In January 2014, popular travel website Expedia was severely penalised by Google for SEO techniques it was using. We look at why and how you can avoid the same penalties.

1. LEARNINGSEOLESSONSFROMEXPEDIA

2. WHATHAPPENEDTO EXPEDIA?
• January 2014 – visibility in Google drops by 25%
• Lost bookings and revenue
• Use of black hat SEO techniques caused the penalty
• SEO experts had highlighted that Expedia was getting away with using
these practices – Google had to respond
Read Bartosz Góralewicz’s article for more detail on their penalty.

3. WHATWEREEXPEDIADOINGWRONG?
X Distributing a WordPress theme with hidden links to their site
X Using link networks
X Paying for “do follow” links, e.g. advertorials
X Paying for guest blogs
X Listing on poor-quality directory websites
X Creating sponsored articles and press releases with “do follow” links

4. HOWDOI KNOWIF MY WEBSITEIS
USINGTHESETECHNIQUES?
• Rankings dropped/dropping – Google will penalise you
• Check through old reports to see activity from predecessors
• Conduct a backlink analysis to eliminate harmful links
• Commission an independent SEO audit with an expert

5. 3 LESSONSONWHATYOUSHOULDDO
Regularly review backlinks, e.g. every 3 months
Make sure any paid links are “no follow”
Understand SEO – read reports from your in-house
SEO team and/or agency
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2
3

6. 3 LESSONSONWHATYOU
SHOULDNOTDO
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2
3
Buy cheap SEO
Pay for poor-quality links
Think you’ll get away with it!

7. WANTMORE?
READTHEFULLARTICLE-HTTP://BIT.LY/1DWIJDU
IMPACTOFGOOGLEHUMMINGBIRD-HTTP://BIT.LY/1HZJDDY
HOWDIFFICULTISITTORANK?-HTTP://BIT.LY/1OJIVRJ

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