The simplest way of explaining why reverse engineering a Google algorithm is a false idea, (regardless of how good the pitch sounds) is that it simply cannot be done, it has never been done and it never will be done.
But the most important thing you need to know though, is that it doesn’t need to be done, because you are not required to understand the algorithm in order to gain top visibility on the search results page for your market.
What Do You Require?
You do require “understanding” of the processes if you want to be accurate and optimize your pages with both precision and exactness. However, you don’t need to worry about understanding how the algorithm works though.
Remember, the goal of your good SEO training is to totally eliminate the act of “mimicry.”
In other words, instead of doing a procedure based on what someone told you to do, you need to be able to understand and measure the true SEO influences accurately for yourself.
This is one thing we realized our SEO workshop students needed over all. They needed to move towards gaining a true understanding of exactly how the search engines work today but without being all absorbed in trying to grasp exactly how the algorithm keeps changing.
Your ability is to get any page optimized correctly based on knowing exactly what steps you need to take to:
- Optimize a page faster
- Getting it correct the very first time
- Save yourself hours of wasted time (saving time also saves you money)
- Building your business’s profitability as efficiently as possible and in short of a time as possible
Many so-called SEO researchers give you statistical data sets based on what they feel they are finding in their own “research.”
This type of data often is based on things such as algorithm details with breakdowns of technical aspects including things like keyword density, character counts, and literally hordes of information – all of which changes from month to month (and even from day to day) and are always based on exact search criteria, so it can alter from search to search and it’ll be different for each user, based on personalization.
Many typical optimizers will pay monthly fees and sign up for access to read all of these things, thinking that they can actually “reverse engineer” an algorithm. But so many times, these “researchers” load you up with details and then tell you to be sure to come back next month to see the latest changes and findings.
What makes it worse is that these notions are false and totally unreliable.
There are only just some simple truths to grasp, but once you have them you will never be caught wasting your time again.
How many times are these algorithm details breakdowns of technical aspects including things like keyword density, character counts, keyword prominence, all provided to you, but on the other hand, you are never even are told what the keyword phrases were that were being researched?
Why should it matter and does it matter?
Of course it matters because every keyword phrase is “graded on a curve” which changes (even for the same identical phrase) but can differ from industry to industry and it certainly differs phrase by phrase and also based on the competitive landscape.
Therefore the statistical data sets are completely useless unless you know exactly what keyword phrase is being tested and for what exact competitive landscape.
Pick any data set at all, let’s say for example, Keyword Density.
This refers to how many times your phrase must be used on a page. If someone is speaking in general best practices, they may ask “how many times that a keyword phrase should properly be used?”
Why this is impossible to answer accurately is because you must research that exact keyword phrase and know the industry. You cannot for instance say that your keyword phrase should have a keyword density of only 2% because each keyword phrase is graded on a curve.
Another tip these days, is to learn how to cast a much deeper and wider semantic net in your research. Instead of the old standard “keyword” considerations, you’re wiser to research “topics of interest” as well as your searching “user’s intent.”
Stop trying to measure one SEO influence at a time
Remember that you cannot measure one SEO element independently of all of hundreds of other elements. If you try, it will only result in inaccuracies because each and every influence must be measured all together in a very specific fashion because one influence affects all the other SEO influences too.
These are simple facts that many students of SEO have never before considered. We never get tired of trying to help our students gain the genuine understanding that they need for success.
Check out the Advanced Agenda of SEO Workshop Topics:
https://www.searchengineacademy.com/seo-advanced/