Comparing SEO methods – Google and Yahoo

Many of SEO-specialists are focusing on optimizing almost exclusively for Google, since they get the bulk of search engine traffic. And they commit one common mistake: theirs sites were excessively cross-linked, and some of them might have had duplicated content. But there’s been a little bit of controversy lately about some of those sites being penalized by Google. But! one of the things I have noticed is that many of those sites are doing very well in Yahoo. How and Why?

The reason is that Yahoo’s current algorithm is very similar to Google’s old algorithm, before Google started trying really hard to thwart SEO’s and affiliate marketers. This would explain why the sites are still doing very well in Yahoo. And while Google might still get a lot of searches, Yahoo is no slouch. If Yahoo gets half the searches done on it that Google does, then it’s still sending a terrific amount of traffic.

Yahoo! is more sensitive to on-page optimization than Google. One of the only flaws (and it’s a minor flaw) with some seo-copywriters’ materials is its focus on keyword density and on-page optimization. Off page factors matter much more than on page factors right now, and that situation won’t change anytime soon, as far as I’m concerned. It’s just so much easier to manipulate your on-page factors than it is to manipulate your offpage factors. Yahoo’s a big fan of having your keyword in the URL, but Yahoo’s results are heavily related to your backlink structure too.

I recommend to pay attention to what’s going on, and experiment with different things. Learn what’s working for you, both in Yahoo, and in Google, and don’t be afraid to try something different now and then.