SEO Test

[Jim_Westergren]

Hi all,

I started my own SEO tests and you can see it on this URL:

http://www.jw-webbdesign.se/english/seo-test.html

It will be updated daily.

Feedback/suggestions is appreciated.

 

[edmarriner]

the second test should be good! (which url)

will look back

 

[bentong]

its a 404 page.

 

[Jim_Westergren]

its a 404 page.

Sorry, just changed web host. Now it is working again.

Small update for you guys:

Google has now listed 7 test pages. 6 of 16 from test number 1 and 1 of test number 2. MSN has listed two from test number 2.

Unfortunately it hit the filter as "similar pages" but I have remedied that now by adding more unique random Lorem Ipsum text to both title and body tag.

But for right now Google has listed:

#1: KW in domain
#2: KW as anchartext
#3: KW in title
#4: KW in URL
#5: KW spammed in meta tags (15 X)
#6: KW in meta tags

As for the second test about the URLs Google has listed the www.domain.com/word1_word2_word3 version and not the other two ones yet. MSN has listed www.domain.com/word1_word2_word3 also higher than www.domain.com/word1-word2-word3.

This already rises some interesting questions, meta tags maybe has a value after all? And why was not the other pages listed? Is really underscores better than hyphens in URLs?

Please note that this is only the beginning of the test and a complete analysis will be issued when it will be finished. MSN and Y has not yet indexed any pages yet and actually I would need more links to the SEO test page to speed of the listings of the pages, I could give links back, yes.

Will keep you updated as I assume there can be some interest about this on NP.

Feedback/suggestions is appreciated.

Thank you.

 

[MadMike]

Very nice test, I have bookmarked it
you should consider the link format: word1+word2+word3.html ... i have seen some sites (the "+" sign") use this technique and i was wondering if it accualy worked.

 

[Jim_Westergren]

you should consider the link format: word1+word2+word3.html ... i have seen some sites (the "+" sign") use this technique and i was wondering if it accualy worked.

Really?

Ok, I will add it to the test and we will see!

Anything else you guys want tested?

 

[Jim_Westergren]

SEO Test update!

Here is the latest update (day 5):

SEO Test number 1:
Ranking on different variables

Google rankings:

#1 KW in title but on a different domain (PR 4, DMOZ listed)
#2 KW in domain (My own experience shows that new domains rank very well for some weeks before going into the sandbox)
#3 KW in title but on a different domain (PR 4)
#4 KW in anchortext
#5 KW in title
#6 KW in body text 5 times extra
#7 KW in invisible text in body (5 X)
#8 KW in directory name
#9 KW in URL
#10 KW in meta tags
#11 KW in H1
#12 KW in H2
#13 KW in title but on a different domain (PR not updated, probably 3-4)
#14 KW in title but on a different domain (PR 4)

MSN rankings:

#1 KW in title but on a different domain (PR 4)
#2 KW in title but on a different domain (PR 4)
#3 KW in title but on a different domain (PR not updated, probably 3-4)
#4 KW in title but on a different domain (PR N/A)
#5 KW in title
#6 KW in body text 5 times extra
#7 KW in invisible text in body (5 X)
#8 KW in meta tags
#9 KW in anchortext
#10 KW in domain (MSN sandbox ??)

Yahoo has not listed any yet.

Conclusions (as per the test findings so far):

1. Google puts much emphasize on DMOZ listings.
2. Google consider KW in domain more valuable than in the title.
3. Google puts much emphasize on the anchortexts of the links.
4. Google doesn't penalize invisible text.
5. Meta tags DOES have a value in both Google and MSN.
6. H1 and H2 has been overestimated.
7. MSN puts much emphasize on titles.
8. MSN does not value KW in domain so much.
9. MSN does not value KW in anchortext so much.

SEO Test number 2:
What is the best way to write the URLs?

- Google prefers first "-", then "+", then without anything and then "_".
- MSN prefers first "_", then "-", then without anything and has not listed the "+" version.

Conclusion:

Write your URLs by using the "-" between the words as this is best for Google and almost the best for MSN. With Yahoo we will wait and see.

I'll post here again if I see some major changes but I think it will keep like this. I also miss the Yahoo data and will provide it as soon as I get it, as well data from new tests I will do.

BTW, if you need any help with SEO just PM me.

 

[chelsea]

Thanks Jim,
that is a good work, especially like the fact that you compare all SE so one can see what works the best for all.
I will wait a lil longer, but consider to make some changes to my URLs to test myself if ranking gets even better.

 

[Jim_Westergren]

Thanks Jim,
that is a good work, especially like the fact that you compare all SE so one can see what works the best for all.
I will wait a lil longer, but consider to make some changes to my URLs to test myself if ranking gets even better.

Thank you.

I will make a more complete and detailed report in about half a week.

In case you do change your URLs consider that you will first loose a lot of it so if you have high PR etc. then I am not sure if it is a good idea as the benefit is only a minor one. But if you change them, you HAVE to use 301 redirect to the new ones.