Perhaps you've heard about private blog networks (PBNs to their friends!) as you've researched different ways to promote your blog? If you haven't, I'm going to explain what a PBN is so you understand the risks involved. We know that promoting your blog is an absolute necessity if you want Google … [Read more...] about What is a PBN and Should You Use One to Boost Your SEO?
How to Disavow Links in Google to Clean Up Your SEO Profile
If you've ever woken up to find a Google manual penalty in your Google Search Console account, you'll know precisely how devastating it can be. The effects of a manual penalty can see your pages booted down the search results with a corresponding painful loss of traffic. A common reason for … [Read more...] about How to Disavow Links in Google to Clean Up Your SEO Profile
How to Survive Google Algorithm Updates If Your Blog Get Whacked
As another Google algorithm updates search results, it's a time when website owners and bloggers start gnawing at their fingernails. The prospect of Google's fickle finger of fate pointing in our direction sends most of us into a mild, if not severe, panic. Google's algorithm updates are an … [Read more...] about How to Survive Google Algorithm Updates If Your Blog Get Whacked
Slow Blog? Find Out How to Use Google PageSpeed Insights to Check
I've posted previously about why page load speed is so important so I won’t retread those steps here. Suffice to say… it's a VERY important consideration for optimizing your blog for search. Today I'm going to focus on using Google's free tool to measure it. I'll cover how to use Google PageSpeed … [Read more...] about Slow Blog? Find Out How to Use Google PageSpeed Insights to Check
What is First Contentful Paint in Google’s PSI Tool?
If you've been asking search engines what First Contentful Paint is, you've probably been checking your page load speed in Google's PageSpeed Insights (PSI) tool recently and are a bit confused! Don't panic because I'm going to explain precisely: What First Contentful Paint is.How it impacts … [Read more...] about What is First Contentful Paint in Google’s PSI Tool?
The First 3 Months of Blogging: What Can You Expect?
This is a report for anyone who wants to know the reality of starting a blog. I've focused on the first 3 months of blogging in this post, based upon my own experiences of putting up the SideGains blog. It includes an honest examination of my activities and consequently the results of my … [Read more...] about The First 3 Months of Blogging: What Can You Expect?
What is Organic Traffic & Why is it Important? An Intro to “Free” Traffic
If you've recently started a blog or website, you'll be getting to grips with lots of new concepts. Today I am focussing on the one of the most widely coveted topics for any website owner: organic traffic. If you're not 100% familiar with this, I'll explain what organic traffic is so you're clear. … [Read more...] about What is Organic Traffic & Why is it Important? An Intro to “Free” Traffic
How to Submit a Google Reconsideration Request to Fix SEO Penalties
If you're reading this it's likely you have suffered a Google manual penalty and are looking to fix it. I have some experience in this having suffered, and recovered from, such a penalty myself (you can read about it in my anatomy of a Google penalty). I'm guessing you've tried to fix some of the … [Read more...] about How to Submit a Google Reconsideration Request to Fix SEO Penalties
What is the Google Sandbox? Is It SEO Fact or Fantasy?
So as the owner of a very new domain (ahem, this one) today I am going to talk about a very controversial subject… at least it's controversial for some. That subject is (drumroll)... the Google sandbox! The Google sandbox is an oft discussed beast, the existence of which is analyzed, dissected … [Read more...] about What is the Google Sandbox? Is It SEO Fact or Fantasy?
What are Search Operators & How Do They Refine Search Results?
How often have you made a basic search in Google or Bing and had way too many results? Perhaps many of them were not specific enough for your needs? Or perhaps the results are specific, but you need to drill down into them to find precisely what you’re looking for? There are special … [Read more...] about What are Search Operators & How Do They Refine Search Results?