I launched my new project, Estepona.Life yesterday.

The launch went well, and I got quite a bit of traffic via social media and the 50 newsletter subscribers I’d managed to collect.

I also submitted the site to Google via the search console.

This morning I received a few emails from Google about some minor indexing issues. This meant that the crawlers had visited and my site was already starting to get indexed.

So I jumped on the computer and started doing a few searches around some of the articles I’ve published.

And I was very pleased to see that the site is already doing pretty well in the SERPs…

The site only has a few links so far, mostly from WP Eagle and the estepona.life social media channels.

It’s early days, but it’s looking promising!

I had a really good chat with Ricky off the back of the recent drama.

See here, here and here if you need to catchup.

We talked about

• The state of Google
• Project24 and income school
• The future of making money online
• and lots more.

I want to talk about something that’s been on my mind lately: the importance of organic search traffic.

Even though it feels like everyone’s saying it’s harder and harder to rank on Google these days, I still believe organic search is the golden goose of website traffic.

Here’s the thing: traffic from organic search converts better. We’re talking about people who are actively searching for the information or product you offer, right there in buying mode.

It’s like the difference between stopping someone on the street to pitch them your latest gadget and having them walk into your store because they saw your window display.

Now, social media can be a great way to connect with people, but let’s be honest, it’s a lot of work. You gotta constantly be pumping out content, and even then, there’s no guarantee those scrolling through their feeds are actually interested in what you have to offer.

Studies show that organic search traffic converts at a much higher rate. Someone searching for “best air fryer for chips” is way further down the purchase funnel than someone mindlessly clicking through Facebook.

They’re ready to buy, and that’s gold for any website owner.

Sure, ranking organically might take some effort on your part – keyword research, optimizing your content, the whole SEO shebang. But trust me, the payoff is worth it.

Don’t get discouraged if it feels like Google’s playing hard to get. Keep at it, focus on that organic search traffic, and watch those conversions climb.

So, that’s my take. What are your thoughts?

Let me know in the comments below if you’ve got any questions about SEO or ranking higher on Google.

The decline of two of my project sites continues.

Here’s the latest graphs:

Seeing the decline it got me thinking about what sites have replaced me in the SERPs.

Watch the video to find out what I found.

Spoiler: There was a lot of Reddit.

The Google Core update continues to roll out.

And it’s now having an effect on my project sites, canyouwash.it and snackeagle.com

Here’s the latest:

Maybe they deserved it because Google has improved the search results page with much better websites and articles.

However, that’s not actually what’s happened.

If you take a look at my last article on this when I went through the SERPs for one of my keywords, you’ll see that they’ve been replaced with some terrible results.

Things like parasite SEO and crappy Pinterest images.

So, although Google has changed the results in a big way, they haven’t actually improved.

And maybe this is a good thing.

Hopefully, Google users will feel the same way and get frustrated with the poor quality of what’s being served to them.

Maybe this will lead to a fundamental change in the way that we navigate the Internet, reducing the dominance Google has had over us all for so long.

Maybe.

We can hope…

Google has just released a new core update. It hopes to improve the quality of the SERPs, which is necessary right now.

The effects are already starting to hit, with some popular SEOs reporting that a lot of their websites have been deindexed completely.

What’s going on?

To me it looks like Google has started taking out people that were very vocal about how they were using AI and Black Hat SEO techniques to rank well and make money.

People like Jackie Chou and Julian Goldie.

Julian especially was very public about how he was using AI to create huge amounts of low-quality, ‘spammy’ content very quickly. And this content was ranking, getting traffic and making money!

Google hates this!

And they needed to stop this. They needed to make an example of people doing this.

So they started slapping manual penalties on people who were doing this.

The effect was that entire portfolios of websites were completely removed from the Google Index.

But to be clear, this is humans at Google giving out this penalities. Not the algorithm.

Then, the Algorithm started to hit.

I recorded the video above a couple of days ago.

My two case study niche sites, canyouwash.it and snackeagle.com were doing ok at that time.

However, I checked my search console today (9th March 2024), and they appear to be in decline.

It seems to me that the SERPs don’t contain any smaller or independent sites anymore.

If I look at the SERPs for the top keywords of each site they look very different.

