2012 SEO Update: Did Google's ''Panda'' or ''Penguin'' Updates Hurt or Help Your Website?

Let me first start off with saying I LOVE GOOGLE!   They offer an amazing variety of very useful and FREE tools that make our lives better.  I use Google EVERY DAY, and love many of their products, especially their Blogs and Calendars.

However, The Spring 2012 Google Updates changed the rules for traditional (and effective) SEO (Search Engine Optimization) tactics and strategies for ALL websitesm and a lot of people are asking themselves....."why do I always search using Google? (first)" 

On April 24, 2012 Google changed the way in which we know the SEO since launched a "spam update".  Called the "Penguin Update", it appears to be in some ways a modification of the previous "Panda Update".

THE GOOD NEWS: Many SEO experts feel that both updates to the Google algorithms were released to help eliminiate or at least reduce "Black Hat SEO Tactics" (cheating) and/or those site who follow unethical promotional tactics condemned by Quality Guidelines of  Google.   

THE BAD NEWS: These changes, in how Google analyzes and rates (ranks) websites, in a few minutes wiped out hours and hours of legitimate (White Hat SEO Tactics) search engine optimization work, invested over years, for many website managers.

Many people are complaining (loudly), especially over the past several months, that Google no longer supplies us with the "relevant results" that we've come to expect, and depend on, for years.

I, and billions of other internet users worldwide, have for years considered Google the BEST search engine on the web. It certainly has been, for the past several years, the most popular search engine in the world. However, perhaps the time has come now to look for alternatives?  If enough people turn away from Google and begin to rely on other major search engines, that may result in Google rethinking the Panda/Penquin updates.

Some other popular (and effective) search engines that
you may want to consider using include: 

We suggest you first look at the FACTS....check your website analytics (your web stats)and compare Summer 2011 to Summer 2012). It may show a significant change in traffic to your website (calls to your company) and a hard hit to your financial bottom line.


If your website has seen a decrease in listings, a drop in "your rankings"....and a decrease in your online generated revenue stream there is still hope for recovery.

To learn more about how Cole WebMarketing can help your website recover and overcome the "SEO damage" done by the Penguin/Panda Google updates earlier this year, please call us at 704-503-WEB1 (9321) for a FREE consultation.

NOTE: Cole WebMarketing, is a Charlotte, NC based website design, development, management/maintenance and internet marketing company that has been helping small and medium sized businesses nationwide create and/or improve and manage their online presence.

The REAL Truth About ''Search Engine Registration/Domain Submission Services''

If you have Registered a Domain, you've probably received a few (or many!) emails that start off or contain "doomsday warnings" such as "Registration Expiration Notice: ...inform you that it's time to _________ and failure to act may result in the cancellation of ________ making it difficult for your customers to locate you...on the web". 
Our 1st response is usually fear/concern - Legit? Spam? Scam? Our 2nd response should be suspicion - "money for nothing?"

IMPORTANT: Don't Miss the "Three Things You Should Know About Search Engines"
at the bottom of this Blog Post.

Recently a Cole WebMarketing client, based in Charlotte, NC forwarded an email to me asking for review and feedback.  The email came from @sellstones.com (Beijing, China registered domain), and was asking for $75 per year for "search engine registration/domain submission" services. It's a good practice to NEVER click on any link in any email you suspect might be spam or a scam, so I didn't click on the link. Most scams contain "fine print" and if the online order process is completed, the buyer (victim) often unknowingly agrees (in writing) to terms & conditions... that are almost always a good idea for the bad guy (seller) and a bad idea for the good guy (buyer).

Here's a screenshot of the actual email:

Three Things You Should Know About Search Engines:

1. Search Engine Registration/Domain Submission: although this type of service will often speed up the process of getting a brand new website ''into the system'', it is NOT required in order for inclusion into search engines.  Although Domain Registrations need to be renewed annually (or every 2,5, or 10 years), Search Engine "Registrations" for major search engines don't actually exist; therefore they can never expire!   
2. Search Engine Registration/Domain Submission: Search Engine Registration/Domain Submission is included at no extra charge (FREE) with all Cole WebMarketing website packages. As soon as a new website by Cole WebMarketing is "launched" (HTML Meta Tags revised to request/allow search engines to crawl/index pages), we submit your domain to the major search engines. Once your site is crawled and indexed by the "BIG 3" (Google, Yahoo, & Bing), dozens, then hundreds, then thousands of "minor" search engines will soon find your new website.
3. Overview on How Websites "Get Into" the SERPs (Search Engine Results Pages): GoogleBot, Slurp, and the other major search engine "spider robots" will  eventually find ALL public (and some private!) websites on the web, all on their own. Once they do, they'll check to see if the domain/website is listed in their "index" (files). If not, they'll usually schedule an "in-depth crawl" (visit each page of a website). Once crawled, they can "file" your pages in their index. Once filed, when a person searches for a company or particular product/service or keyword phrase, the search engine will serve up in the SERPs, what it thinks are the most relevant pages/websites based on the user query. With sophisticated automated search engines, such as Google; the more specific the query, the better the (search engine) results.

To learn more about our Search Engine, SEO (Search Engine Optimization), Website Design/Development, WebMarketing and related services, visit ColeWebMarketing.com and then call 704-503-7069 for a free consultation and quote.