Google makes changes to its webmaster guidelines
Google has made some alterations to a document that many consider to be a sacred text - the Google webmaster guidelines. Two statements have been recently removed:1. "Have other relevant sites link to yours."
and
2. "Submit your site to relevant directories such as the Open Directory Project and Yahoo!, as well as to other industry-specific expert sites."
This has caused some consternation in the SEO community; the Yahoo directory has been a starlwart in the SEOs link building armoury for many years. For Google to remove this piece of text suggests that this well-used link source has been devalued by Google. However, Googler John Muller had this to say in a Google Groups thread:
"I wouldn't necessarily assume that we're devaluing Yahoo's links, I just think it's not one of the things we really need to recommend. If people think that a directory is going to bring them lots of visitors (I had a visitor from the DMOZ once), then it's obviously fine to get listed there. It's not something that people have to do though :-)."
In my opinion Google are devaluing the Yahoo directory by removing it from the webmaster guidelines. But rather than making a slight on Yahoo, Google may be making a more general point about paid directories, which are, after all, paid links. It may be that Google is angling for a more coherent strategy regarding paid links, and this content change is part of that.
On the other hand, it could be a move by Google to discourage link building. This is backed up by the recent link-based entry in the Google webmaster central blog (see previous SearchPath blog entry) where it is stated that webmasters should "...not engage in mass link begging."
SEOs and SME owners should bear these possible trends for Google in mind when formulating their internet marketing strategies in the future.
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