Google’s interpretation of nofollow tags has changed
When nofollow tags were introduced by Google in 2005, they were a way to instruct Google not to count any link marked with nofollow as a ranking signal to the search algorithm – and also as a signal to Googlebot not to crawl or index any URL marked with nofollow. However, last year, Google published…
Google Ranking Factors 2019: SEOs have their say
When it comes to SEO, there are thousands of search experts the world over accustomed to sticking their finger in the air to see which way the Google algorithm wind will blow that week. With continual updates and some pretty monumental changes over the course of 2019, accumulating those thoughts to figure out exactly what…
Industry Watch: Measuring the impact of a botched e-commerce redesign
In this edition of Industry watch, we’re focusing the spotlight on ASOS. Yes, this is another website redesign gone wrong story. The shocking twist – somehow even the biggest online businesses out there struggle to get this right. Dislike Your New Look! – Yours Sincerely, Googlebot In December 2017 ASOS changed the look of their…
By focusing on SEO signals, Google sacrifices the quality of its local results
Dave was the most experienced bicycle mechanic in his area. He had run a successful workshop for 20 years. Dave wanted to allow cyclists to find his business online, and had decided to create a website for his shop. He read the Google webmaster SEO guidelines: “Create a useful, information-rich site, and write pages that…
What Changed in SEO in 2016
As Google release their Year in Search trends data, we at atom42 have started to reflect on the ups and downs, changes and trends that occurred in search in 2016, to better understand the changes, their impact and what it may signal for search in 2017. Below you’ll find some of the bigger changes to…
BrightonSEO gets emotional
When did SEO get so trendy? We’d hazard a guess that the audience at April’s BrightonSEO was around 70% hipster. We also thought it was the biggest & best BrightonSEO EVER, & Twitter agreed: What’s more, event organiser Kelvin Newman announced that September’s conference will be held at a bigger venue, the Brighton Centre, after…
Why mobile traffic is more important than you think
Mobile is on every marketer’s mind at the moment. Last month, Google released their new mobile algorithm, nicknamed “mobilegeddon”, so now we all have responsive, mobile friendly stamped websites… right? In addition to this, Google recently announced that mobile search volume now outweighs desktop in many countries. This is a real turning point for mobile…
For many businesses, natural SEO is anything but natural
Reece was the most experienced bicycle mechanic in his area. He had run a successful workshop for 20 years. Reece wanted to allow cyclists to find his business online, and had decided to create a website for his shop. Being the thorough businessman he was, he read the Google webmaster SEO guidelines: “Create a useful,…
How I got an interview with Rand Fishkin
Outreach can be tough. If you don’t go about it the right way, you’ll end up sending out a barrage of emails, only to be met with a muted or negative response from every single person you’ve contacted. Using this scattergun approach, you might think: ‘if I email 100 people, I’m guaranteed that at least…
Brands that are sweating out content during the World Cup
Think competitive rivalry during the World Cup is confined to the pitch? Think again. With the World Cup being one of the most reported events in the media and a global platform for fans, it’s no surprise that each year, brands pull out all the stops to leverage the event and connect with existing and…
