Central Perk

sâmbătă, 29 martie 2014

How your competitors may be outranking you with black-hat SEO techniques

Posted: 28 Mar 2014 06:12 AM PDT

Black-hat SEO has been around as long as search engines, and many of the SEO techniques that were previously seen as white-hat and used by many, have gradually moved through the grey area to black-hat.

While many of these techniques are now likely to cause you more harm than good, it's frustrating to still see sites benefitting from old school black-hat tricks in a post-panda/penguin era.

Comment Spam and Track/pingback

This is something that we are all familiar with – you write a blog post and get lots of attention from people saying how useful they found it, only to find that their name appears as a suspicious keyword and they have added a link back to an unrelated website. It then becomes clear that the sole motivation for making the comment was for the link.

But the worst part about this is that, despite this form of spam being the main reason for Google to release the no 'nofollow' tag (which prevents any value from being passed through links), comment spam still appears to be working as well as ever.

Some examples

In the case below, the offending site ranks on page one for the term 'Karen Millen Outlet' – a brand that often has results removed after complaints are filed under the US digital Millennium Copyright Act. The exact same comment appears in over 560 posts:

I found that many of the spam links appearing on various blogs included terms such as "Louis Vuitton bags" and "Hermes Outlet". So, I did a quick search for "Hermes Outlet" and found this page ranking at number 3 http://chrisweaver.co.nz/hermes-bags-outlet-online-5179.asp. This page is pretty horrible, with a huge amount of keyword stuffing and a very poor design. It doesn't appear to have been live for long and has 566 backlinks that were built in the last 9 weeks, almost all of which are through comment spam.

While many of the linked sites above are no longer live, it's surprising how many of them do rank for the linked terms. For example, one site – sellyourcatsdirect.com ranks on page one for the linked term 'sell used catalytic converter'. Catalytic converters contain precious metals, so this industry is big business and black-hatters are cashing in.

HR Software

One particular area that I found has adopted this kind of spam is the HR software industry. For example, if you search “Pingback: HR Software” you will find hundreds of unrelated blog posts containing hundreds of spam links that point to a number of sites that succeed in ranking in the top positions for the term “HR Software”.

The same goes for spam comments. I searched “HR Software Says” “reply” (based on the format of a blog comment) and quickly found posts containing comments with exact match anchor text links to the same HR websites.

Payday Loans

Next, I looked at one of the most competitive keywords in search – 'Payday loans'. The number 1 & 2 organic results were: http://www.ocics.co.uk/ and gayhomestays.co.uk/

After clicking both of these results, I was presented with the same content, branded as 'Monkey Payday Loan' on different domains (although gayhomestays.co.uk/ redirects to http://www.discopaydayloans.co.uk/)

So, at this point, any users that aren't paying much attention believe they have landed on a website called 'Monkey Payday Loan'. After entering their details and clicking 'Get Cash', they are redirected to the real site – https://www.monkeypaydayloan.co.uk/ (which does not appear in Google's index), then after filling in your personal details you are redirected again to the loan provider via a referral link, so visits are tracked and commission is paid.

However, after checking again a day later, these sites were no longer ranking and had been completely removed from Google's index. I did some further searching and found that http://www.ocics.co.uk/ was previously 'The Oxford/Cambridge International Chronicles Symposium', and still has links from several Universities, which would no doubt have helped it to rank, based on their high authority.

I also found several other domains with the same 'Monkey Payday Loan' content, for example www.autovana.net, so I'm expecting this site to make a brief appearance in the same space in the not too distant future.

This is hardly a long-term strategy, but such a highly searched term is likely to generate thousands of pounds a day, so I'm quite sure that the spamming will go on!

To summarise

While this type of link building is still helping many sites to rank, it's only a matter of time before they are caught out, so we would never recommend making it part of your SEO strategy.

If you make genuine comments on industry related blogs that include real comments from others, then add a link back to your site (avoid messing around with the anchor text), but stay away from sites that accept suspicious looking comments.

If you're concerned that one (or more) of your competitors is taking part in black-hat activities, there are ways to report them to Google – https://www.google.com/webmasters/tools/spamreport although this isn't necessarily going to work, so don't expect them to be penalised instantly.

