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SEO Myths?

  • 29-07-2011 10:15am
    #1
    sticker
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,056 ✭✭✭


    Hi,

    Just wanted to pick your brains on a few SEO points that I hearing conflicting reports on...

    Does adding a "bold" aspect to a font's attributes increase Google's focus on text content within a site?

    Does repetetition of a phrase increase that phrase's potency in a site? Not overkill repetition, but say having 8 instances of a phrase over 3 instances...

    Any advise would be greatly appreciated!

    Many Thanks...


Comments

  • #2
    blue4ever
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,256 ✭✭✭blue4ever


    So much as its known, <em> and <strong> and other tags indicate emphasis/importance and will be 'recognised' by s/e, but how much store they place on it is not known. Some, I’d suggest but not that much weight as it rife for abuse.

    There has to be limits on the equation just in case every second word is bolded!
    In terms of your phrase, I'd be inclines not to repeat the phrase that often. In the first place it won’t (might not) read well and will look like stuffing. The s/e are very cleaver and see pages "thematically".

    So they will look at semantics and so should you. Genuinely, a great place to start is a thesaurus if you are looking for alternative to your phrase, but not simply repeating it.


  • #3
    tricky D
    Closed Accounts Posts: 9,700 ✭✭✭tricky D


    blue4ever wrote: »
    So much as its known, <em> and <strong> and other tags indicate emphasis/importance and will be 'recognised' by s/e, but how much store they place on it is not known.

    In the early days, it was 2x weighting same as h6, with h1 getting 6x (or 7x!?). These days the weightings are all super secret spy stuff.
    sticker wrote: »
    Does repetetition of a phrase increase that phrase's potency in a site? Not overkill repetition, but say having 8 instances of a phrase over 3 instances...

    Yes and No. Depends on proximity, phrase to content ratio/density, phrase treatment (heading, alt and the like) and some other factors. Be wary of overdoing stuffing and keep it fairly natural.


  • #4
    sticker
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,056 ✭✭✭sticker


    Thanks for the feedback blue4ever & Tricky D - much appreciated.

    I find it odd that there is a "secrecy" to effective use of code in the eyes of Google. Why shroud it in mystery? Shouldn't there be total disclosure so developers so they can effectively target the audience they wish?

    It seems a little odd to me that there are so many grey areas for SEO...


  • #5
    Pixelcraft
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 742 ✭✭✭Pixelcraft


    sticker wrote: »
    Shouldn't there be total disclosure so developers so they can effectively target the audience they wish?

    No! Google cares about the user's experience, not people trying to game the system


  • #6
    sticker
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,056 ✭✭✭sticker


    Pixelcraft wrote: »
    No! Google cares about the user's experience, not people trying to game the system

    Thats a bit of a jump from what I was suggesting... But thanks anyway!


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  • #7
    Pixelcraft
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 742 ✭✭✭Pixelcraft


    Yep, I wasn't suggesting you're trying to 'game' anything - but imo that's partially why


  • #8
    Andersy
    Closed Accounts Posts: 20 ✭Andersy


    sticker wrote: »
    Hi,

    Just wanted to pick your brains on a few SEO points that I hearing conflicting reports on...

    Does adding a "bold" aspect to a font's attributes increase Google's focus on text content within a site?

    Does repetetition of a phrase increase that phrase's potency in a site? Not overkill repetition, but say having 8 instances of a phrase over 3 instances...

    Any advise would be greatly appreciated!

    Many Thanks...


    It is important to bold your keywords, keeping them bold is known as emphasizing on it and you are right with this.

    But repeating a phrase is not good. Rather than this, use synonyms, and such related phrases which are searching by people. Tagging related terms are also important.


  • #9
    cormee
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,801 ✭✭✭cormee


    Links to a few interesting articles, from some very reputable sources, regarding keyword density http://www.delicious.com/cyberpunkdreams/keyword_density_myth


  • #10
    cormee
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,801 ✭✭✭cormee


    sticker wrote: »
    Thanks for the feedback blue4ever & Tricky D - much appreciated.

    I find it odd that there is a "secrecy" to effective use of code in the eyes of Google. Why shroud it in mystery? Shouldn't there be total disclosure so developers so they can effectively target the audience they wish?

    It seems a little odd to me that there are so many grey areas for SEO...

    You've got it backwards - the audience should be the ones making the decisions, not the developers.


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