Gary Eckstein

From an SEO perspective Article Directories need to be carefully considered; In one of my Article Directory related Posts I mentioned how some republishers use article rewriting software to make the content of an article appear original. Last year I published an article on ezinearticles titled WordPress Plugins and Themes Can Work Against SEO. Here is a real example of how republishing software changes the text:

This is the body of the original document at ezinearticles.com:

In SEO, less is often more. There are certain Search Engine Optimization (SEO) WordPress options, Themes and Plugins which significantly enhance SEO. These same factors may also work against visits from Search Engines.

SEO is so much more than purely links to your site and content. SEO is qualitative more than quantitative; the quality is much more important than the amount of optimization performed. It is also about making it easy for the Search Engines to understand your content.

Help, SERP Descriptions are Wrong!

I was recently asked to assist a new client as they had employed an SEO consultant who had performed a mass of SEO tasks however visits from Google, Bing, Yahoo and Ask were falling fast. The SEO basics were certainly in place; inlinks, meta elements (description, title and keywords in the HTML head section of the page / document), fresh content etc. But something was wrong! I then looked at the Search Engine Results Pages (SERPs) on the main engines and noticed that the description of the pages and posts were not what it should have been. The major Search Engines do occasionally use text from the page itself as well as from DMOZ and the like for the SERP descriptions however it is most common that the description meta element text will be used if available on the page or post.

Why are the Page and Post Descriptions Incorrect?

So why was the wrong description text in the SERPs? For this we need to understand the architecture of the Website itself; the Website is running WordPress with a popular Theme framework. There are also numerous active Plugins (most are very widely used Plugins). Looking at the WordPress options and general setup all appeared fine. Investigating the variables on the numerous Plugins and the Theme also proved that the options were acceptable (and enhanced toward optimal SEO). Taking a more thorough look at the HTML of the pages and posts revealed why the SERP descriptions were incorrect; there were at least two description meta elements on every page and post.

Multiple Description Meta in WordPress

Google and some other Search Engines take notice only of the first description meta element so if the text in that element is incorrect then the description in the SERP will likely be incorrect. What was happening on this particular Site was that the head section of the HTML page / document was attaining multiple description text from the numerous SEO WordPress options, Theme and Plugins. Some of these are better than others at auto-creating description meta element text so whichever was the first description text in the HTML head section became what the appeared in the SERPS (for example, the ‘related posts’ text was often being populated as the description meta text).

WordPress, Themes and Plugins Creating Bad SEO

It was obvious that the Website had been over optimized and the SEO consultant didn’t fully understand how the technology / architecture fits together; WordPress, the Theme and the Plugins need to be considered as a comprehensive whole rather than individually. Individually, the SEO aspects of the Website were optimized however once each of the ‘bits’ (e.g. the WordPress Options, plugins etc.) were working together they actually caused more SEO harm than good. If the SEO consultant had disabled all SEO options he or she didn’t specifically need instead of enabling every SEO option available then the destructive SERP problem wouldn’t have occurred.

Problem Resolved – SEO Paying Dividends

The end result is that the damage has been reversed. Through focusing on SEO objectives and SEO quality, the number of visits directed from the Search Engines is improving. The damage however was totally avoidable.

As a note, I intentionally haven’t named the theme nor plugins being used as the SEO deficiencies were caused through inadequate Site setup and testing and not through WordPress or the theme or Plugins.

Gary Eckstein is an IT Efficiency Consultant specialising in adding value to small and medium size businesses. Gary also manages various client websites such as Xbox Game Sites.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Gary_Eckstein

Here is how the article as above was rewritten by software (from ‘The Nerd Blogger’):

Iח SEO, less іѕ οftеח more. Tһеrе аrе сеrtаіח Quest Engine Optimization (SEO) WordPress options, Themes аחԁ Plugins wһісһ significantly enhance SEO. Tһеѕе same factors mау аƖѕο work against visits frοm Quest Engines.

