The SEOs Diners Club - Issue #35 - Weekly SEO Tips & News

October 23, 2022

Here are the weekly SEO insights for the SEOs Diners Club members. You may also join our free SEO Diners Club network to ask questions and share your thoughts on these topics.

Google Releases a New SPAM Algorithm Update

Google announced an algorithm update related to SPAM on October 19, 2022.

Google has announced that an algorithm update aimed at combating SPAM is rolling out globally and in search results in all languages.

Exact details on SPAM updates are rarely given, except when they target specific types of SPAM, such as last year's backlink SPAM update.

Google regularly releases spam updates to protect the quality of its search results. These updates are designed to improve Google's automated systems that constantly work in the background to detect SPAM in search results.

If you've been following the Google Search Guidelines, formerly known as the Google Webmaster Guidelines, you have little to worry about with the October 2022 SPAM update.

Google confirms rollout of a spam-related algorithm update on October 19, 2022.

Does Buying Backlinks for SEO Really Work?

Paying for backlinks can move you up the search engine rankings, but it comes with several disadvantages. Should you invest in this practice?

Right after SEO experts first recognized the critical role that backlinks play in search rankings, some enterprising souls (!) came up with the idea of selling backlinks.

Of course, it didn't take long for the bad guys to start abusing it like almost every other ranking trick in SEO. And Google, doing what it always does, began to crack down on this process.

There is no gray area regarding Google's stance on this issue.

The first clause in Google's Google Search Guidelines on link schemes states that buying or selling links that transfer PageRank will negatively affect your site's ranking.

Spam politikalarında, bir sayfanın veya sitenin tamamının sıralamasının düşmesine ya da Google Arama'dan tamamen çıkarılmasına neden olabilecek davranışlar ve taktikler ayrıntılarıyla açıklanır.

The relevant reference page reads as follows;

  • Paid links or publications containing links

  • Links provided in exchange for products or services

  • Send a product to someone in the business to write about it and add a link

And, of course, as good, white-hat SEOs, none of us would even think of doing such a thing. But many SEOs still do it. It's not openly discussed in our field, but the practice is still alive.

Of course, this raises some questions. Namely, what is the benefit of paying for backlinks? And is it worth the risk?

The article published in the Search Engine Journal, which you can find a link to below, answers these questions.

The truth is, yes, paying for backlinks can improve your search engine rankings - as long as you don't get caught. If it weren't worth the risk, no one would do it.

But paid backlinks are becoming increasingly difficult to hide.

Backlinks are invaluable in helping to determine a site's reputation and relevance in Google's eyes.

But it's not a numbers game. Earning a few links from relevant websites where the links provide a good user experience will perform better than dozens of links from low-quality sites.

Paying for backlinks can shoot you up search engine rankings, but it comes with a whole host of drawbacks. Should you invest in the practice?

Google Shopping Searches Become More Visual on Desktop

Google is updating desktop search results for shopping-related queries with more product images.

Google is making the desktop shopping experience more visual by adding a more comprehensive selection of product images.

In the Google example shown below, you can see how search results for product category pages include a series of thumbnails.

Although Google does not specify, the images are presumably taken from pages linked to the search results.

Scrolling down the page, you can see a unique search feature with prices and ratings for each product result.

You can find Google's statement on the subject in the link below:

We’re introducing new features to make your shopping experience on desktop more visual.

You can access the article on this topic in the Search Engine Journal from the link below:

Google is upgrading desktop search results for shopping-related queries with more images of products.

Google Image Filenames and a Surprising SEO Mistake

Google's Lizzi Sassman and John Mueller discuss the relative importance of image filenames and a big mistake to avoid.

Google's Lizzi Sassman and John Mueller discuss the importance of image filenames in the Search Off the Record podcast and talk about a big mistake when it comes to filenames.

The Importance of Image File Names

Google's documentation doesn't say whether image filenames are a ranking factor. But they do say that Google takes note of them to help understand what the image is about. It is therefore recommended by Google to give images meaningful file names.

Google's best practices guide for images gives the following example:

Similarly, the file name can give Google clues about the subject of the image. For example, new-black-minic-cat.jpg is better than IMG00023.JPG. If you localize your images, make sure to translate the filenames as well.

Image File Names and SEO

  • Image filenames that are descriptive are valid for Image Search because they help Google understand what the image is about.

  • Alt text and the text surrounding the image provide a stronger and more critical signal about the image than the filename.

  • Changing the filename of an already indexed image has "minimal impact" and will most likely not make the image better.

  • Changing the filename of an indexed image can cause the renamed image to not be crawled and indexed for months (John Mueller says Google rarely re-crawls images!)

Google's Lizzi Sassman and John Mueller discuss the relative importance of image filenames and one big mistake to avoid

7 Tips To Sell SEO Into The C-Suite

How can you connect with the C-suite to support your SEO efforts? Here are some tips.

C-level positions, called C-suite, describe senior executive titles in a company. People with C-level positions are often considered a company's most powerful and influential members.

It has become essential to get the support of these members in SEO efforts. So how can we do this?

SEO expert Will Critchlow shared his suggestions under seven main headings:

  1. Forecasts, scenarios, and business cases

  2. Link our work to metrics that matter to the business

  3. Building your own skill set - especially presenting

  4. Thinking bigger

  5. Using the language of the company's primary objectives

  6. Set pieces show how things are done

  7. Emotional connection

You can find Critchlow's recommendations on these 7 points in the article below:

As we start to seek out that level of influence and engagement, we have to gain sway from the C-suite. Learn how from our SEO Partner, Will Critchlow.

Measuring E-A-T? - Moz Whiteboard Friday

Google doesn't give much information about E-A-T and its role in your SERP rankings.