Please share your experiences of spam techniques that are still in use!

By Sam Gooch

The post How your competitors may be outranking you with black-hat SEO techniques appeared first on White Noise.

Seth's Blog : Looking for the sure thing

Looking for the sure thing

It's been done before, sorry.

It's never been done before, too risky.

It's too obvious.

It's too obscure.

It's too easy, everyone can do it.

It's too hard to launch, it'll never work.

Too indy, why can't you get backers?

Too mainstream, the man has polluted you, you sold out.

It's never been practiced, you'll do it wrong.

You've practiced it too much, it can't possibly be fresh.

Not here, this city/market/audience is too jaded.

Not here, this city/market/audience is untested.

The market has peaked, nothing goes up forever.

The market is dead, it'll never catch on...

Most bestsellers are surprise bestsellers, because there's no sure thing, at least not where we want to look for it.

• Email to a friend •

vineri, 28 martie 2014

Mish's Global Economic Trend Analysis

Reader Question on Banking System Insolvency, QE, and "Necessity"
McCain Wants More Weapons Delivered to Al Qaeda Rebels; How Do Warmongers Get Elected?
Outrageous but Highly Believable Rumor Involving Syria, Turkey, Kerry
Are You Minding the Curves? Sweet Spot is Likely Not Where You Think

Reader Question on Banking System Insolvency, QE, and "Necessity"

Posted: 28 Mar 2014 08:26 PM PDT

In response to Will Prices Rise Significantly When Velocity of Money Picks Up? reader Dave, a friend, noted that as the Fed jacked up its balance sheet, velocity has mirrored the curve to the downside.

Dave asks "Can't an argument be made that since much of the banking system is really insolvent, that the Fed increasing its balance sheet is necessary?"

"Necessity"

This depends on what you mean by "necessary" and more importantly, who gets to decide.

I am one of those who staunchly believes that banks should fail. More precisely: Banks did fail, but taxpayers bailed them out.

Was the last bailout "necessary"?

No - not to me. The world will not end if banks fail. Bondholders would have and should have paid the price. Who are the bondholders? In general, the wealthy own most of the assets, including bonds.

However, if "necessary" means in the eyes of central bankers, then yes – it was deemed "necessary".

It's all part of the moral hazard tactics of central banks that tells the "too big to fail banks" that no matter what they do, they will be bailed out, again and again and again.

Privatize the Gains, Socialize the Losses

Last time, Tim Geithner preached to Congress that financial Armageddon was right around the corner if Congress failed to pass a resuce package. Congress did pass a packages on the second attempt. Then Geithner promptly changed the terms of it to do what he wanted with the money.

Speaking before Congress, Bernanke said the collapse of Lehman was his biggest mistake. I suggest it was his only success. Over-leveraged financial institutions should pay the price for their folly, not overburdened taxpayers in general.

The poor bailed out the wealthy. The poor continue to pay the price in two ways.

Excessively low interest rates on deposits
Fed actions to drive up inflation when real wages do not keep up

Not only is that unnecessary, it's middle-class destructive. It's also conveniently disguised theft.

Mike "Mish" Shedlock
http://globaleconomicanalysis.blogspot.com

McCain Wants More Weapons Delivered to Al Qaeda Rebels; How Do Warmongers Get Elected?

Posted: 28 Mar 2014 10:53 AM PDT

Lawmakers Bash Obama's Delusional Syria Policy

In a recent post I noted Turkey Plans Military Intervention in Syria, Bans YouTube for Leaked Reporting. As a followup, please see Outrageous but Highly Believable Rumor Involving Syria, Turkey, Kerry.

Meanwhile, back in the US Lawmakers Bash Obama's "Delusional" Syria Policy.

U.S. lawmakers lashed out at the Obama administration's handling of Syria's civil war on Wednesday, demanding a stronger American response to the conflict and better communication from the White House about its plans.

Senator Robert Menendez, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, expressed deep frustration after Anne Patterson, the assistant secretary of state for Near Eastern affairs, declined to answer a question about strategy in a public setting.

"I have a problem with a generic answer to a generic question that I can't believe is classified," Menendez, a New Jersey Democrat, said during a committee hearing.

