SEO & AI Search (GEO) Expert

Improve your Google ranking with Peter Mahoney, 20+ years SEO & Wordpress experience

The Critical Role of Digital Marketing and SEO during Economic Downturns

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As businesses grapple with the challenges of economic recessions and difficult financial times, the importance of maintaining a robust digital marketing strategy, particularly in the realm of Search Engine Optimization (SEO), becomes ever more critical.

The COVID-19 pandemic was a stark reminder of our increasing reliance on digital platforms for discovering products and services.

This shift in consumer behavior underscores the necessity for businesses to prioritize their digital presence, ensuring they remain visible and competitive in an increasingly crowded online marketplace.

During times of economic uncertainty, companies often scrutinize their budgets, looking for areas to cut costs. However, reducing investment in digital marketing, and SEO in particular, can be a short-sighted decision that jeopardizes long-term success. Organic search remains one of the most cost-effective and powerful digital marketing strategies, offering unparalleled opportunities for businesses to reach potential customers without the need for paid advertising.

The benefits of a well-optimized website extend beyond immediate visibility. SEO enhances user experience, making it easier for customers to find the information they need and interact with your brand. This improved engagement not only boosts your site’s ranking in search engine results pages (SERPs) but also fosters trust and loyalty among your target audience. In a recession, where every customer’s decision is more deliberate, being the top choice in organic search results can make all the difference.

Furthermore, SEO is a long-term strategy. The efforts you put in today will continue to yield results months and even years down the line. Unlike paid advertising campaigns that stop the moment funding is pulled, SEO builds a foundation for sustained organic growth. This resilience is particularly valuable in uncertain times, providing businesses with a steady stream of potential customers even when budgets are tight.

Investing in digital marketing and SEO during a recession is not just about surviving; it’s about positioning your business for growth when the economy rebounds. History has shown that companies that continue to market aggressively during downturns often outperform their peers once the economy recovers. The digital landscape is no exception. Maintaining or even increasing your SEO efforts can give you a significant advantage over competitors who cut back, allowing you to capture a larger share of the market as conditions improve.

As the world becomes increasingly digital, with more people than ever turning to the internet to find products and services, the value of a strong online presence cannot be overstated. SEO is at the heart of this presence, helping businesses connect with their audience at the moment they’re searching for solutions.

To help businesses navigate these challenging times and strengthen their digital footprint, I offer a comprehensive WordPress SEO overhaul service. This service is designed to optimize every aspect of your website, from improving site speed and mobile responsiveness to crafting keyword-rich content that resonates with both search engines and customers. By investing in a thorough SEO overhaul, businesses can enhance their online visibility, attract more organic traffic, and build a solid foundation for growth, regardless of the economic climate.

In conclusion, while economic downturns present undeniable challenges, they also offer unique opportunities for businesses willing to invest in their digital future. SEO, with its unmatched ability to connect businesses with their target audience organically, should be at the forefront of this effort. By prioritizing SEO, even in tough times, businesses can not only weather the storm but emerge stronger on the other side. For those ready to take their digital marketing to the next level, my complete WordPress SEO overhaul service offers the perfect solution to ensure your business remains visible, viable, and competitive, no matter what the economic landscape looks like.

Visit here to learn more and get started on fortifying your digital presence today.

 

SEO backlinks, what is Reverse Outreach linking?

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Backlinks are SEO gold, but only if they’re legitimate. Essentially, all off-site SEO boils down to creating backlinks. Directory listings, local citations, they’re all much the same when it comes to it.

When I say legitimate, I mean someone genuinely appreciates your site and has a valid reason to link to it. Nearly any attempt to manipulate your link profile goes against Google’s guidelines, and they’re pretty adept at catching those who try, and dish out penalties accordingly.

Here is one simple (albeit time consuming) technique I have long recommended for building organic, useful links.

And Google loves this one, because it’s not just a nonsense URL in a profile or some other low status link – it’s authoritative content that adds to the usefulness of the web.

I’ve been recommending it for twelve years (it’s in my e-book people get when they start working with me) but has now become recognised widely enough it has it’s own proper name in the industry: reverse outreach.

It’s based around targeting journals and articles on high profile sites.

When a story appears in the mainstream press that relates to your industry, quickly write a post about it. Then find the story on news outlet’s websites (The Guardian, The Telegraph, etc.) and post in the comments section something similar to:

You know, I’m an expert in this industry, and have shared my thoughts here…

Then add a link back to your post.

The impact is twofold: an immediate boost in site visitors who see you as a field authority and a new relevant backlink from a major site.

Beyond instant gains, this strategy improves your page’s visibility when a similar story surfaces in the future, increasing the likelihood of your site being the go-to source for more information.

It’s a proven, enduring technique, valued by Google for its authenticity and contribution to the web’s usefulness.

 

In the realm of social media platforms, Google Plus was once considered a promising contender.