Here are the results for the term ‘how to clean ll bean slippers‘ that can you wash.it used to rank well for:

• The top result is the New York Times wirecutter with a small paragraph about the topic.
• No useful guide or anything.
• The next 3 results are YouTube videos which are quite useful.
• Next we have the large established site hunker.com which has a very short guide on the topic.
• Then it’s Pinterest with a completely useless image.
• Next up, it’s shoemgk.com, which is basically selling you their cleaning products.
• Reddit makes an appearance next without any real guides.
• Shoe MGK is back after Reddit with another page selling their products.
• Then it’s medium.com – and to me this is obviously a parasite SEO page just to get a link.
• Basically, all the results are horrible.

I guess it’s early days for the update and we’ll wait and see but it doesn’t look great for users of Google and small website owners alike.

Have you checked your Google Analytics recently?

If you have you might of spotted that you’ve had a bit of a traffic boost…

However when you look into it, all is not as it seems.

The extra traffic is coming from Poland! (not really one of my target locations)

When you drill down into where the traffic is coming from, it appears to be coming from some very suspicious-looking websites…

What’s going on?

I did some searching around online and it appears that a lot of others websites have also seen a sudden increase in traffic from Poland.

The main theory seems to be that a group of hackers in Walsaw have got hold of lots of Google Analytics IDs and are firing them on their servers.

This means that it’s not actually real traffic. Or even bot traffic. It’s fake traffic that doesn’t exist.

Why are they doing this?

No one really knows.

There are a few theories.

1) To boost their own exposure and rankings

By making their URL show up in Analytics reports it sparks curiosity and people ar likely to visit the websites listed. This in turn could have a positive effect on their rankings.

2) To hack or install Malware

This is probably the most likely reason. The websites look suspicious and they probably want to install something nasty on to your computer. Don’t visit these websites!

How to clean up your Google Analytics Reports

If you’ve been affected, your reports are going to be skewed.

Luckily, there is a filter you can use. Probably the easiest way is to filter out the traffic from Poland (unless, of course, this is usually a large percentage of your traffic).

You can find it at the top of most reports.

You can also stop Analytics tracking the sites in the future.

It’s buried away in the Google Analytics settings.

Find it in Admin > Data Streams > Your Stream > Configure Tag Settings > Show More > List Unwanted Referrals

Enter the domains that appear in your source / medium reports. The main one is news.grets.store

Queen of Niche Site Twitter/X, Niche Site Lady tweeted today that she’s been hit by a Google manual penalty!

A manual penalty is when a human at Google checks out your site and decides you’re doing something to try and manipulate the search results.

Niche Site Lady claims the link in question was from a ‘legit guest post’.

However, people often by guest posts to get a link – which is against Googles terms.

She says that traffic seems to be unaffected at the moment, but it will be interesting to see if there are any negative effects from this.

To fix the problem she’s putting together a disavow file.

This is actually something that Kasra Dash is helping me with for this site, wpeagle.com.

It turns out that for whatever reason (probably negative SEO, as I’ve not done too much link-building to this site), wpeagle.com has loads of toxic links!..

There will be a full video coming soon on how we fix this and the effects of it.

I was recently at the fantastic SEO Birmingham event where I was able to meet and learn from some high-level SEO People.

I’ve got 28 SEO tips and insights shared by the speakers on stage.

From Charles Floate’s Google’s first index theory to Nick Jordan’s content-centric approach, i’ve got you covered.

Charles Floates SEO Tips

1. Google’s First Index Theory: A Two-Year Odyssey

Speaker: Charles Floate

Charles Floate, the event organizer, dropped a knowledge bomb by introducing the concept of Google’s First Index Theory.

Essentially, Google assesses your website’s quality when it first discovers it and assigns a quality score that sticks for about two years.

This score only undergoes incremental adjustments as you make changes to your site.

2. Harness the Power of SERP Features

Speaker: Charles Floate

While crafting and publishing content, always keep in mind Google’s SERP features.

Think about:

• snippets
• site links
• images
• videos

These all play a pivotal role in determining your content’s visibility and click-through rates.

This, in turn, leads to better rankings and more traffic.

3. Multiple Links from the Same Domain: They All Count

Speaker: Charles Floate

Charles debunked the myth that multiple backlinks from the same domain offer diminishing returns.

In reality, each of these links contributes equal value to your pages, provided they point to different parts of your site.

However, Domain Rating (DR) does not aggregate in the same way. The first link provides the DR boost, while subsequent links from the same domain won’t further enhance your DR.

4. Unveiling Parasite SEO: Exploiting Trustworthy Platforms

Speaker: Charles Floate

Parasite SEO, capitalizes on trusted high-authority websites that Google unequivocally favors.