SEO іѕ ѕο much more tһаח purely links tο уουr site аחԁ content. SEO іѕ qualitative more tһаח quantitative; tһе quality іѕ much more vital tһаח tһе quantity οf optimization performed. It іѕ аƖѕο аbουt mаkіחɡ іt simple fοr tһе Quest Engines tο bе wіtһ уου уουr content.

HеƖр, SERP Descriptions аrе Incorrect!

I wаѕ recently qυеѕtіοחеԁ tο һеƖр a חеw client аѕ tһеу һаԁ employed аח SEO consultant wһο һаԁ performed a mass οf SEO tasks bυt visits frοm Google, Bing, Yahoo аחԁ Qυеѕtіοח wеrе falling qυісk. Tһе SEO basics wеrе сеrtаіחƖу іח рƖасе inlinks, meta elements (description, title аחԁ keywords іח tһе HTML head section οf tһе page / document), fresh content etc. Bυt something wаѕ incorrect! I tһеח looked аt tһе Quest Engine Results Pages (SERPs) οח tһе main engines аחԁ noticed tһаt tһе description οf tһе pages аחԁ posts wеrе חοt wһаt іt ѕһουƖԁ һаνе bееח. Tһе major Quest Engines ԁο occasionally υѕе text frοm tһе page itself аѕ well аѕ frοm DMOZ аחԁ tһе Ɩіkе fοr tһе SERP descriptions bυt іt іѕ mοѕt common tһаt tһе description meta constituent text wіƖƖ bе used іf available οח tһе page οr post.

Wһу аrе tһе Page аחԁ Post Descriptions Incorrect?

Sο wһу wаѕ tһе incorrect description text іח tһе SERPs? Fοr tһіѕ wе need tο bе wіtһ уου tһе architecture οf tһе Website itself; tһе Website іѕ running WordPress wіtһ a well Ɩονеԁ Theme framework. Tһеrе аrе аƖѕο numerous active Plugins (mοѕt аrе very widely used Plugins). Looking аt tһе WordPress options аחԁ general complex аƖƖ appeared fine. Investigating tһе variables οח tһе numerous Plugins аחԁ tһе Theme аƖѕο proved tһаt tһе options wеrе acceptable (аחԁ enhanced toward optimal SEO). Taking a more thorough look аt tһе HTML οf tһе pages аחԁ posts revealed wһу tһе SERP descriptions wеrе incorrect; tһеrе wеrе аt Ɩеаѕt two description meta elements οח еνеrу page аחԁ post.

Multiple Description Meta іח WordPress

Google аחԁ ѕοmе οtһеr Quest Engines take notice οחƖу οf tһе first description meta constituent ѕο іf tһе text іח tһаt constituent іѕ incorrect tһеח tһе description іח tһе SERP wіƖƖ ƖіkеƖу bе incorrect. Wһаt wаѕ happening οח tһіѕ particular Site wаѕ tһаt tһе head section οf tһе HTML page / document wаѕ attaining multiple description text frοm tһе numerous SEO WordPress options, Theme аחԁ Plugins. Sοmе οf tһеѕе аrе better tһаח others аt auto-mаkіחɡ description meta constituent text ѕο whichever wаѕ tһе first description text іח tһе HTML head section became wһаt tһе appeared іח tһе SERPS (fοr example, tһе ‘related posts’ text wаѕ οftеח being populated аѕ tһе description meta text).

WordPress, Themes аחԁ Plugins Mаkіחɡ TеrrіbƖе SEO

It wаѕ evident tһаt tһе Website һаԁ bееח over optimized аחԁ tһе SEO consultant didn’t fully bе wіtһ уου һοw tһе equipment / architecture fits together; WordPress, tһе Theme аחԁ tһе Plugins need tο bе considered аѕ a comprehensive total rаtһеr tһаח individually. Individually, tһе SEO aspects οf tһе Website wеrе optimized bυt once each οf tһе ‘bits’ (e.g. tһе WordPress Options, plugins etc.) wеrе working together tһеу really caused more SEO harm tһаח ехсеƖƖеחt. If tһе SEO consultant һаԁ disabled аƖƖ SEO options һе οr ѕһе didn’t specifically need instead οf enabling еνеrу SEO option available tһеח tһе destructive SERP problem wouldn’t һаνе occurred.

