After several sleepness nights of trying to understand the big algorithm change, I realized that we may have been running around in circles, flooding the webmasterworld forums with questions, when all along, the answer may be just right under our noses.

A quick summary of the so-called Dewey update (for the sake of those non-SEOs who find themselves on this site because they’re searching for a pink gadget or something, blpht) :

• Drastic Google SERP movements were noticed starting late February to early March.
• Rankings and indexed pages across data centers have been fluctuating.
• Various affected sites dropped their rankings (from 1st page to 6th page)
• Some have got their traffic and ranking back, some haven’t.
• While Matt Cutts asked for feedback and offered to answer inquiries, there was not a word of confirmation or denial that the was indeed an algo update.
• Forums are endless, until now.

Turns out, this whole thing may simply be a case of penalizing bad linking patterns. The case study in Google Webmaster Help Forum (which started Feb 22) showed the same symptoms — all rankings dropped to about 6 pages down, causing traffic and revenue drop. Apparently, the diagnosis for that one particular case study — and let me just say it helped a lot that Matt Cutts came out to give his two cents — revolved mostly around the bad network of paid links, reciprocal links, and links from non-related sites (in this case, porn sites).

To make the long story short (lesson learned, definitely), Google may be simply improving their way of detecting bad linking patterns (not like we’re not aware of that little detail.) Hence, the tactics that used to work for you may not work anymore. So if you’ve been hit by what you thought was a “mean” algorithm update, then you may be doing something wrong — consciously or unconsciously. Are you buying links perhaps? Or relying too much on similar sources for links? Or sponsoring Wordpress themes?

Time to clean up those link profiles. And don’t you wait to be penalized before doing something. Prevention is, after all, still always better than cure.

As for “Dewey”, I think we better put that keyword to rest for now, before innocent people start reading about a Google algorithm change when they’re looking for dewey decimal systems.

The other day, my boyfriend told me how he bragged to his colleagues that his girlfriend is working at Google. (Cute, I know right, LOL.) I let him finish talking before telling him for the nth time that I don’t work at Google.

But I guess I can’t blame him. Before me, Search Engine Marketing was a foreign concept to him. Apparently, to his colleagues too, who were easily impressed, albeit unaware that it’s impossible for someone who’s in the Philippines to be working at Google. I mean, unless you’re Aileen Apolo, that is.

But yeeah, I know that’s the easiest way to explain things right? When you’re doing Search Engine Marketing, you’re basically kissing Google’s ass. And most people would probably understand the term “Google” more than they would recognize what a “search engine” is. Here’s me talking to my uncle from California who visited Manila last month:

Uncle George: So, Riz.. do you work in a call center?
Riz: Nope. I’m doing Search Engine Marketing.
Uncle George: *puzzled look* Uhm, what’s a search engine..?
Riz: Uhm, Google, Tito.
Uncle George: Ohhh, Google!
Riz: Yep.
Uncle George: You work at Google?
Riz: *give up*

Undeniably, one of the the most challenging things about this job is how you explain it to people who dare ask.

But that’s not the point of this post. The point is, Google, in its relatively few years of existence, has managed to define the concept of Search Engine Marketing.

Graph from Search Engine Land.

With a whopping 64% share of all internet “searchers” in 2007, Google’s, no doubt, one of the major reasons why there were rumors about a Microsoft-Yahoo merger, and the news-breaking Yahoo layoff, and the slow death of all the other struggling search engines in the web. And then there’s Ask.com’s announcement that they, too, like Yahoo, would be laying 40 people off their payroll and adopting a new strategy starting this year.

Hands down. It’s beyond comprehension how Google dominates this particular area of internet marketing life. Sometimes to the point of being.. tragic.

Hi. Two Saturdays have gone by, and there are still more Saturdays to come! Have yourself listed, who knows, you could be one of the chosen few to be given a slot. :)

(Pasig, Philippines. January 2008.) In recent years, the Internet has become a potent tool for selling products or services. It has also opened employment and income-generating opportunities to many Filipinos. So much so, Internet marketing has become the latest buzzword in the online sphere.

A series of seminars aims at sharing basic information on the creative and technical aspects of Internet Marketing. The “Internet Marketing Bootcamp” will run for six consecutive weeks from January 26 to March 1, 2008. Each session will be held from 8 a.m. to 12 noon at RCC Center, Shaw Boulevard, Pasig City.

IMB, Second Batch (January 26, 2008)

Some of the country’s Internet Marketing luminaries from U.S. Auto Parts Philippines (USAP) will discuss the key concepts and strategies on this emerging field:

• Michael Joseph Villar, USAP Affiliate Marketing Manager, will give a crash course on performance-based marketing, how companies and individuals can benefit from it, as well as the challenges confronting affiliate marketing.
• Alvin Jimenez, Email Marketing Manager, will present the email marketing campaigns and their relevance.
• Rico Sta. Cruz, Creative Director, will discuss the essential principles in Web design and how to apply them to the Web.
• Jennelyn Tabora, Copy Editing Supervisor, will talk about online copywriting and its crucial role in attracting and building readership.
• Gabriel Libacao Jr. and Rhiza Sanchez, Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Project Managers, will explain the basics of search engine marketing and how to convert visitors into sales and profits.
• Maia Nuguid, Senior Web Analytics Specialist, will discuss how Web analytics can help in assessing Internet marketing strategies.

Finally, Marc Hil Macalua, USAP Vice President for Marketing, will give the inspirational speech. Web Project Manager Elymar Apao will facilitate the Bootcamp sessions.

Left to right: Ely, Gabby, Rico, Alvin, Mikey, Maia, Riz
Hi, this is us. :)

The Bootcamp is sponsored by the U.S. Auto Parts Network, the premier warehouse of auto replacement and performance part brands in the United States. One of the leading players in the Internet retailing industry, U.S. Auto Parts ranks among the top 100 online retailers in the United States in 2007.

The Bootcamp is open for all professional bloggers, Internet marketing enthusiasts, or anyone who has a background in Internet marketing. Interested persons may send their updated resumés at elymar@usautoparts.net or glibacao@mbsautomotive.com. Qualified applicants will be informed via a confirmation email.

Participants are encouraged to bring their resumes as a Job Fair will closely follow each seminar.

For further details, please visit the following sites:
US Auto Parts Internet Marketing Bootcamp
US Auto Parts Job Listing

Contact Persons:
Elymar Apao
elymar@usautoparts.net

Gabriel Libacao Jr.
glibacao@mbsautomotive.com