These trusted platforms, such as OutLookIndia and The Jerusalem Post accept guest posts if you pay.

You can leverage this strategy by paying for a spot on such sites, allowing you to promote your niche-specific content or even affiliate links. The result? Rapid rankings and commissions, particularly in competitive niches.

5. Google Data Highlighter: Precision in Structured Data

Speaker: Charles Floate

Googles Data Highlighter tool goes beyond basic schema markup, enabling you to meticulously specify various elements on your site.

By outlining page elements like titles, dates, images, and authors, you can ensure that Google will comprehend your site more effectively.

If you combine this tool with good schema mark-up you should be able to capitalize on googles search results features well, as mentioned in point one.

6. The Disavowing Links Dilemma

Speaker: Charles Floate

The age-old practice of disavowing links received a new perspective from Charles Float. While addressing toxic links is essential, he emphasized that Google likely doesn’t need your assistance in identifying good and bad links.

Disavow only when faced with a manual penalty and you’re certain that a specific link is detrimental to your site.

This perspective is not without controversy, as some SEOs have reported success with disavowals, but it underscores the importance of a holistic approach to link management.

Kyle Roofs SEO Tips

7. SEO as a Game of Probability

Speaker: Kyle Roof

Kyle Roof, an SEO luminary, laid out a candid truth: SEO is a game of probabilities.

Even if you excel at SEO, only about 50% of your strategies will yield positive results.

For SEO virtuosos, this figure may hover around 70%.

Understand that not every endeavor will hit the mark, and embrace the reality of SEO’s unpredictable nature.

8. Warning Signs in SEO

Speaker: Kyle Roof

Kyle Roof flagged critical warning signs in your SEO efforts.

If you spot any of the following, it could mean that your site is in SEO trouble:

• Your site ranks for new keywords, but you don’t seen an increase in traffic
• If your site isn’t growing and is just moving sideways on the search console graph
• If your engagement mentrics such as bounce rate are in decline
• Sites that have rankings just because of links

If your site does have any of these it’s time to take action.

9. The Keyword Golden Ratio (KGR) Lives On

Speaker: Kyle Roof

Kyle endorsed Doug Cunnington’s Keyword Golden Ratio (KGR) method as still valid and effective.

He also went on to say that when choosing keywords to create content for, don’t shy away from competitive keywords. You might be surprised on how you rank for them.

You caa find out more about Doug and the KGR over on Dougs YouTube channel.

10. Google’s Gold Standard: Quality Content

Speaker: Kyle Roof

At the heart of Google’s mission is the desire to serve users with top-quality content.

As an SEO, ensure your content aligns with Google’s mission by consistently delivering high-quality, valuable, informative material that resonates with your target audience.

This means creating content that delivers on the search term that its ranking for by delivering a high-quality, easy-to-consume solution.

11. E-E-A-T: Establish Your Digital Authority

Speaker: Kyle Roof

E-E-A-T, or Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness, is a cornerstone of SEO in the modern era.

It’s essential.

Google wants to identify the real identities and expertise behind websites.

Make this abundantly clear to Google by sharing comprehensive business and author information, updating your LinkedIn profiles, and establishing transparent connections between your website and your digital identities.

You’re also going to need lots of off-site EEAT. This means getting mentions and links on other websites within your field.

Kasra Dash, another speaker at Search Birmingham, recently shared a video on EEAT

12. Schema Markup: A Must-Have SEO Tool

Speaker: Kyle Roof

Kyle Roof extolled the virtues of schema markup, advocating its widespread usage.

You can easily implement schema with tools like Rank Math for WordPress.

Schema markup enables you to provide additional context to search engines, making your content more appealing and informative in search results.

13. Link Building: A Vital SEO Component

Speaker: Kyle Roof

For a growing and thriving website, natural link-building is essential. While your site will naturally attract some backlinks, engage in manual outreach and other link-building strategies to complement this process.

Some ways you can build links include:

• Guest posting and contributing to other websites
• Paying for placement on a website
• Creating content and posting it on social media, like YouTube
• Press releases
• Helping reporters and journalists through HARO.

Building a diverse and high-quality backlink profile remains a key SEO strategy.

14. Consistency: The Key to Success

Speaker: Kyle Roof

Consistency is the secret sauce of SEO success.

If you’re producing quality content and building strong links, don’t stop. Keep doing what’s working. Consistently. Every day, every week, every month; as often as possible.

Maintain your efforts, repeat your successes, and be relentless in your pursuit of your rankings.