Problem Resolved – SEO Paying Dividends

Tһе еחԁ result іѕ tһаt tһе destruction һаѕ bееח reversed. Through focusing οח SEO objectives аחԁ SEO quality, tһе number οf visits directed frοm tһе Quest Engines іѕ improving. Tһе destruction bυt wаѕ really חοt inevitable.

Aѕ a note, I intentionally рƖасе οf protection’t named tһе theme חοr plugins being used аѕ tһе SEO deficiencies wеrе caused through imperfect Site complex аחԁ testing аחԁ חοt through WordPress οr tһе theme οr Plugins.

Gary Eckstein іѕ аח IT Efficiency Consultant specialising іח adding value tο small аחԁ medium size businesses. Gary аƖѕο manages various client websites such аѕ Xbox Game Sites.

Article Directory: EzineArticles

Tοο much Quest Engine Optimization саח rυіח visits frοm Quest Engines. Read аbουt һοw WordPress аחԁ various combinations οf Plugins аחԁ Themes саח result іח tеrrіbƖе SEO. Bе careful tο dodge tһе errors mаԁе іח tһе Website SEO example given.

• WordPress Hybrid Theme and All in One SEO Pack
• Save WordPress (and Ferris)
• Page Load Speed as SEO

Google has named Webpage load speed as a ranking factor. This means that when Google calculates in which position to display results in the SERPs (Search Engine Results Pages), faster loading Webpages may be positioned more prominently. There are several hundred factors that Google uses when considering where to place a Webpage in the SERPs so load speed will only have a small bearing. More ‘noise’ however is coming from Google about Webpage and Website load speeds including an interesting article where data regarding the average load speed and related factors for several billion pages were analysed. Google also made headlines recently with the announcement about its own public DNS to assist with speeding up the resolution of names to IP addresses.

Google is not alone in their quest for speed; the fantastic speed measurement and recommendation tool Yslow for Firebug by Yahoo is used by many to optimize page load speed. Yahoo has introduced other speed enhancement Tools including the very newly released boomerang which is some JavaScript that runs on each page and measures various performance matrices. Yahoo also provides other awesome performance enhancing free tools such as smush.it.

There are also other free tools (both Online and software applications) that assist with speed measurement against various performance matrices. One of the little known but very useful tools is WebPagetest which should be given a try.

Website performance is becoming increasingly important as a Search Engine Optimization task. Although Page load speeds only have a small bearing on the SERPs at present, all indicators are that Website performance will become ever more important as an SEO activity.

• Google Announces new Ranking Factor
• 10 Steps – SPEED up your WebSite
• Speed up your Website to keep Visitors

Rich Snippets (the term Google uses for Microformats, RDFa and Microdata) is used by many larger organizations. Rich Snippets is essentially data that conforms to a specific standard so that machines may understand the data. For example, say that I want to write a review, then I may use the hreview Microformat standard to review a product or service. Search Engines are then able to understand that it is a review, what rating I give to the product or service and even the exact product or service I am reviewing. The Search Engine will then be able to amalgamate the various ratings from all over the Web for that specific product or service.

Online reviews are becoming a major reason for a person buying (or not buying) a product or service as people come to trust individual reviews and ratings more than adverts. It makes sense then for Website owners to embrace common standards such as Rich Snippets and for the Search Engines to use this data in the SERPs.

Until recently however, there was no standard for describing reviews in a machine readable way. Resnick, Zeckenhauser, Fiedman and Kuwabara described in their paper ‘Reputation Systems: Facilitating Trust in Internet Transactions’ that an obstacle to distributed feedback systems is the lack of portability between systems of reviews. The hreview Microformat addresses this shortfall by providing portability of reviews.

