Search Engine Optimization Tips In 2017

WHAT’S THE NEW SEO IN 2017 – AND
BEYOND
SEO in 2017: Discover 5 SEO Tactics That Worked For 20+ Years…
Because What’s ‘New’ Is Just The Same Old Search Engine Optimization
From 1997 – Only Smarter!
“A week is a long time in politics” said British Prime Minister Harold Wilson. He might just as well
be speaking about search engine optimization (SEO).
Twenty years ago, I was (a kind of) expert at SEO.
Of course, back then it was far easier to get a website ranked on Yahoo or Excite or Alta Vista.
There were loopholes galore. I once exploited one of them to get any page to rank on the top of
Yahoo – in just 24 hours!
Of course, even back then, the geniuses behind these search engines were very quick to plug
those loopholes. They kept constantly improving their ranking algorithms. And when Google
entered the picture, this process speeded up.
Soon, it became really tough to find and deploy effective ‘tricks’ to get thin, content­poor websites
ranked high on search results. The only way past these filters was to give the search engines
what they wanted – value for their users.
For a few more years, one could game the system and sneak in a few sites past the spam cops…
but it took powerful tools, complex planning and great determination. Plus, it was risky – because
search engines now banned violators.
Somewhere along the line, most people (including me) chose to stop trying to bend the rules and
figure out how to play within them… to win great rankings for our websites.
Fast forward to 2017…
For a while, I had stayed away from SEO. Other than reading the occasional report on what was
the state of art and best practice, I barely did any formal SEO on my main websites.

The momentum from past optimization lasted a good 4 or 5 years before dwindling. By early
2017, however, traffic had slowed to a trickle. Websites that had once ranked at or near the top
on a Google search were now only found on page 3 or 4 or beyond.
And so I decided to get to work and fix things.
With a vengeance, I hunted out the best resources on SEO in 2017 and studied them eagerly.
You see, I was looking for something new. The secret sauce that worked like magic in 2017 – and
would continue to work for at least a few years more.
But although I covered most of the current and updated guides, reports and ebooks, it was
disappointing… because there was nothing new in them.
In fact, the more I learned about what’s effective in SEO today, the stronger was my realization –
that what the experts say works best now is almost exactly what I had done 20 years ago!
Before the ‘tricks’ and ‘loopholes’ – that search engines fixed.
Before the gimmicks and shenanigans – that they caught on to.
Before anyone had even heard about me or my passionate purpose.
Right back when I first got started online – with just 8 visitors a month, and gradually grew to over
8,000 per day!
History Repeats Itself
Back in the day, I had no idea what SEO was. Heck, I had little idea what ANYTHING online was.
With the aim of sharing something of value with others, I built a website on Geocities.com (and
later bought my first domain names). Added content to it. Tried different methods to inform people
about it. And by time consuming trial­and­error, hit upon ways that worked (and many that didn’t!)
And it was somewhat startling to realize that the methods that were successful in getting my
website ranked well in 1997 are the very same ones that specialists in SEO recommend even
today!
So it seems as if the more things change, the more they remain the same!
Let’s talk about these broad principles that, surprisingly, continue to be effective even two
decades later.
Deliver value
Get recognized for that value
Do it strategically to keep growing in value

What Works for SEO in 2017
… And Things to Avoid for SEO in 2017
Be THE Expert
It’s the backbone of all effective SEO – yet nobody talks much about it. Just think about this for a
moment…
If you don’t have a clue what you’re talking about, why should other people listen?
SEO aims to get your website and content ranked well on Google and other search engines, so
that many more people will see it. Unless you deliver superior quality and value, why would they
want to?
That’s why you should be an expert.
It’s the foundation of all good SEO strategy. When I built my first website on heart disease, I had
already been studying the subject for over ten years.
I was a specialist. My website shared that expertise. So SEO was easy.
My content was top class. It offered great value. Many people liked it. They linked back to it.
Search engines noticed, and ranked it higher. Easy­peasy!
Be THE expert.
Sadly, There Are No Shortcuts
What’s that I hear you say?
You: “But that takes time.”
Me: Of course it does. So get started right away.
You: “Can’t I just fake it till I make it?”

