Curious case of small business and SEO

[Brave7]

We all read the advice online: don’t build crappy links. Don’t use short term benefit tactics in SEO. But do we always heed that advice? Can we always afford to?

The latest reality check came in the shape of a small online business in the UK, Children’s Furniture Store (CFS). Jane Copland tweeted about an online letter in which they announce that, due to Penguin update, they are forced to close their business down.

This really got me. Firstly, I hate to see a small business go under. These people put their hearts and souls into the business and it breaks my heart to see them being closed especially due to changes in Google algo. Furthermore, it seems from their closing letter that they were a victim of bad SEO advice and that reflects poorly on all of us. We have enough attention seekers out there calling us out for asshattery as it is so I would rather be pictured as someone who helps small businesses rather than the one that puts them under.

A lot of people started reaching out to Children Furniture Store’s twitter account, offering help and advice. Unfortunately, it was too late for them; they have already started folding up their business and have ceased trading.

I am sure this is not the only case that has or will have happened. As a matter of fact as a result of my activity on twitter around this, I was contacted by another small business asking for help on similar issues. Other people I know encounter these situations on weekly basis.

So why is this happening? Who is to blame for this? A business is closing down, people are losing their jobs, we can’t just dismiss it as “that’s life” and “business is hard”. We cannot learn anything from this case and other similar cases if we do not take a hard look at all the possible culprits responsible for these situations and try to understand what could have been done to prevent this from happening:

Read the entire article at: http://www.seobook.com/curious-case-...siness-and-seo

This retain my attention:

These people put their hearts and souls into the business and it breaks my heart to see them being closed especially due to changes in Google algo.

My question to you is: Is Google a business killer?

[boon]

I wouldn't say it's a business killer...and I can't think of a business "having" to close because of an algo change. If people do unethical SEO it's a risk they are taking and it's their fault. If a small business hires someone to represent their brand (yes seo is representing your brand) it's the business's responsibility to get good representatives and have a general sense of do's and don't do's in that area.

[Brave7]

Originally Posted by boon

If people do unethical SEO it's a risk they are taking and it's their fault. If a small business hires someone to represent their brand (yes seo is representing your brand) it's the business's responsibility to get good representatives and have a general sense of do's and don't do's in that area.

It tooks only 12 years for Google to decide to hit spam links, right?

Well you have to define unethical SEO, because what was ethical 5 years ago is unethical today. How do you know that the owners are taking risks and if is their fault when guidelines are changed and broad.

Years ago when you hired a SEO representing your new brand, you didn't have the information of today, because a lot things in SEO were allowed.

The SEO industry failed to regulate themselves by providing decent information on how to select an ethical SEO freelancer or an ethical SEO company.

Why do you think I did my SEO myself for years? I gave the SEO job to a company that completly defrauded me and at that time Google didn't advise on how to select a good SEO company.

The must is what Google does by punishing businesses for what they have done many years ago when it was allowed, that's what Penguin is about.

The business responsability is to follow the rules, when the rules changes, they must adapt and comply, now if you are punished today for what was allowed yesterday, it is just a path to destroy businesses.

Why does Google just discount what are not factors of SEO anymore, rather than be evil and destructive.

[DexMatt]

Well i would say that Google is simply doing favoritism for some companies or push to pit more and more business so that PPC to be the best choice at the end of the day ( which is very good business for Google ).

SEO indeed was done wrong year after year many years ago, but it wasn't a very specific board for users then, so the actions now, can be lit bit not so fair.

They could've start a new algo, and said that from now on, this are the rules, perhaps some business would've still not be damaged so hard..

[Jim Gillum]

In any profession it is necessary to stay up to date.......

Read some of the SEO posts in the loosely moderated forums, posted by the SEO pros....
Or some here in the spam can...
Is it any wonder?.....

It is a shame that good people are made to suffer.....but..

It was only driven by an elderly lady once a month.......yeah...right...)

[Davao.hotels]

Always stick to the guidelines and never use SEO shortcuts that promise eternal sunshine and happiness. SEO, to get it done the right way and to reap the great awards, should be done with research coupled with skills to make it good.

[Brave7]

Originally Posted by Davao.hotels

Always stick to the guidelines and never use SEO shortcuts that promise eternal sunshine and happiness. SEO, to get it done the right way and to reap the great awards, should be done with research coupled with skills to make it good.

I will say it again:

What was ethical 5 years ago is unethical today. Guidelines are changed and broad. http://www.v7n.com/forums/online-bus...ml#post1899775

Google guidelines:

These quality guidelines cover the most common forms of deceptive or manipulative behavior, but Google may respond negatively to other misleading practices not listed here

•Don't use cloaking or sneaky redirects.

•Avoid "doorway" pages created just for search engines, or other "cookie cutter" approaches such as affiliate programs with little or no original content.

Google in action:

118 spam results indexed by Google

[aleenajoe]

Well doing unethical or black hat SEO can badly hurt you and penalize your website , i would suggest you to do white hat SEO it is slow but can help you in long term