Aaron has created a great open source tool called Link Harvester (recently updated). This is a great tool for many reasons, and you can even grab the source code for the tool and run it on your own webhost. You must have XML DOM installed, however. For those that don’t, I have hosted a copy of the Link Harvester tool on an old site of mine. I’ll keep it up as long as bandwidth doesn’t become too big of a factor.
Firstly, I have to apologize for last week. I’m not really a blackhat SEO, just got caught in a weak moment of curiousity. This week, I’m takin’ a look at RSS - which has several great uses from general information dissemination to web development and search engine optimization. RSS has become an increasingly important part of how folks who are bombarded with information everyday communicate more effectively. I can read the updates to several dozen of my favorite blogs and forums through an RSS reader in much less time than it would take to visit all those places individually. Until quite recently RSS has been ad-free, though it threatens to be pimped like the rest of the web with the new addition of Google Adsense for RSS. I’m not really all that worried about it, since as citizens of this grand “lambaste you with advertising” country we are quite adept at ignoring unwanted solicitations. It’s probably a good thing to have another way for publishers to draw compensation as well. I can’t imagine it is going to have a great ROI for advertisers, but I guess ya never know until you try. (more…)
I really miss the days when Google dances were a huge event. Now, it really seems to be an ongoing flux until some major changes happen. It was much more fun when the toolbar, backlinks, and serps changed all at once and some actual analysis could be done. Now one can only whine, rejoice, or go back to work 
Maybe there will be more about to discuss about Google Update Bourbon available at a later time.
I was digging through some old bookmarks yesterday, and couldn’t resist posting my favorite site ever. Originally found them through an advertising on Adwords while doing some competitive research. Smile. It’s almost Friday.
Tag: Favorite Website
Another post on the death of SEO and how the game will change. Speak in heuristics and personalization, not algorithms and optimization. Think conversion and sales not traffic and rankings. Pagerank was flawed and the flaws are being remedied. The question is…how long has Trustrank been playing a role, and how will the increasing role of TR impact SEO? (more…)
What they do:
SEO consultants are generally project managers. They coordinate all aspects of website development and promotion for optimal search rankings. Clients look to an SEO consultant to provide input, and many times definitive answers on what the best methodology is to approach a web development problem for best overall results (combining user experience with search engine optimization). The best SEO consultants are actually Internet marketing consultants that can weigh the value of any potential marketing method versus another. They should be aware of business issues such as margins, return on investment, labor costs, time management, opportunity cost, and other related issues. They should also be able to understand user behavior (usability and conversion metrics), statistical tracking and analysis, and technical issues that impact all of the above listed concepts. SEO has been hugely successful to this point because there wasn’t a large NEED to measure a campaign. The opportunity cost of attaining high search engine rankings was far less for the relative value than any other method could hope to be. Most people could jump right in, learn 20% of what it takes to truly understand SEO and be successful (I am thankful to have been a part of that bubble myself), these folks were allowed the perk of being able to learn as they went. As has been demonstrated by web design and development, this is not a trend that is likely to continue much longer. As more people enter into search engine optimization, the opportunity costs rise and the relative value begins to fall into the range of other marketing methods.
A good SEO should know when when not to optimize as well. You can no longer just claim yourself as an SEO and make it so anymore by virtue of declaration. Ben Pfeiffer of Ranksmart has recently written a great article, “Why the Big SEO Company is Killing the True SEO†on this subject, and how many folks in the industry are cashing in on non-existent services, taking on more than they can handle and under delivering, and many other unsavory techniques that give the industry as a whole a big black eye. While I agree with a good majority of what is said in the paper, and I think this is quite damaging to the industry as a whole. I think the fact that there is less value in large corporate SEO actually has the potential to HELP the smaller SEO consultants that provide high value in their services, and can demonstrate high ROI for their clients. SEO consulting is a tough service to scale, as it is only as good as a combination of the the human resources driving the development, and the tools that they use for tracking and performing campaings. Big companies main advantage is that they have the ability to develop and utilize effective tools much quicker by absorbing tool development costs more easily than do one and two man SEO shops. Small shops have the ability to change with algorithm shifts more quickly, making them more able to consistently offer high return on their services (some large SEO companies STILL promote SE submissions and meta-tag optimization). Many of the large companies also lock themselves into using the same tools and techniques for an extended period of time, making them outdated at some point in the process.