Me: Sure. But today, Google’s memory is getting better. If you try sneaky tricks and get
caught, it’s infinitely harder to get a second shot. The barely spoken of (but widely
acknowledged) “people rank” algorithm is rating YOU on several factors.
And if YOU qualify for the label of “bad neighbor”, everything linked to you gets tarnished.
You: “But I don’t want to wait for years and years!”
Me: Begin with something you already know about. And keep improving your skills,
knowledge and experience. That’s the only reliable way to get great results with SEO in 2017
– and beyond.
Backlinks Rule… But HOW You Get Them Matters
Getting links to your website is just as important in 2017 as it was in 1997. And the best
backlinks are the ones you EARN.
Back in the “good old days”, there weren’t that many websites around. Surfing the Web was a
favorite pastime. Finding gems in the rough was exciting. If I thought a website was fun, inspiring,
or taught me something new, I’d link to it from my site – and shoot the owner a quick email to say
so.
The guy or gal who built the site would be so curious to see who was the cool, smart, classy
person who recognized their true genius, that many would pop over to my site to take a look. If
they liked it, too, they’d link back to me – and tell me about it.
A backlink was a vote for quality.
Better websites got more backlinks. Search engines rewarded this by ranking them higher. It was
a virtuous, self­propelling upward spiral.
Sneaky, Shitty SEO
And then, a new era in SEO dawned. It was ushered in by sneaky thinkers. They owned shitty
websites, but wanted to rank them higher on search results. So they came up with a devious plan.
They contacted webmasters of other shitty websites. Offered to link to them, in exchange for a
link back from them.
They got lucky. Often. Y’see, there were always many owners of shitty websites who wanted
more traffic.
Soon, a backlink was no longer a vote for quality. It was just pay back for a link the other way.
And Google caught on quickly. Reciprocal backlinks were downgraded first, then frowned upon,
and later punished. Folks tried twists on the scam.
Triangular linking.
Link chains.
Web rings.
And later, entire PBNs (private blog networks).

Each was uncovered, busted and slapped by the big G. Today, an “I’ll link to you if you’ll link back
to me” strategy is almost SEO suicide!
Tim Berners­Lee, founder of the WWW, once called hyperlinks the “lifeblood of the World Wide
Web”. Sneaky thinking to cheat shitty websites into top ranks on SEs wrecked one of the most
powerful elements of the Internet.
But guess what…
Earned Editorial Backlinks STILL Work
What has changed over the last 20 years (out of necessity) is that certain kinds of backlinks have
been devalued.
links that are bought for a price
spammed links from irrelevant sites
links from low quality sites
links that are exchanged
over­optimized links that are clearly artificially acquired
If you pay for a backlink, or create them (even in bulk using automation software) on properties
you own or rent, swap them with fellow webmasters or engineer them to include specific keyword
terms and phrases, Google WILL find you out – and either downgrade the impact/value of those
links, or even punish your efforts to game their system.
But the pristine beauty of a once innocent Web is still retained.
When you publish a stellar piece of content that other people want to link to (like this one
you’re reading now!), Google will reward you richly with a higher ranking on SERPs (search
engine results pages).
Your challenge, then, is to
create great content
spread word about it (marketing)
make sure people link to it and tell others about it
Once you master this skill (and it is an art form, one worth learning), you’ve cracked the secret
code of effective SEO in 2017 and beyond.
You’ve earned those links – by delivering value.
That value is recognized by the search giant – as worth sharing with its users.
You’re rewarded with a higher search ranking.