SEO expert Lily Ray was this week's guest for Moz's famous weekly Whiteboard Friday edition. Lily is mainly known for specializing in E-A-T. In this video, she explains the concept of E-A-T and explains how websites, especially those in the health and finance space, can improve.

You can find the relevant article published in Moz below:

The level of trust users have in your brand’s expertise is an important component when vying for that #1 spot, but Google has been ambiguous about what E-A-T actually is, and how it plays into your SERP rankings. In today’s episode of Whiteboard Friday, Lily Ray discusses the ways in which you can…

Is Language a Google Ranking Factor?

Does language play a role in Google's ranking of web pages? Let's take a look at what experts have to say about this.

Your content should be in English if you want to reach English speakers.

However, the same English content will probably not rank well in markets dominated by other languages, such as Chinese, Arabic, or Spanish.

Businesses that want to reach customers who speak different languages in specific countries can do so by creating content in multiple languages.

So it makes sense that language plays a role in how Google ranks web pages, right?

Search engines will always do their best to provide users with the most relevant results, and they can do this by detecting language in content. But it seems they want us to help by editing localized versions of pages.

Google mentions language in its explanation of how its search algorithms work. It states:

"Search settings are an important indicator of which results in you'll find useful, such as whether you set a preferred language or choose SafeSearch (a tool that helps filter out suggestive results)."

If a searcher chooses English as their preferred language and Canada as their preferred location, Google will consider these preferences when presenting results. It makes sense that websites targeting English speakers in Canada would be more likely to appear in this search.

Google's Advanced SEO documentation shares how you can tell Google about localized versions of your page. Why is this important?

"If a page has multiple versions for different languages or regions, let Google know about these different variations. Doing so will help Google Search direct users to the most appropriate version of your page based on language or region.

Remember that Google can find alternative language versions of your page even if you don't take action, but it's usually best to make your language- or region-specific pages explicit."

Google recommends using different URLs for different language versions of a page. Then mark each URL with your language to help search engines understand what is going on.

The article below outlines how you can do this very nicely:

Does language play a role in how Google ranks webpages? Let's see what the experts say.

Topic Clusters: The Next Evolution of SEO

The concept of Topic Cluster is becoming increasingly popular in SEO projects. Let's examine this concept closely from the HubSpot perspective.

Effective search engines like Google have changed their algorithms to support topic-based content. As a result, websites are discovering a new way to connect related content under the "topic clusters" model.

This reference article published by HubSpot is a tactical primer for marketers responsible for SEO strategies. You can access the related article by clicking on the link below:

Search engines have changed their algorithm to favor topic based content. This report serves as a tactical primer for marketers responsible for SEO strategy.

Spelling and Grammar: Are They Google Ranking Factors?

Should you care about spelling and grammar in SEO? Does Google take spelling and grammar mistakes into account in search rankings?

While most professionals try to write the highest quality content possible, spelling and grammar mistakes can happen.

But what happens when you publish these errors? Are search engines less likely to rank you higher in search results because of these errors?

Understandably, many marketing experts consider spelling and grammar as possible ranking factors. After all, one of the things that is often repeated by Google is to avoid publishing low-quality content.

For example, Google's Advanced SEO guide for bloggers states, "A useful post once a week is better than low-quality content published daily."

In an article on how to build high-quality websites, the Google Search Center Blog states:

"Another specific piece of guidance we offer is that low-quality content in parts of a website can affect the ranking of the entire site, and so removing low-quality pages, combining or improving the content of individual shallow pages with more useful pages, or moving low-quality pages to a different area can ultimately help your higher-quality content rank."

Google's SEO Starter Guide recommends avoiding "sloppy writing with lots of spelling and grammar errors."

The Search Quality Rating Guidelines define low-quality content as follows.

"This content has many problems: inaccurate/meaningless information and a complete lack of organization with poor spelling and grammar - both of these characteristics justify a Low+ to Low rating."

Google also published a post about spelling and search queries, stating:

"Thanks to advances in deep learning, we now have a better way to understand spelling. Late last year, we announced a new spelling algorithm that uses a deep neural network that better model and learns less common and unique spelling errors. This development allows us to run a model with more than 680 million parameters in under two milliseconds - a huge model that runs faster than a hummingbird flaps its wings - so people can search without being interrupted by their spelling errors."

In other words, Google's algorithm knows how to deal with misspellings.

Spelling and Grammar May Not Be Direct Google Ranking Factors, But They're Still Very Important

Spelling and grammar are not direct Google ranking factors. However, they give essential signals to your website users about its quality, which you should care about. On the other hand, Google is not the only search engine; it can be a ranking factor for different search engines.

An excellent proofreading job may not affect your ranking in Google searches, but it can help other search engines and increase your conversions from search traffic. There is also a correlation between good spelling and grammar and exemplary performance in search.

Therefore, working with an editor or using readability tools like Grammarly to check your website content for spelling, grammar, and readability issues is wise.

While a perfect performance score on Grammarly does not guarantee a number-one ranking for your target keyword, it can help provide a better user experience. This makes it worth investing in this aspect, regardless of the SEO benefits.

Should you care about spelling and grammar in SEO? Does Google factor in spelling and grammatical errors in search rankings? Read on to learn more.

Book Of The Week: "Small Data" - Martin Lindstrom

Hired by the world’s leading brands to find out what makes their customers tick, Martin Lindstrom spends three hundred nights a year overseas, closely observing people in their homes.

Small Data combines armchair travel with forensic psychology into an interlocking series of international clue-gathering detective stories. It presents a rare behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to create global brands and, along the way, reveals surprising and counterintuitive truths about what connects us all as humans.

Small Data [Lindstrom, Martin] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Small Data

I hope you enjoyed my weekly SEO insights. Hope to see you the following Sunday in the new episode. I wish you all a great week.

Best,

Mert Erkal