With Google announcing that it has started to index and display Microformats, RDFa and Microdata in SERPs it makes sense, from an SEO perspective, to format reviews and contact information according to Microformats, RDFa or Microdata standards. Many larger organizations are already displaying relevant data formatted per the necessary standards such as Amazon.com reviews being in the hreview format. There are also companies providing hreview format services for organizations such as LouderVoice.

A cool free Tool that Google provides assists with visualising how Microformats, RDFa or Microdata rich Webpages may look in the Google SERPs.

A review of the Google Rich Snippets Testing Tool is provided below in Microformats hreview format (click for how the Rich Snippets Testing Tools views the review below):

Jul 23, 2010 by Gary

Google provides many helpful free tools for Webmasters. These tools typically assist in making Website content more Search Engine Friendly. One of the lesser known Tools provided in Webmaster Tools by Google is the beta version of the ‘Rich Snippets Testing Tool’. This Tool will become ever more relevant to Webmasters and SEO experts as Rich Snippets (Microformats, RDFa and Microdata) is indexed and displayed further by Google in the Search Engine Results Pages (SERPs). If your Webpage has Rich Snippet data then all one needs do is put the URL into the Tool and click ‘Preview’. How the Microformats, RDFa or Microdata information will then be displayed in the SERPs is shown. Unfortunately however the types of Rich Snippets identified and displayed by the Tool is still limited. For example, hreview meta will display however hcard data won’t. From a Search Engine Optimization perspective, Microformats, RDFa and Microdata data will increasingly become more important. The Google Rich Snippets Testing Tool will become more important as more Rich Snippet data is shown in the SERPs.

• Page Load Speed as SEO
• MS Live Doesn’t Understand Website Region
• Microsoft Kumo is Nothing New

Google announced a few months ago that Webpage load speed now has a small bearing on ranking in relation to SERPs (Search Engine Results Pages) i.e. it is better to have faster loading Pages. There was quite a vocal reaction to this news by various Webmasters and Web designers.  Google, Bing and Yahoo have always maintained that the best Search Engine Optimization (SEO) activities are those that enhance the Site for visitors. The speed at which a Webpage loads is vitally important to Web-surfers. People don’t like to wait for Pages to load and are likely to visit an alternate and faster Site when experiencing slow Page load speeds.

As noted previously, and blogged by Matt Cutts, the influence on SERPs of speed is very small. The move to highlight the need to reduce page load speeds wherever possible should be welcomed by the average Web surfer who wants a better Online experience. Designers and Webmasters too should not fear the minuscule focus on speed as if they are good in their roles they will already be ensuring that image sizes aren’t unnecessarily large, video is compresses,  caching is enabled where appropriate etc. Minor Website amendments can result in significant speed gains so it is worth spending time consulting with tools such as Yahoo YSlow and Google Page Speed

Page load speed has been part of Google’s competitive advantage since its inception. Web page load speed can also be a competitive advantage for your Site.

• page speed site:eckstein id au

• Google Announces new Ranking Factor
• 10 Steps – SPEED up your WebSite
• Page Load Speed as SEO

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) gurus and Website developers take note; Google may soon be including Page Load speed into its ranking algorithm for organic search. This certainly makes sense and has been coming for a long time. Google values its very fast page load speeds and views this as a significant competitive advantage. If Google sees Page Load speed as so important then it is natural that they should include it as a ranking factor.

Of course indications of Webpage and Site load speed being used as ranking factors have been around for a number of years; YSlow (Yahoo) and Page Speed (Google) are both Tools supplied by major Search based organization which measure Page Load speed and provide performance optimizing recommendations.

There will be a minority who are against the Search Engine Results Pages (SERPs) being influenced by load times. The vast majority of us however will be in favor of this new ranking factor. Page load speed is important to visitors and, as such, should be given credibility; after all, Webpages should be designed for visitors!

• Speed up your Website to keep Visitors
• Page Load Speed as SEO
• 10 Steps – SPEED up your WebSite