Members of the Foreign Relations panel in particular are frustrated by the administration's failure to do more in Syria, where 140,000 people have been killed, millions have become refugees and thousands of foreign militant fighters have been trained as rebels have fought to oust President Bashar al-Assad.

Arizona Republican John McCain, a frequent critic of Obama's foreign policy, called U.S. Syria policy "a colossal failure."

Secret Deals and the Failure to "Do More"

Once again McCain proves he is little more than a war-mongering puppet for the military "offense" industry. "Defense" has nothing to do with involvement in Syria.

Late January, Reuters reported Congress secretly approves U.S. weapons flow to 'moderate' Syrian rebels.

It seems that was about as secret as Turkey's secret discussion on intervention in Syria.

Rebel Infighting

And what are the rebels doing with the weapons the US sent?

Here is the answer: Syrian Rebels Fighting Each Other: Al Qaeda Clash with Rival Islamists.

The Al Qaeda-affiliated Al Nusra Front have sent an ultimatum to the rival Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) to cease killing fellow rebels or face "expulsion" from Syria.

ISIS have waged a bloody campaign against fellow rebels, whom they regard as being insufficiently devout, and are widely suspected to be responsible for the killing of Suri. They have become known for the brutal enforcement of their extreme interpretation of Islamic law in the territory they control.

While Julani admitted that some Syrian rebel groups were guilty of "takfir" (unbelief), he accused ISIS of indiscriminately killing rebels and labelling them all as takfir.

Infighting between the Syrian rebel groups has intensified in recent months, with ISIS and Al Nusra severing links and fighting one another for territory. While Al Nusra have tried to build links with other rebel groups, including more secular ones, ISIS have focused on religious purity and stamping out more moderate voices.

US Backing Al Qaeda "Moderates"

That's right. McCain wants more US weapons for Syria, perhaps even a US invasion (when dealing with war-mongers it is usually correct to assume war is the real goal).

Yet, those weapons either go straight into the hands of Al Qaeda or eventually end up in Al Qaeda hands anyway.

This is precisely the idiocy of the policy "The enemy of my enemy is my friend". Supporting the overthrow of one corrupt regime for another corrupt regime typically makes matters worse.

Clear Policy Statement

The US needs a clear, consistent, easily explained policy on Syria.

And I can sum it up in two words "stay out".

If we supply arms and the Syrian government falls, the next government is likely to be run by Al Qaeda or militant extremists, and McCain and his ilk will be back at it, hoping to overthrow the next government, or worse yet, invade Syria to impose our will.

Clearly, the only winning option is to not get involved.

How Do Warmongers Get Elected?

Given that it's crystal clear that involvement is a losing option, some might wonder: "How Do Warmongers Get Elected?"

Here's the easy to understand explanation: The "offense" industry supports any and every candidate that supports war. If you are a candidate against war, the "offense" industry will label you "weak on defense", then toss massive amounts of campaign money at your opponent.

Democrat-sponsored pro-union advocates get elected the same way. In fact, it is difficult to get elected if you do not take campaign bribes.

This explains why those on the outside want campaign finance reform. But, once elected, bribes come in from every corner. The newly-elected want to stay in power so they too take bribes. Campaign finance reform dies in the process every time.

Mike "Mish" Shedlock
http://globaleconomicanalysis.blogspot.com

Outrageous but Highly Believable Rumor Involving Syria, Turkey, Kerry

Posted: 28 Mar 2014 10:03 AM PDT

Normally I stay far away from the rumor mill. Typically, most rumors turn out to be false.

However, actions in Turkey suggest at least some substance to this rumor. Moreover, it's entirely believable. First let's tune in to what Bloomberg reports (which I also commented on yesterday).

Please consider Turkey Blocks YouTube After Syria Incursion Plans Leaked

Turkey defended its decision to block YouTube after a leaked recording of a meeting where top officials discussed a possible military incursion into Syria appeared on the site.

Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu today equated the leak to an "attack on Turkey's borders" in an interview with NTV television. Davutoglu said he had chaired the meeting with the head of national intelligence and other military and diplomatic officials to discuss how to respond to threats by Islamist militants against an enclave of Turkish territory inside Syria. Some sections of the tape were "doctored," the foreign ministry said in a statement yesterday.

