Top 10 SEO Toilets of 2011

Talking toilets haven’t been around much of late, basically because I didn’t have enough time to write about bullshit. But Yuletide is a slightly less busy time of year, and I can focus on what I do best.

So without further ado, I present you the Top 10 Toilets of 2011 – a roundup of the biggest bullshit that prevails in the SEO industry:

#10 – <h1> Tags Really Matter

This is a nod to all those SEOs out there making pointless, worthless changes and then charging them back to the client. Stop worrying about microscopic detail and concern yourself with the bigger picture.

#9 – Just Keep Writing

I’m amazed at the number of blogs which are just copy – a white screen with shapes on that I probably can’t be bothered to read. We’re all guilty of it when short of time, but jeez, put something in to help the reader through your writing. Amazing how many bloggers fail with basic style issues as well – no bold, italics or subtitles. Please refer to this, failing that, start using some video and imagery, fast.

#8 – Google Webmaster Forum is Great

Seldom have I come across a more unproductive feedback session than this thread. And after giving them so much to go with, it obviously wasn’t the use of the h1 tag that had us utterly penalised.

#7 – SeoMoz Moan

I’m feeling a bit left out because I don’t have many moz points. Also, I fundamentally reject that ‘inbound’ marketing is always better than traditional media just because it’s free. It’s still a great resource, but don’t believe the hype all the time.

#6 – Industry Sexism

I read this post by Jane Copland this morning. Frankly, chat like that mentioned in the first paragraph in any context is appalling. And WTF is with this booth babes thing? I’ve never seen it personally, but I’d actually find it seriously off putting. SEO companies, you are not Zoo Magazine – don’t try to be.

#5 – Social Sharing is the New Links

Anyone who says this is wrong, and largely missing the point. It is highly unlikely that Google will give more weight to social sharing than links anytime soon. If it does, a search for car insurance will probably return more cat videos than meerkats. Love your links.

#4 – Black Hat SEO is the Spawn of Satan

Amazed by the number of agency workers who say they don’t use any black hat techniques. Hmmm, I don’t believe you. There’s always some form of manipulation that you can use to your advantage.

#3 – Google + / Twitter is Where it’s at!

If you’re in SEO and Facebook is an afterthought to Google +, Twitter, Pinterest and God only knows however many other smaller social networks there are, then you should probably consider jumping out the window. There are 800 million people on there, and it has the largest display network in the world. Do something!

#2 – Google Panda Ruined My Life

Good – I’m very glad your low quality site written by a fisherman in Thailand, who you paid $1 to write muddled English, no longer ranks for ‘how to get over your ex-girlfriend’. Panda is a good thing.

#1 – Learn to Code

Oh Lord! Here’s another ruby developer at a conference saying ‘SEOs should learn to code’ or that you’re not good at your job if you don’t know Python. I can get by just fine with some decent developers, and while I can speak their language, I can’t write it and I don’t intend to. I have no support team and I wouldn’t know where to start building my own tools – and why bother when there are so many good ones out there! Please, conference speakers, go look at some art work and think creativity can exist in SEO without the need to start outbuilding Google. Richard Shove – I salute you.