Links are a key component of Google search. That’s why it’s so important to get it right.
Almost 10 years ago, Google released its Penguin update, a challenging time not only for marketers but also for businesses who had to wait almost two years before making a recovery. Let me say that again -- Google left these penalties in place for 2 years. Before this update, buying links was a common practice, but the Penguin update changed all that, prioritizing quality links over quantity.
What Changed with Google's July Link Update?
Google updates bring to light issues that may have flown under the radar previously. This is true of what we saw with the recent link update from Google at the end of July.
After this update, one of our clients experienced a dip in traffic. After taking a deep dive into the site, our team found that there were several links tied to a low-quality legal directory, an activity of a past vendor. Google deemed these links as spam with this update and penalized the site’s rankings.
It’s important to note that not all legal directories are created equal. Directories with a lesser domain authority can negatively affect your site.
Our Law.com Partnership
Big Voodoo recently launched Lawyerpages in partnership with Law.com, a new kind of legal directory that can help your firm combat link spam. Law.com is ranked as the highest in domain authority, backed by the power of 19 award-winning publications. An authoritative citation from Law.com’s Lawyerpages can increase the trust factor between your site and Google and help to boost your organic performance.
Know the Red Flags
If a vendor tells you that they can get you to the top in 90 days, they are likely doing so by creating a link spam network. While you may see success in the short-term, this approach will inevitably be detrimental to your long-term strategy.
Anybody who says they can do SEO fast should raise red flags. Penalties from Google can be severe. When you go for quick wins, you’re risking your primary digital asset: your website.
Doing it right takes time. Doing it permanently takes hard work. And it’s fundamental to a well-ranking site. There’re no magic or quick fixes to get your site there. Over the years, we’ve found that it takes at least three major Google updates to get your firm to the top of search or to figure out why you aren’t there and that takes about 9-12 months, done properly.
Contact us for a free insights report or to further discuss your digital marketing needs.