinjasMarketing http://t.co/YbiU0Ecr1v by @joehall
RT @seosmarty: SEOs Should Focus On Patterns, Not Quality @NinjasMarketing http://t.co/YbiU0Ecr1v by @joehall
Joe Hall liked this on Facebook.
Yusuf Chowdhury liked this on Facebook.
RT @joehall: Wrote this for all of you: SEOs Should Focus On Patterns, Not Quality http://t.co/qv0BBzSVSF
Denis Abi Wonderman liked this on Facebook.
SEOs Should Focus On Patterns, Not Quality @NinjasMarketing http://t.co/l7tsPCO7ux by @joehall
SEOs Should Focus On Patterns, Not Quality @NinjasMarketing http://t.co/wqOGmoqn63 by @joehall
SEOs Should Focus On Patterns, Not Quality @NinjasMarketing http://t.co/HaYfvDopxe by @joehall
Awesome post, Joe. I completely agree with you there and I’ll definitely be incorporating patterns on the niche site project that I’m working on.
However, I still love the type of traffic that I can pull from really getting readers socially engaged. And You’re right, people should already be doing this from the beginning. Combining both is the key to finding long term success in blogging.
SEOs Should Focus On Patterns, Not Quality http://t.co/XA4TufaaaF
SEOs Should Focus On Patterns, Not Quality http://t.co/YN7DvDV702 #harrogateseo
One of the best SEO articles written in the simplest possible way.
This IS SEO – understanding patterns. You should create quality content anyway. I’ve personally found quality content to not work on sites that already have bad patterns (for SEO) around them.
SEOs Should Focus On Patterns, Not Quality @NinjasMarketing http://t.co/VEpKSdeAUu
SEOs Should Focus On Patterns, Not Quality @NinjasMarketing http://t.co/PDd1cDxaY2
RT @ChrisLDyson: SEOs Should Focus On Patterns, Not Quality @NinjasMarketing http://t.co/VEpKSdeAUu
#SEO’s Should Focus on Patterns, Not Quality – http://t.co/lT4lOu99jU great post by @joehall
SEOs Should Focus On Patterns, Not Quality – http://t.co/5dcN1rgz11
By @NinjasMarketing – SEOs Should Focus On Patterns, Not Quality http://t.co/Dlg60DOWYN #seo
SEOs Should Focus On Patterns, Not Quality @NinjasMarketing http://t.co/sb86qoIiGW
SEOs Should Focus On Patterns, Not Quality @NinjasMarketing http://t.co/E97qrAi4Lr
Great advice from @joehall on beating Panda & Penguin http://t.co/LdlHXnAlH0 focus on patterns – not just quality.
SEOs Should Focus On Patterns, Not Quality @NinjasMarketing http://t.co/vOdVdOOs5p
DSM Publishing liked this on Facebook.
Fantastic article, really one of the best I have read about Panda/Penguin in a long, long time. It is a very nuanced and sophisticated viewpoint of Google’s attempt at ‘rewarding’ high quality sites.
One question for you Joe. What exactly do you mean by “IA uses a singular topic for all content. (Panda)”? Can you give an example or two please?
Thanks for this article, you really solidified my thoughts on this.
SEOs Should Focus On Patterns, Not Quality http://t.co/2DOCAoUeal #internetmarketingninjas #seo
SEOs Should Focus On Patterns, Not Quality @NinjasMarketing http://t.co/JAM0Nx2XOY
SEOs Should Focus On Patterns, Not Quality @NinjasMarketing http://t.co/aOW1DnfORC
Great post Joe. I couldn’t agree more. You amazing links and content arent going to provide much value if your backlink profile is littered with patterns and crappy links.
Focusing on patterns and not only quality in your SEO efforts – Quality should be built into your content anyways http://t.co/kX2g2seJyq
RT @joehall: Wrote this for all of you: SEOs Should Focus On Patterns, Not Quality http://t.co/wA5ac9SrPC
SEOs Should Focus On Patterns, Not Quality by @joehall via @NinjasMarketing http://t.co/z4KxyZJTfM
THIS – http://t.co/21i3z8LD14 SEOs Should Focus More on Patterns, Less on Quality. +1000. Thank you @joehall
SEOs Should Focus On Patterns, Not Quality @NinjasMarketing http://t.co/pdtYWwDGHO
RT @PointBlankSEO: THIS – http://t.co/21i3z8LD14 SEOs Should Focus More on Patterns, Less on Quality. +1000. Thank you @joehall
RT: THIS – http://t.co/JU3rEAhKRn … SEOs Should Focus More on Patterns, Less on Quality. +1000. Thank you @joehall via @PointBlankSEO
#SEO experts: High quality #content & #links should be SECOND to attention you devote to #patterns! http://t.co/fSzk4CX04i #InboundMarketing
RT @InboundTheresa: #SEO experts: High quality #content & #links should be SECOND to attention you devote to #patterns! http://t.co/fSzk4CX…
SEOs Should Focus On Patterns, Not Quality @NinjasMarketing http://t.co/xnG3ZotAJS
Bad pattern will outweigh any kind of quality content or link. Very Good article. You hear so many times from different people “content is the king” or similar type of nonsense. Google can’t tell the difference between the article written by an average writer and an excellent one, but it can tell if your site has a bad link pattern.