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However, Google officially discontinued Google Plus in 2019.

For website owners, this means it’s crucial to remove any lingering links to Google Plus from your site. It’s important to take action; here’s the steps you should follow to ensure your website remains up-to-date and optimised.

The End of Google Plus

Google Plus, introduced in 2011, aimed to rival other social media giants. However, despite initial enthusiasm, it failed to gain significant traction. Consequently, Google made the decision to shut down the platform in April 2019. While the platform’s discontinuation has been known for some time, it’s essential for website owners to remain vigilant and remove any outdated links to Google Plus to maintain a seamless user experience and optimise their websites for current search engine guidelines.

The Impact on SEO

As Google Plus no longer exists, any links pointing to the platform on your website serve no purpose and can potentially harm your SEO efforts. Broken or irrelevant links can negatively impact user experience, increase bounce rates, and signal to search engines that your website contains outdated or irrelevant information. To safeguard your website’s credibility and rankings, it’s imperative to conduct a thorough link audit and promptly remove any links associated with Google Plus.

Steps to Remove Google Plus Links

Removing Google Plus links from your website is a straightforward process. Begin by conducting a comprehensive audit of your site, paying particular attention to social media icons, share buttons, and any references to Google Plus in content or footers. Once identified, update your website’s code, content management system, or plugins to remove the Google Plus links. Don’t forget to check your website’s structured data markup and social media profiles to ensure they align with your current social media presence.

As Google Plus has become a thing of the past, website owners must take the necessary steps to remove any remaining links associated with the platform. By keeping your website up-to-date and removing obsolete links, you maintain a seamless user experience, safeguard your SEO efforts, and demonstrate to search engines that your website is current and relevant.

 

Page Indexing in Search Console

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Good morning Peter

When you come to do this month’s checks, please can you take a look at the Page Indexing in Search Console. We have a rocketing number of not indexed pages.

Digging deeper, it seems that a lot of the recent new Posts and Pages I have added have randomly duplicated themselves up to 23 times.

They all have suffixes of /page/ then a number ???

Actually I’m going to look at this for you right now. 🙂

So, a few things. It appears some of those 400+ redirected URLs of made up /page/# go back to 2021! I know during our time together you redeveloped the site at some point…by any chance was it around then?

Essentially Google is finding those /page/# links somewhere, following them and quite right seeing they’re being redirected to where they should be.

WordPress does that redirect by default, even on my site if I head to a blog post and add, say , /page/19 it will redirect to the correct post URL.

So the trouble with your site is that somewhere something is trying to link to those spurious URLs. It could easily be a theme issue and some problem there.

Some good news though – it really doesn’t matter. It’s untidy which I don’t like myself, but from an SEO point of view Google is simply informing us that there are URLs redirecting to other proper pages. It doesn’t hurt you in any way.

Yes I think the new site went live in spring 2021.

Also in the unlisted section, and Alternative page with proper canonical tag, they all have a suffix of ‘am’.

And in the Crawled – currently not indexed, most have the suffix ‘feed’ which has appeared?!?

Good news though, in the last 3 weeks I’ve added content to 270 of the case study pages and internal links incoming and outgoing so there is content there for google to rank now rather than just four or five images per page.

I have a constant stream of ideas and changes I want to do at the moment, it’s finding the time to do them all.  I have built a page cluster around a particular keyword and will follow that with others. Each will have 10 Posts pointing at the main Product page to build topical authority.

Also in the unlisted section, and Alternative page with proper canonical tag, they all have a suffix of ‘am’.
It’s ‘/amp’, which is part of how Google’s own Accelerated Mobile Pages system works. So that’s all doing what it should.

And in the Crawled – currently not indexed, most have the suffix ‘feed’ which has appeared?!?

Some of those date back 8 months – and again this is just how things work with WordPress and Google. There’s no problem though – Google is literally just saying “We’ve found these feed pages that we know you won’t want indexed so we’re not going to.” 🙂

There is something I can do though. The AMP pages we need to leave as is, but if you’re certain you don’t have any posts that are multi page (and would need the /page/#) I can force Google to ignore those in the robots.txt file. Same for feed pages.

It’s purely a cosmetic thing for us though, to make Search Console look as beautiful as possible.

Great news on the case studies – always remember the rule of thumb that you need 300+ words in paragraph format to get indexed.

Your content is really stellar – and you’re one of my few clients who actually commit to it – which is why you do so well!!

Cheers,

Peter Mahoney
WordPress SEO Expert

The Limitations of Automated SEO Scanning Tools: Embracing the Wisdom of Experience

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In the world of Search Engine Optimization (SEO), automated scanning tools have gained popularity for their ability to analyze websites and provide optimization recommendations.

