When going through a particularly difficult time of underemployment, I had a conversation with my dad. Whilst I complained and cried railed against the evil corporate system, he just sat there. He would nod once in awhile, just to let me know that he was listening. After my lamentation was finished, he looked me in the eye and asked the following question: “Do you know how often I quit this job?” Knowing that he had been employed there for nearly 20 years, I had to respond that I did not. He continued, “I quit several times a day. My first 3 years, I cried every single day. I didn’t have the option of quitting. I had a family to provide for.”
What does this have to do with being a whitehat? Well, our options are severely limited. We start out with less options for getting things done. While the other guys can build a script employing SQL injection, spam vulnerable .edu fraternity guestbooks and pour unmentionable things in Cutts’ Appletini beer at search conferences, we are “stuck” with content and link building. Our brains get fried, attempting to generate legitimate linkbait for a site that sells ketchup to Libertarian females. There are hours and hours of research for a ghost post about things that matter to maybe 4000 people on planet Earth (if that many). It can be downright depressing as we watch the other guys leap ahead of us with barely any effort (that’s not to say their spam server isn’t putting in some heavy kw hours). So, in the event that you are feeling sorry for yourself, let me inform you of one advantage you possess: The Manual Review.
Unlike the hats-of-a-different-color, you actually are able to welcome Google to your site. You get to roll out the red carpet and say, “Look at the quality post here, check out my excellent, one-of-a-kind resources there. Hey, I don’t even expect to be paid for providing this information. No Adult Friend Finder links here. There’s not even any AdSense. (Don’t mention that it doesn’t pay to be a member. That’s just rude.)”
So, how do you get a manual review? After all, Google has automated most of its reviews, and if you get a visit from a living, breathing, Search Quality Engineer, or *gasp*, “teh Spambusterz”, things probably won’t turn out too well. One way that you can get a manual review is submitting your blog to Google News. After all, if you are going to be considered more credible than “The Onion,” somebody has to check out the material you are kicking out and make sure it adheres to at least basic standards of quality.
What are the standards? It has to be quality content, mostly devoid of self-promotion, and needs to be newsworthy (at least to your industry or niche). Make sure you have a contact page and a separate page listing contributors, along with a short bio for each person. If you’re a blog, you have to disclose that. You might as well tell them, as they will quickly figure out that your article on “Needlepoint and Zen” isn’t going to move copies of “The Grey Lady.” (Although, given their current financial situation, you might have shot. I hear they are open to trying new things.) An added benefit is that properly formed permalinks give you an advantage over the standard news agency’s CMS. Congratulate yourself, as that may be the only war you ever win against Brent David Payne.
After a few days of submitting the blog I was writing for, it was cleared for takeoff. The very next day, I wrote an article that ended up garnering me a link or two from a PR4 to the blog. Finally, my hard work paid off. Real, honest-to-God, organically obtained links. No link requests, planned linkbait, or anything else . I just wrote solid content, and I received some really great links and traffic. New content has continued to receive pingbacks and links as well, and traffic to the blog has increased quite a bit.
Now, a word to the wise: Don’t go submitting a blog that is an RSS aggregated regurgitation of news from everyone else. Yahoo! Pipes already exists. This is not some “get trust fast” scheme. You have a better chance if you are providing content to a niche, and if you have a trusted domain. If you are providing commentary, or are doing op-ed, make sure you are linking to articles that are being quoted from. Give credit where credit is due, and if what you are saying is conjecture or opinion, state it up front. In short, approach blogging like a Journalism major would (unless that person is an intern at TMZ), especially if you want other people to consider what you have to say as relevant and newsworthy. I’m not saying that my writing is on the level of a professional journalist, but it is not anything that I am ashamed of.
Lastly, please don’t do anything that will make me the unworthy recipient of a Brent Csutoras’ “Shut The #&@$ Up!!” award. Seriously, watch the video, and then don’t make me regret that I wrote this post. It probably isn’t that mind blowing of a concept for most of you, but it was a complete head-slapper for me.
Oh, one more thing. When links are hard to come by, and your stress levels rise to the point of breaking you down, be reminded that there are others who think of giving up. Being a whitehat isn’t easy, but in the long run it is rewarding. We don’t have the option of quitting, either. We jump through the hoops for the love of our clients, their customer, and for the overall good of our industry. It also doesn’t hurt to remember that we have families to support as well.
P.S. If you feel ready for a manual, quality controlled review, you can click here to begin the process of submitting your content to Google News.
