Barracuda is a London-based search marketing agency that has been operating since 2000. They discuss how search engine optimization and Google's algorithms have changed over the past 10 years. Previously, SEO involved buying links and creating anchor text-rich links, but Google has since cracked down on these practices. The presentation emphasizes that SEO now requires a thorough backlink audit, high-quality content creation following specific rules, and editorially-driven link building rather than manipulative tactics. Proper on-page optimization and measuring success through various metrics beyond rankings are also recommended.

1. Figaro Digital Search Seminar,
Dec 2014
“Now and then” –
Google & SEO over
the past 10 years
(plus a bit…)

2. Who Are Barracuda ?
 London based Search Marketing Agency
 Since 2000
 28 strong team
 Recognised by our peers for expertise and
innovation within SEO
 Huge cross sector experience, both B2B and B2C
 Blend of best in class and proprietary technology,
including our own Panguin Algorithm analysis tool

3. Panguin Tool
 http://www.barracuda-digital.co.uk/panguin-tool/
 Easy analysis of impact of algorithm updates on YOUR site
 Linked to your Google Analytics
 Free, and doesn’t collect any data

4. Some of our clients

5. Now and then – Google 10 years on
 Some trends as to the direction of travel for SEO
 Based on agency and personal experience

6. First, some history…
 1995 – Larry Page and Sergey Brin meet on Stanford Computer Science
PHD
 1996 Invent “Back Rub”, later renamed Google

7. Page Rank
 Named after Larry Page
 Still the underpinning principle of the algorithm, despite subsequent
evolution
• Based on the academic “citation” principle
We assume page A has pages T1...Tn which point to it (i.e., are citations). The parameter d
is a damping factor which can be set between 0 and 1. We usually set d to 0.85. There are
more details about d in the next section. Also C(A) is defined as the number of links going
out of page A. The PageRank of a page A is given as follows:
PR(A) = (1-d) + d (PR(T1)/C(T1) + ... + PR(Tn)/C(Tn))
Note that the PageRanks form a probability distribution over web pages, so the sum of
all web pages' PageRanks will be one.
PageRank or PR(A) can be calculated using a simple iterative algorithm, and corresponds
to the principal eigenvector of the normalized link matrix of the web.

8. Google in 2000

9. Google in 2000

10. Google in 2000

11. Google in 2004

12. Google in 2014

13. So, what about SEO…?
 The fundamental principle of Page Rank still exists
 But the details of this have changed hugely….

14. So, what about SEO…?
Thanks to Searchenginewatch

15. So, what about SEO…?

16. So, SEO – what were we doing then ?

17. So, SEO – what were we doing then ?

18. Things everyone was doing
 Buying links
 Sitewide links
 Anchor text rich links
 Text links embedded in widgets

19. What does that mean ?

20. Actually it means
 There’s just some history…
 So, a thorough backlink audit should be the starting point of any SEO
campaign
 Supported by technology, but you can’t get away from manual review
 Regular update of a disavow file

21. First, some history…
Thanks to Moz

22. Thanks to Moz

23. So, what’s the takeaway from all that ?
 If you have site level issues, address them
 It really is about content
 But, even the best content doesn’t outreach itself….
 What didn’t exist in 2004 ?
- Mobile (well, kind of….)
- Personalisation
- Mark ups

24. And what SHOULDN’T we be doing in 2014…?

25. And what SHOULDN’T we be doing in 2014…?

26. And what SHOULDN’T we be doing in 2014…?

27. And what SHOULDN’T we be doing in 2014…?

28. And what SHOULDN’T we be doing in 2014…?
Thanks to Moz

29. What should we be doing…?
 Paying proper attention to site level SEO
 Measuring success through means other than rankings
 Proper, editorially driven link acquisition
 The dreaded C word…

30. Our 4 rules for content
On Brand Evergreen
Outreachable to
multiple sectors
Best In Class
4 rules of
content

31. http://www.musement.com/en/s/map-out-your-favourite-films

33. http://www.barracuda-digital.co.uk/panguin-tool/

36. So, what does this mean
 Be pragmatic about the past – if the site / domain has some age, its
almost going to have some history. Especially if they were employing an
SEO agency in 2004…
 The basic principles behind Google are still very similar
 But the details and the execution are very different
 Review and disavow. With technology, but also with people….

37. And what SHOULDN’T we be doing in 2014…?

38.  martin@barracuda-digital.co.uk
 www.barracuda-digital.co.uk
 0207 593 2980
 https://uk.linkedin.com/in/martindinham
Thankyou !