However, when it comes to achieving optimal results, trusting the experience and knowledge of a seasoned professional with 25 years of hands-on expertise proves far more effective. In this article, we delve into the limitations of automated SEO scanning tools and highlight the value of leveraging the wisdom that comes with years of practical experience.

Contextual Understanding and Interpretation

Automated SEO scanning tools excel at collecting and presenting data, but they often lack the ability to comprehend the context and nuances of a website. While these tools can identify technical SEO issues and provide suggestions, they may not fully grasp the intricacies of your industry, target audience, or specific business goals. A professional with 25 years of experience possesses the knowledge and intuition to interpret the data within the appropriate context, allowing for more accurate and tailored optimization strategies that align with your unique needs.

Real-Time Adaptability and SEO Algorithm Updates

Search engine algorithms undergo constant updates, requiring SEO strategies to adapt in real-time. While automated tools strive to stay up-to-date, they may not always capture the most recent algorithm changes or accurately predict their impact on rankings. Professionals with extensive experience closely monitor algorithm updates and possess the agility to make swift adjustments to their SEO approaches. Their ability to navigate algorithmic shifts and implement effective strategies based on their knowledge of past updates can prove invaluable in maintaining a competitive edge.

Customized SEO Strategies and Targeted Solutions

Automated SEO scanning tools provide general recommendations based on predefined parameters and algorithms. However, these tools often fail to consider the unique aspects of your business, target audience, and competitive landscape. A professional brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise, enabling them to devise customized strategies and targeted solutions tailored specifically to your goals. Their ability to analyze your website holistically, understand your industry, and leverage their experience ensures that the optimization efforts are focused, effective, and aligned with your desired outcomes.

Optimization Beyond Technical Aspects

While automated tools excel at identifying technical SEO issues, they may overlook crucial aspects of optimization that extend beyond the technical realm. Factors such as user experience, content quality, branding, and holistic SEO approaches require human judgment, creativity, and a comprehensive understanding of your business. A professional with 25 years of experience can provide invaluable insights and recommendations in these areas, ensuring that your website’s optimization encompasses all essential components for long-term success.

While automated SEO scanning tools offer valuable insights, they cannot replace the depth of experience and knowledge that a professional brings to the table. Trusting the wisdom and expertise of an SEO professional with 25 years of practical experience allows for contextual understanding, real-time adaptability, customized strategies, and optimization beyond technical aspects, ultimately driving superior results for your website.

 

The Pitfalls of Bulk Backlink Purchases: Why Quality Trumps Quantity in SEO

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In the world of Search Engine Optimization (SEO), backlinks hold immense value. They serve as a vote of confidence from other websites, signaling to search engines that your content is reputable and worthy of attention.

However, the allure of buying backlinks in bulk can be tempting. In this article, we will explore the reasons why this approach is flawed and the potential consequences it can have on your SEO efforts.

The Illusion of Quick Success

Buying backlinks in bulk often promises rapid results and the temptation of shortcutting the painstaking process of earning quality links naturally. However, this illusion of quick success can have detrimental effects on your website’s long-term credibility. Search engines like Google are constantly evolving and becoming smarter in identifying manipulative tactics. Acquiring a large number of low-quality or spammy backlinks in a short period raises red flags, putting your website at risk of penalties or even being deindexed.

Quality Trumps Quantity

When it comes to backlinks, quality should always take precedence over quantity. Search engines value links from authoritative and relevant sources. Bulk backlink purchases often result in acquiring links from low-quality, unrelated websites, or link farms. These links lack context, relevance, and can harm your website’s reputation in the eyes of search engines. A few high-quality, organic backlinks from authoritative websites hold far more weight and can provide long-term benefits to your SEO efforts.

Negative Impact on User Experience

Bulk backlink purchases typically lead to links placed in irrelevant, low-quality, or spammy websites. When users encounter such links, it negatively impacts their experience and perception of your brand. If visitors perceive your website as associated with untrustworthy sources, they may quickly exit, leading to higher bounce rates and decreased engagement metrics. User experience is a crucial factor in SEO, and jeopardizing it through bulk backlink purchases can have long-lasting repercussions.

Sustainable and Ethical SEO Strategies

Instead of resorting to buying backlinks in bulk, focus on sustainable and ethical SEO strategies. Invest your efforts in creating high-quality content that naturally attracts organic backlinks from authoritative websites. Engage in outreach campaigns, guest blogging, and foster relationships with influencers and industry leaders to earn genuine, relevant backlinks. Building a strong backlink profile takes time and effort, but the rewards are long-lasting, leading to improved search engine rankings, increased organic traffic, and enhanced online reputation.

Conclusion

While the allure of buying backlinks in bulk may seem enticing, it is a flawed approach that can undermine your SEO efforts. Prioritizing quality over quantity ensures the long-term success of your website. By focusing on sustainable, ethical strategies for link building, you can safeguard your online reputation, improve search engine rankings, and establish lasting credibility in the digital landscape.

 

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