How it might change:
Everyone knows that the SEO game is getting harder. SEO consulting will further develop into project management. SEO is a catchphrase that has become a cool way of saying “I delegate website responsibility effectively for optimal resultsâ€. SEO’s are responsible for understanding enough about all aspects of the web to make intelligent decisions. This means testing and implementing new techniques on a constant basis, and staying up to date with changes. As search moves closer towards personalization, and further from site based voting algorithms, the need to understand traditional marketing concepts will increase. SEO’s will be expected to understand personalized market segments in order to reach the customers that will convert best. It will essentially come full circle back to marketing to PEOPLE, rather than manipulating algorithms for maximum reach. If you can reach EVERYONE for the same price (as it is now), it is a good idea. As personalization increases, the cost to reach EVERYONE will increase as well, and it will be more important to target the RIGHT customers to remain profitable.
Favorite Resources on SEO Consulting and Web Project Management
Coming soon – The Last Segment on SEO Occupations:
Past Discussed SEO Occupations:
Notes by Admin:
I tried to stop him, but Mr. Ploppy got hold of a bottle of absinthe over the weekend and it’s been all bad mojo since then. He insisted on releasing this post despite asking him not to. He claims that he is just playing with these tools so he knows what he is up against, and I actually believe him because in his current state he probably wouldn’t have the mental capacity to use them anyhow. I urge you NOT to try these tools (or absinthe for that matter). Mr. Ploppy and those like him give folks that practice honest SEO a bad name.
There is a funny paradox that has evolved in SEO. SEO “ethics” have actually become a “unique selling point” rather than just standards. Is it less ethical to use cutting edge techniques that are not consistent with search engine terms of service than it is to take on a client that is in an industry that utilizes “darker hat” techniques in order to be competitive? Personally, I would probably not do either, but I like knowing what I’m up against if I take on a client in the mortgage, finance, supplements, metro travel, or high competition arenas. I want to be able to identify and diagnose the use of “blackhat tools”. There are a variety of techniques that are used in these areas that does not abide by the SE terms of service (though they often go un-noticed). Since, by virtue of BEING an SEO I will not fill out a spam report on a competitor, I want to know that I can beat a site with “legitimate” techniques, not take on the game at all, or start an affiliate program so someone else can do all the dirty work for me ;). Managing client expectations appropriately is definitely key to being successful. Taking 2k per month and telling someone they will rank for “home loans” in 6 month is *much* less ethical than spamming search engines in my mind. As the now oft quoted adage goes “Don’t bring a knife to a gunfight.”
Hmm, what was that quote from a Yahoo rep who shall remain nameless, about you not wanting to take a sword to a gunfight? IE, don’t expect white hat may work in an area heavily black hat. Perhaps, but I’d still like you to learn swordplay before handing over that assault rifle. You’re likely to hurt fewer people, plus you probably won’t blow your own foot off as fast :)” - Danny Sullivan from here.
Please don’t blow your feet off kids
Content Spam Tools
*Question to self…I wonder where the line for content spam will be drawn…perhaps at a 8th grade reading level?
Content Scrapers
Cloaking Tools
Cloaking Resources
Link Spamming Tools
Other Blackhat Tools
More Resources on Blackhat Tools and Search Engine Spam
Tags: Blackhat SEO, Search Engine Optimization, SEO Tools, Search Engine Spam, Blog Spam, Cloaking, Content Scrapers, Content Spam
SEO/ Internet Marketing Training
