About this Video

• Video Title: How to Do SEO When You Don't Have Access to, Or Cannot Afford, a PBN - Episode 31
• Channel: Grumpy SEO Guy
• Speakers: Grumpy SEO Guy
• Duration: 00:38:11

Introduction

This podcast episode discusses SEO strategies for those lacking the budget or access to build a Private Blog Network (PBN). The speaker, Grumpy SEO Guy, shares methods he's used successfully for 14 years, focusing on free, albeit less effective, alternatives to paid strategies.

Key Takeaways

• Web 2.0s as a Budget-Friendly Alternative: While less effective than PBNs, creating a portfolio of Web 2.0 blogs (like those on WordPress.com) can still provide backlinks. However, this method's effectiveness has diminished due to past abuse by spammers.
• Challenges and Limitations of Free Web 2.0s: Fewer available platforms, difficulty in indexing (requiring multiple blog posts per site), and reduced link juice from search engine algorithm adjustments are significant challenges. Obtaining free email addresses without providing phone numbers also poses an obstacle.
• Building Effective Web 2.0 Blogs: The speaker recommends creating at least five posts (at least 400 words each) per blog, spreading them out over time to avoid appearing spammy. Contextual backlinks within the content are crucial, along with using varied anchor text and image inclusion. Internal linking between the created Web 2.0 blogs is also suggested, but not as effective as other methods.
• Pinging Websites: Pinging newly created Web 2.0 sites (using services like Pingomatic.com and Pingler.com) may help alert search engines to their existence, though the necessity of this step is uncertain.
• Iterative Approach to Backlink Building: The speaker emphasizes that SEO requires an iterative process. Starting with a smaller number of backlinks and gradually increasing them based on observed results is a more effective approach than trying to immediately achieve top rankings. Each set of Web 2.0s should only link to a single client's website.

Based solely on the provided transcript, here's a detailed plan to implement the Grumpy SEO Guy's Web 2.0 SEO strategy. Remember, the speaker explicitly states this method is less effective than using a PBN or authoritative blog portfolio and that its effectiveness has decreased over time.

Phase 1: Preparation (Email & Research)

1. Secure Free Email Addresses: The transcript highlights the difficulty in finding free email services without providing a phone number. The speaker suggests Tutanota.com as a potential option. Thoroughly research additional free email providers that do not require phone verification. You may need multiple addresses, as some Web 2.0 platforms may restrict multiple accounts from the same email.
2. Identify Web 2.0 Platforms: The transcript lists six platforms: LiveJournal (livejournal.com), Over-blog (over-blog.com), Weebly (weebly.com), Webnode (webnode.com), WordPress.com (wordpress.com), and Jimdo (jimdo.com). Verify if each still allows free blog creation and if they accept free email addresses from your chosen provider. Research additional free platforms that meet these requirements.

Phase 2: Website Creation and Content Development

1. Create Accounts: Using your acquired email addresses, create accounts on your chosen Web 2.0 platforms. Note usernames and passwords carefully; keep them organized (e.g., in a spreadsheet).
2. Content Creation: For each Web 2.0 site, create at least five blog posts, each 400 words or longer. Vary the length of posts (e.g., 400, 600, 700, 500 words) to appear natural. The content should be high-quality, relevant to your client's niche, and original. Do not create identical content across multiple platforms.
3. Image Inclusion: Incorporate relevant images into each post to improve the overall appeal and authenticity of the blogs.
4. Backlink Integration: In one of the five posts per site, embed a contextual backlink to your client's website. Do not use the first post for every site; vary the placement.

Phase 3: Linking and Pinging

1. Internal Linking (Optional): The speaker suggests linking between your Web 2.0 blogs to enhance indexing. If you create multiple sites, link contextually between them (e.g., "Check out Mike's blog for more information"). Ensure natural-sounding links; avoid overdoing it.
2. Pinging: Use the pinging services mentioned in the transcript (Pingomatic.com and Pingler.com) or find alternatives. Paste your Web 2.0 blog URLs into each pinging service and initiate the ping process. This step might be unnecessary, based on the speaker's uncertainty.

Phase 4: Scheduling and Monitoring

1. Phased Rollout: Don't create all blogs and posts at once. The speaker recommends creating no more than two or three websites per day and spacing out post publication. Create a schedule (example provided in the transcript), ensuring a natural posting frequency and avoiding a sudden burst of activity.
2. Monitor Performance: Track the performance of your Web 2.0 blogs using relevant SEO tools to monitor indexing and link juice.

Important Considerations from the Transcript:

• Limited Effectiveness: This method is explicitly stated as less effective than PBNs or authoritative blog portfolios.
• Spam Penalties: The risk of penalties exists if you don't follow the guidelines, particularly regarding contextual links and varied posting schedules.
• Time Investment: Building multiple high-quality blog posts requires significant time and effort.
• Client-Specific Sites: Create separate sets of Web 2.0 blogs for each client; do not link a single set of Web 2.0 sites to multiple clients.

This plan is based solely on the information provided in the transcript. It is crucial to understand the limitations and potential risks involved before proceeding. The speaker's own skepticism about the current effectiveness of this strategy should be carefully considered.

The transcript does not provide a quantifiable measure of "link juice" to expect from this strategy. The speaker explicitly states that the value of links from Web 2.0 sites has been lessened due to past abuse by spammers, and that this method is significantly less effective than using a Private Blog Network (PBN) or a portfolio of authoritative blogs. Therefore, predicting a specific amount of link juice is impossible based solely on the provided transcript.