But…
How can Google tell that a backlink is earned?
Great question.
Apart from the fact that Google’s tentacles extend “everywhere” online and can monitor almost
anything you say, write, do (and maybe even think!) online, it relies on some commonsense
patterns and rules to help make the decision.
Earned backlinks are, in general:
from relevant, related websites – why would a sports news website link to your article about
ancient Roman architecture?
from resources it considers “Authority sites”, based on past performance (which Google
has been monitoring for years – remember ‘People Rank‘!)
from actual websites with visitors and regularly updated content, not merely “set up for
backlinking” profiles or pages
diversified in anchor text – I mean, it isn’t natural for 100 websites to all link to your article
with the same word string, is it?
from “good neighborhoods” – not the slimy, shady, smelly corners of the Web where dirty
deals are closed
Now, before you say: “Ha! So if THAT’s how Google decides, I think I can figure out a way to…”
STOP Trying to Game Google
Google knows. Everything.
Just ask any kid or teenager. They’ll tell you. Whenever they have a doubt or question, they don’t
run to Mom or Dad or Coach or teacher for the answers any longer…
They pull out their smartphone and pull up Google to ask.
Why?
Because Google KNOWS.
You think just because you can hide your PBN domains on different Class C IPs hosted on a slew
of SEO­hosting accounts across geographies and use unique themes, proxies, writing styles and
languages to “eliminate your digital footprint”, you’ll now be able to load up your high PR network
with powerful backlinks to rocket your website to the top of Google?
Yes?
Bzzz…. WRONG answer.
Ain’t gonna work no more.
Listen, I’ve tried these tricks before. But that was over ten years ago. Even then, they only worked
for a while.

Today? Fuggedabaoudit!
It’s growing increasingly harder – and costlier – to maintain a truly anonymous private blog
network. And risker, too. When your network is busted, all your hard work goes down the drain.
If you still want to go with that plan, good luck.
You’re going to need it!
The wiser heads reading this will realize that party’s long been over – and that it’s time to buckle
down and focus on REAL SEO in 2017.
Oh, and while we’re talking about stuff that’s no longer worth trying to fool Google (and other
search engines like Bing), here’s a few more:
do follow blog comments, especially when they’re from spammy/spammed blogs with
massive numbers of OBLs (out­bound links), all with keyword anchor­text
links in blog footers and sidebars
automated backlinks generated using any kind of software
All these tactics had their heyday. Back in the 90’s and early 00’s. They’re over now.
Feel a tinge of nostalgia about them, if you like. But then, move on. It’s not worth lingering over
those memories any longer!
Relevance Matters – a LOT
An important twist (but one that’s not really surprising) is how valuable Google considers
“relevance” of a site from which you acquire backlinks.
Remember your website on ancient Roman architecture?
While you won’t get much credit for a link to it from a sports news portal, what will earn you
brownie points from the Big G is a link from History.com or Architecture.com or the Ancient
History Encyclopedia – sites that Google already considers respected authorities on the subject.
Here’s what’s even more interesting.
A link back to your Roman architecture website from even a lower ranked and relatively unknown
site on architecture – such as Alan Reed’s painting blog at alanreed.com or Legends &
Chronicles at legendsandchronicles.com – would be worth MORE than a similar backlink from
ESPN.com or SkySports.com
How can a link from a page with DA (domain authority) and/or PR (page rank) so high up in the
stratosphere be worth less than one from such an insignificant one?
The magic key is RELEVANCE.
Even a casual hobbyist fascinated with the times of Caesar, Spartacus and Hadrian will be a
better judge of “value” when it comes to Roman architecture – than the world’s best sports site
editor.

It’s commonsense. And that’s the secret sauce of Google’s ranking algorithm, too.
What’s more, it’s also natural for a website on a theme to link out to other quality sites on the
same (or related) theme.
Don’t Sacrifice Caution For Relevance
Getting relevant backlinks is the cat’s whiskers for SEO in 2017.
But don’t throw caution to the winds and rush in blindly. There are still pitfalls to high ranking. And
some popular SEO tactics fall into the “risky, even if they work” category.
One of them is buying expired domains with relevant topical Trust Flow – and redirecting them
to your site. Finding them is tough. But if you’re watchful (and lucky!), you might catch a break.
Building themed properties on Web 2.0 sites like Tumblr, WordPress.com, HubPages, Weebly
and RebelMouse for the specific purpose of linking back to your domain on the same theme was
once smart – but today opens you up to the possibility of a manual penalty.
SEO practices that fall under the heading of Gray Hat Backlinking are all somewhat risky in
2017. They work, but no one can tell for how long. And they all expose you to the danger of being
judged a “bad neighbor”.
Is that a chance you’re ready to take?
You decide.
Is Your SEO Ready for 2017 – and beyond?
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