None of us know everything. Heck even most Google engineers don't know the full secret ranking recipe outside of their specific section. So we often go out seeking information which is a smart idea. The more we know the better we can limit our risks and increase chances of success.
Unfortunately, there are bunch of misinformed people that keep spreading bad SEO advice. I still discover people that swear you need to stuff the meta keywords. Ok, that is an obvious case of bad SEO advice. As recently as the Fred Update we have very mixed views. Some people are adamantly claiming it is more a link issues and others are claiming it is content based. Well, it is unlikely they are both right.
So here are some ways that I like to figure out which SEO people to ignore and which ones to follow.
#1 - Ask for data & varied examples to back up their claims. Some bad SEOs will make false assumptions due to a lack of data. They may find one example that matches their wild guess but don't take the time to see th 20 other examples that contradict their wild guess. Bigger data sets & varied examples help us to better uncover what is really happening.
#2 - Avoid excessive SEO bloggers/posters/tweeters. Ever notice how some people magically have unlimited time to spend constantly shouting online while you are super busy with your long to do list of SEO improvements? Too often those people have free time because they don't know how to make a site rank so they just whine & vent frustration. I wouldn't want to take SEO advice from a bankrupt SEO company with no sites & no clients to occupy their time.
#3 - Ask what they are selling. What a coincidence that link people, tend to blame SEO issues with link problems and content people tend to blame content problems. Too many people keep saying that you can solve your problem with what they sell so think twice before following their potentially biased views.
#4 - Avoid people with history of emotional complaining. We all know that Google is not our friend. Google is a for profit business just like us. Google's main objective is to make Google #1. Getting upset over Google doesn't make me more profitable. Staying cool headed helps me make rational & smarter observations. People that are very emotional usually say some dumb things that are too often just plain wrong.
What ways do you use to spot & avoid bad SEO advice?