Koray Gubur SEO Tips

15. Nothing is Random in SEO

Speaker: Koray Gubur

Korey Guba emphasized that nothing in SEO happens randomly.

If you experience ranking drops or page de-indexation, there’s a reason behind it.

Investigate, analyze, and pinpoint the root causes to take corrective actions effectively.

16. Google’s Cost Considerations

Speaker: Koray Gubur

Google evaluates the cost it incurs when crawling websites.

Optimize your site to be cost-efficient for Google by ensuring it’s easy to crawl, loads quickly, and provides clear schema markup.

Reducing Google’s costs can improve your site’s favorability in search rankings.

17. Topical Authority: Deep Dive into Niche Topics

Speaker: Koray Gubur

Building topical authority involves delving deeply into specific topics within your niche.

Instead of creating shallow content on various subjects, focus on comprehensive coverage of a single topic.

Ensure that your articles are interconnected, creating a network of authoritative content within your website.

18. Age Domains: Handle with Care

Speaker: Koray Gubur

When redirecting an aged domain, exercise caution.

Ensure that the destination site is content-rich and capable of leveraging the incoming link equity. Don’t just redirect to a half-built website with thin content.

Apply the philosophy around Charles’ First Index Theory before carrying out the redirect.

Aged domains can provide a significant boost, but their impact depends on the quality and relevance of the destination site.

19. Migrating and Rebranding Websites

Speaker: Koray Gubur

If you plan to change your domain name, URL structure, design, or content, Corey Guba advises a gradual approach.

Implement these changes one at a time, allowing Google to adapt and update its index incrementally.

Avoid overwhelming Google with multiple changes simultaneously to maintain stability during the transition.

Nick Jordans SEO Tips

20. Quality Content is Non-Negotiable

Speaker: Nick Jordan

Nick Jordan, a standout SEO expert, reaffirmed the pivotal role of high-quality content in SEO success. T

To produce exceptional content, invest in excellent writers and editors. Average won’t cut it; your content must outshine competitors to earn Google’s favor.

Nick stressed that hiring the best writers and editors is not an easy thing to do and will require a bullet-proof hiring technique something that he provides tool and services to help with.

21. Google’s Reliance on User Data

Speaker: Nick Jordan

Google heavily relies on user data from various sources like Google Analytics, Chrome, and Android.

It assesses metrics such as time on site, bounce rate, and user interactions to gauge content quality.

Ensure your content meets or exceeds Google’s user experience benchmarks. When content is published Google will gradually test your content by displaying on the SERPs for various keywords.

It will then measure CTR and other metrics to determine if your visitors are engaging with it.

22. The Writer Conundrum

Speaker: Nick Jordan

Nick Jordan painted a sobering picture of the writing landscape.

Roughly 95% of writers fall short of excellence, making it a daunting task to find exceptional ones.

When you identify exceptional writers, cherish and retain them, as they are your ticket to producing exceptional content.

23. The Best Writers Make the Best Editors

Speaker: Nick Jordan

Exceptional writers often excel as editors, too.

Leverage their skills by assigning them editing roles and allowing them to manage other writers.

This ensures consistency and maintains the high bar of quality across your content.

24. Embrace the Probabilistic Nature of SEO

Speaker: Nick Jordan

Remember that SEO success isn’t guaranteed with every effort.

Embrace the probabilistic nature of SEO, where only a portion of your strategies will yield positive results.

Maintain persistence and adaptability in your SEO approach.

25. The Imperative of Quality Over Quantity

Speaker: Nick Jordan

In a world flooded with content, your focus should be on producing remarkable, high-quality content rather than churning out sheer quantity.

Google rewards content that genuinely serves users and adds value to their search queries.

26. User-Centric SEO

Speaker: Nick Jordan

Nick Jordan underscored the importance of aligning your SEO efforts with user needs and preferences.

Prioritize user experience, deliver relevant and insightful content, and cater to the genuine intent behind search queries.

27. Consistent Improvement

Speaker: Nick Jordan

Success in SEO comes from continuous improvement.

Monitor your site’s performance, analyze data, and refine your strategies over time.

SEO is an ongoing journey of refinement and adaptation.

28. A Holistic Approach to SEO

Speaker: Nick Jordan

Nick Jordan’s content-centric approach reinforces the idea that SEO success hinges on a multifaceted strategy encompassing content quality, user experience, and data-driven insights.

Embrace a holistic approach to SEO, aligning your efforts with Google’s mission to provide the best content to its users and you’ll find that your website ranks well.