The leaked tape is the latest in a series of recordings posted anonymously on the Internet since December, some of them allegedly from a police investigation, which have embroiled Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan in a corruption scandal and led to the departure of four cabinet ministers. It comes before weekend local elections, where Erdogan is seeking a victory that he says will lay to rest the allegations of graft.

Under fire since the corruption investigation burst into the open in December, he has purged dozens of prosecutors and thousands of police, as well as imposing media curbs. Yesterday's YouTube shutdown follows similar measures against Twitter last week. The government says some of the recordings were assembled by montage.

What We Know

The above is what is claimed by Erdogan and discussed by Bloomberg. We do know that Erdogan tried to shut down Twitter (but failed), and he did shut down YouTube.

He also called the leak an act of treason and refused to let media even discuss the allegation. What follows is the rumor.

Turkey Transcript

Here is the alleged Turkey Transcript involving a plot to invade Syria.

Select Quotes

Hakan FİDAN: But hear me out, we know how to put two and to together. Now, we know that what happens there has no real strategic value for us, besides the political outward appearance and whatever. Now, if we are going to enter a war, let us plan this beforehand and do it. Now, I..

Yaşar GÜLER: That's what we've been saying since the beginning.

THE FIFTH SCREEN

Hakan FİDAN: Now, what I can't accept is this: we are accepting the risk of using weapons for the sake of the Tomb of Suleiman Shah. It's 10 acres of our country's land and we are accepting to risk a war for it, for the *thing* of our 22-28 soldiers over there, for God's sake, how many kilometers of this country's land lie on the Syrian border? And we don't risk a war for for thousands of kilometers of land and the lives of millions of people? That's not logical! If we are going to use weapons, let's do it from the beginning. If these guys pose a threat..

THE SIXTH SCREEN

Ahmet DAVUTOĞLU: Keep this between us, but the Prime Minister told me on the phone that in this conjuncture, we count this (the proposed false flag attack on the Tomb of Suleiman Shah) amongst our options.

Hakan FİDAN: Commander, if we really need a reason, I'll send 4 guys to the other side, I'll get them to launch 8 rockets at empty places. That's no problem! If we need a reason, we can produce it. The thing is to show a mutual will for that. We are exerting a will for war here, and nevertheless we are making the same mistake as we always do, the mistake of not being able to think properly.

Feridun SİNİRLİOĞLU: I'll tell you this, it's 10 acres of land. 10 acres of land is a very strong casus belli in the international jurisprudence, also for justification if we do this operation against the ISIL, we'll have the entire world behind us. Have no worries about that.

THE SEVENTH SCREEN

Feridun SİNİRLİOĞLU: We need justification, justification.

Hakan FİDAN: I told you, I can produce justification if need be. Justification is no problem.

THE EIGHTH SCREEN

Ahmet DAVUTOĞLU: Many a times I've had amicable conversations with Kerry, he asked me precisely about whether we've agreed on a final decision on this strike..
....
This is translated by Doğukan Piyale. I am probably putting my life at risk, but the State never runs out of assassins, so if I'm going to die, I'm going to die anyway. I just wanted to serve the international community and my people by letting everyone know about these warmongering bastards.

Entirely Believable

I do not know whether that is an accurate translation of a real tape or not. But the fact is, it is entirely believable.

Moreover, shutting down YouTube, and then banning media discussion of the tape, while calling its release an act of treason, lends further credence to the rumor.

True or not, that something of this nature could be so easily believable says a ton about the corrupt state of global politics.

Mike "Mish" Shedlock
http://globaleconomicanalysis.blogspot.com

Are You Minding the Curves? Sweet Spot is Likely Not Where You Think

Posted: 28 Mar 2014 12:16 AM PDT

Curve Watcher's Anonymous has its eye on the yield curve again.

Over the course of the last year, and except for the close front-end, US treasury yields have risen across the board, and in some cases dramatically. This is what one would expect from a tapering Fed that is also discussing rate hikes.