It’s the negative patterns we should be looking for as SEOs. Great, great points by @joehall | http://t.co/BDefR5BRDu
SEOs Should Focus On Patterns, Not Quality via @connections8: Dear SEOs, please talk less about quality and more… http://t.co/ic45dIlZiH
Couldn’t agree more –> SEOs Should Focus On Patterns, Not Quality @NinjasMarketing http://t.co/BqcvSQqz9a
Right on Joe. Our world is made up of patterns, even history. The problem is people forget and repeat the same mistakes. The old saying goes, forgive but not forget. I am not saying Google needs to be forgiven:) But the analogy fits.
SEOs Should Focus On Patterns, Not Quality http://t.co/r7fHelvMQu
SEOs Should Focus On Patterns, Not Quality http://t.co/7JGsUIOqkP This x 1000
RT @tjshirey: SEOs Should Focus On Patterns, Not Quality http://t.co/7JGsUIOqkP This x 1000
I’m a noob and I don’t quite get this…but it’s very interesting. Thanks for the share…
RT @little_bry: RT: THIS – http://t.co/LK51rgJUYn … SEOs Should Focus More on Patterns, Less on Quality. +1000. Thank you @joehall
SEOs Should Focus On Patterns, Not Quality @NinjasMarketing http://t.co/lSGNQgMfps
Sarah E King liked this on Facebook.
SEOs Should Focus On Patterns, Not Quality http://t.co/m7ZURWExKn
#SEOs Should Focus On Patterns, Not Quality @NinjasMarketing http://t.co/3B2kmturhO
RT @ArnieK: RT @little_bry: RT: THIS – http://t.co/LK51rgJUYn … SEOs Should Focus More on Patterns, Less on Quality. +1000. Thank you @joeh…
SEOs Should Focus On Patterns, Not Quality http://t.co/vLRiUEaAK1 #internetmarketingninjas #seo
SEOs Should Focus On Patterns, Not Quality:
http://t.co/gMuZBwUSA6
by @joehall via @NinjasMarketing RT @JimWatson9 #SEO
SEOs Should Focus On Patterns, Not Quality:
http://t.co/v2DOxJRgXg
by @joehall via @NinjasMarketing RT @JimWatson9 / @StuartAlagna #SEO
Right on Joe. Our world is made up of patterns, even history. The prob… http://t.co/RGePvmdUku
So much yes > SEOs Should Focus On Patterns, Not Quality @NinjasMarketing http://t.co/TLHmT3WaeN
RT @nick_eubanks: So much yes > SEOs Should Focus On Patterns, Not Quality @NinjasMarketing http://t.co/TLHmT3WaeN
RT @nick_eubanks: So much yes > SEOs Should Focus On Patterns, Not Quality @NinjasMarketing http://t.co/TLHmT3WaeN
RT @nick_eubanks: So much yes > SEOs Should Focus On Patterns, Not Quality @NinjasMarketing http://t.co/TLHmT3WaeN
Her gün onlarcasını okuduğumuz “SEO’nun geleceği kaliteli içerik/linkler” özdeyişlerini eleştiren bir tartışma: http://t.co/ReEzPnk5nZ
Her gün onlarcasını okuduğumuz “SEO’nun geleceği kaliteli içerik/linkler” özdeyişlerini eleştiren bir tartışma: http://t.co/bLVNenGcLR
For SEO focus on patterns, not just the quality http://t.co/41re26ciN0
SEOs Should Focus On Patterns, Not Quality http://t.co/IWxSTyArou #seo
Interesting Ideas RT @SEO SEOs Should Focus On Patterns, Not Quality http://t.co/4ugLvFs7JC #seo
Another pattern is links from same type of sites, i.e blogs, directories, comments. If all links are the same type, it generally indicates spam. This rule is usually associated with blog comment spamming, but if a website all of a sudden has 250 directory listings or 8 blog post on 8 different blog platforms, it looks pretty suspicious.
SEOs Should Focus On Patterns, Not Quality #seo http://t.co/9tkoHHuaVJ
SEOs Should Focus On Patterns, Not Quality http://t.co/3WsTSfAxm3
RT @SeoWizardry: SEOs Should Focus On Patterns, Not Quality #seo http://t.co/9tkoHHuaVJ
RT @SeoWizardry: SEOs Should Focus On Patterns, Not Quality #seo http://t.co/9tkoHHuaVJ
#SEOs Should Focus On Patterns, Not Quality @NinjasMarketing http://t.co/1aF6bOJeGd
#searchengines are more interested in patterns associated with #websites that large audiences love to visit @sweetspot @ninjasmarketing
SEOs Should Focus On Patterns, Not Quality @NinjasMarketing http://t.co/CMOm0LRnC6
SEOs Should Focus On Patterns, Not Quality http://t.co/pryQL4K6vU
#SEOtips SEOs Should Focus On Patterns, Not Quality http://t.co/C8ybLQVndg
web4business liked this on Facebook.
Great post Joe – I tell my clients this all the time and most of them listen. The problem is that there is so much fluff out there pimping content marketing as the “be all end all”, that many of them think they can just post new materials and the links will magically appear.
We still have to pursue links and post good content, of course, and a natural rhythm is key. This is why I always warn clients not to leave all their eggs in one basket – diversify content types, link types, where they post comments, etc. Thanks for calling out the pattern recognition part of the whole system.