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I believe Google uses the spam report to modify and fine tune the algo so when the next update comes around, they can weed out the bad guys. Only in extreme cases will Google take instant action on spam.
If you are in it for the long haul, spend less time worrying about spammers and more time building your own site. I've been there....
Jim
The great rattingfest is on - everybody ratting everybody - and the SEguys smile...
There's only one way to be safe: pay the engines and spam away.
You don't get awarded with higher PR from onsite stuff. They must have gotten some good links.
Which, since you're addressing Google, is far more important than any hidden text stuff.
Get yourself some more quality links, do a reasonable spam.. err optimization and you'll beat him all the way.
ITS QUITE EASY TO REPEAT EVERY KEYWORD AND PHRASE IN H1 IN HIDDEN TEXT!.
soapystar,
I think you are seriously under estimating the amount of time and effeort invested into pro quality spam. (If they jumped from 3 to 5 in one update, I would consider them pros)
There is far more to gain from studying competitive spam over time then there is spending time and energy playing the tattle tale game.
I keep seeing this or similar statements so I have to wonder if anyone is reassessing PageRank lately.
Case in point: New site, 2 months old. 10 inbound links. 2 From PR6 sites.
4 from PR4 sites. 4 from PR3 sites. Pagerank for the site in question? PR6.
Close competitor: 2196 inbounds. 52 links from PR6 sites. Well over a hundred from PR5 sites. PR for the site? PR5.
The theme for the new site is much tighter, the navigation structure is quite focused and anchor text is used effectively. The site links to no other sites except sites that share a similar theme. The site with the 2196 inbounds, links to myriad sites with varying content and with anchor text that covers the spectrum of topics the site links to. Both sites are listed in Yahoo, the new site however, the one with the measly 10 inbounds, isn't listed in ODP yet, the competing site is.
My argument is that there are indeed things you can do onsite to help with PR. Don't squander it. If the site in question were to change the content and switch themes, how long do you think that PR6 from 10 inbound links would last?
DG
If the site in question were to change the content and switch themes, how long do you think that PR6 from 10 inbound links would last?
For as long as those 10 inbound links remain in place, since theme and content -- while they certainly have a major effect on positioning -- have no effect on PageRank.
It is only logical that if you have a site about blacksmithing, that a link from a PR6 site about blacksmithing would count for more than a PR6 link from a site about candles. Since it is PageRank and not SiteRank, a link from the PR5 Anvil site might count for slightly more if it points to the Blacksmithing site's page on anvils. Still consistent with the overall theme, but focused on a page that matches specific content.
Since the toolbar PR shows only whole number increments people tend to forget that fractional increases might help positioning. </conjecture> If nothing else, maybe the discussion will lead to some more input from people that have sites with really tight themes. I'd like to hear some more input.
DG
In fact, I think Google is starting to consider theming more in their algo and since PageRank is integral in their process they have to apply theming to the PR factoring.
That's exactly where we disagree. PageRank is just one part of the ranking process. Theming can be a very important part of the determination of ranking while continuing not to be included at all in PR calculation.
It may change at some point, but there's no evidence now -- given both that Google's been relatively upfront about how PR is calculated, and that there is ready evidence that off-theme links build PR -- that theming affects PageRank; while, again, it does have an effect on a given page's rank for a given query.
Before doing that create more content and web pages with different keyword phases. When you have 10 golden keywords (phases) instead of 1 keyword (phase) you will have a different prospective on the situation.
There will still be some spam in the search engines but not enough to take up much of your time. When you discover one you will do what surfers do click the back button. Unless maybe they did something interesting.
And, the way to do that is not creating a web page with nothing but h1 text. I know somebody that tried it and it does not work :(
DG
You can see the Page Rank of any page you visit if you have the Google toolbar on your browser.
Just go to Google and download it from there - pretty much automatic installation.
For example in almost all of our keyword areas, some pages with much less Page Rank appear above us, and some pages with higher PageRank appear below us.
To me it is much more important to have good terms in your TITLE, as headers or bold in your actual text, at the top of the page, and maybe the bottom - and make sure you use your keywords in link text externally and internally. Finally make sure your site is themed. Only after that and you are a commercial site, then go looking for external links in - if you are an information site with quality original content, incoming external links will come anyway. In that case it is als important that your site name and site page titles reflect your keywords, as that is what external sites will mostly link to you with.
Small site, small number of quality links, high PR
Large site, large number of quality links, lesser PR
In other words, what is the difference in size and internal linking between the two sites? If "large site" javascripted all internal links to bring it to the same number of pages as "small site" then I would still bet that the PR would be higher for it.
Maybe the oft-repeated "add more content" is not necessarily right in a strict PR sense. "Add more content" if you are sure that the content will hold its own in PR terms by attracting its own links. This may well be difficult if you already have PR6. Otherwise you are diluting your own PR by adding content constantly (although you may well be adding more keywords and "attraction" to your site).
Edited for misreading of original post.
The PageRank is for a page - not a site. If your main page has a few good links from a PR6 then that page will be PR5 - whether you have no links or 500 links on that page
Surely there would be a difference in PR with your example, a) if that page linked to three others who then all linked to external sites, or b) that page linked to three others who then linked back to the original page.