However, the action in the last three months is not what one would expect.

click on any chart for sharper image

In the past year, 5-year treasuries have been hit the hardest (sharpest yield increase). That is not what one might expect from a strong recovery. And certainly a drop in the 30-year long bond is not what one would typically expect either.

Typically, when the Fed starts hiking or announces intention to hike, the long end of the curve changes the most. It did, until the beginning of the year. The following charts will help put things in perspective.

Yield Curve as of 2014-03-28 Monthly

The above chart shows monthly "closes" where the yield was at the end of the month. The current month shows the present value.

Yield Curve as of 2014-03-28 Weekly

The above chart shows weekly "closes" where the yield was at the end of each week. The current week shows the present value.

Symbols

$TYX: 30-Year Green
$TNX: 10-Year Orange
$FVX: 05-Year Blue
$IEX: 03-Month Brown

Since the beginning of the year, the middle and long portion of the yield curve has flattened dramatically.

The "sweet spot" for investors has been the long end of the curve. Those hiding in 5-year treasuries have been hit the hardest.

Given the Fed is holding the low end of the curve near zero, the typical inversion one sees in the yield curve preceding a recession is not going to happen. We could see the 5-10 spread invert but that would take some doing.

Regardless, this flattening of the curve is certainly not a sign of a strong recovery. Given blatant Fed yield curve manipulation, this may be as close to a recession warning that we get.

Mike "Mish" Shedlock
http://globaleconomicanalysis.blogspot.com

Damn Cool Pics

Very Scary Places

Posted: 28 Mar 2014 09:55 AM PDT

These places will keep you awake at night.

Source: 1, 2

The President Meets the Pope

Featured

The President Meets the Pope

Yesterday, President Obama headed to Italy, continuing his five-country trip across Europe and Saudi Arabia.

The President started off the day at the Vatican, where he had an audience with His Holiness Pope Francis. This was President Obama's first time meeting Pope Francis, and the two "had a wide-ranging discussion," the President said.

Watch highlights from the President's day in Italy and his meeting with Pope Francis.

President Barack Obama meets with Pope Francis for a private audience in Vatican City, Italy, March 27, 2014. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

3 Days: I'm a Republican, and you should get covered

Good afternoon,

I am a staunch Republican, a self-proclaimed Fox News addict, and I didn't vote for the President. And I'm here to tell you that Obamacare works. I'm living proof.

I'm a chemotherapy patient, and was previously paying $428 a month for my health coverage. I was not thrilled when it was cancelled.

Then I submitted an application at HealthCare.gov. I looked at my options. And I signed up for a plan for $62 a month.

It's the best health care I have ever had.

So right now, here's what I want to tell anyone who still needs health insurance, or knows someone who does:

Sign up. Follow the instructions on the website. Apply, and look at your options. You still have time, and take it from me: This is something you want to do.

I wrote a letter to President Obama this past February to tell him about my experience with the Health Insurance Marketplace. I hoped he'd read it, and he did.

I may not be a supporter of the President. But now, I get mad when I see Obamacare dragged through the mud on television.

And even though I regularly tune in to conservative pundits, I'd like to tell them they're getting it wrong. Obamacare works.

So one more time: If you still need health insurance, you have just three days to get it. Do what I did. Go to HealthCare.gov, submit an application, and pick a plan that works for you.

It just might change your life.

Mark D. Bearden, Ph.D.
Monroe, North Carolina

sâmbătă, 29 martie 2014

How your competitors may be outranking you with black-hat SEO techniques

How your competitors may be outranking you with black-hat SEO techniques

Comment Spam and Track/pingback

Some examples

HR Software

Payday Loans

To summarise

Seth's Blog : Looking for the sure thing

Looking for the sure thing

More Recent Articles

vineri, 28 martie 2014

Mish's Global Economic Trend Analysis

Mish's Global Economic Trend Analysis

Damn Cool Pics

Damn Cool Pics

The President Meets the Pope

3 Days: I'm a Republican, and you should get covered

Pagini

Persoane interesate

Arhivă blog

sâmbătă, 29 martie 2014

Comment Spam and Track/pingback

Some examples

HR Software

Payday Loans

To summarise

vineri, 28 martie 2014

Pagini

Persoane interesate

Arhivă blog

Subscribe to