Q&A with SEO Expert Randy Ray

[hazo]

As many of you know Randy Ray has set up his poker SEO blog.

He has agreed to answer as many of the questions he can that we ask him. This is a great opportunity to get answers from a professional.

Start posting your questions to kick the discussion off:

http://www.pokerseo.org/blog/poker-c...-site-reviews/

Nick

[ddm]

if he wants to give advice to the GPWA community, it should be on the forum for members to view easily imo.

nice way to promote his blog tho obv....

[hazo]

If you don't want information from a SEO that charges 6 figures for his services that's your prerogative. There are other resources to learn from than just one forum.

[GaryTheScubaGuy]

I was waiting for someone else to write that pauljones

It is a bit suspicious hazo - considering the link. If that is the case why post a live link?

[hazo]

Sorry for posting one link ever. This guy has been helping out poker affiliates for years with free advice. Just trying to do a good deed.

As for his clients. Try contacting PokerStars.com. He used to work for them.

P.s "For advice like that"

What are you insinuating?

[TheDonk]

You guys don't know Randy Ray? Been hiding under a rock? If you did you'd be happy to be involved in this. Hazo isn't 'promoting' Randy's site, that in itself is a stupid comment. He's trying to help us pick Randy's brain. If you don't know who Randy Ray is, maybe you should learn more about him and his experience. He's not only the resident SEO guru at PAP and PAL, but his experience is likely second to none in our industry. Big time SEO giving back, this is a gift to the rest of us.

But this is only my first post at GPWA, so I'm probably just 'promoting' something.

[raphnix]

I especially like his statement about Trust for SEO Matters. Being in that line of job, anonymous website owners are really difficult to contact thus lose their credibility to do link exchange and to do business together.

[hazo]

Lol at Scuba,

Are you really that concerned about another SEO receving a link. Wow you must be insecure. Suspicious? Lol because I point someone to a resource?

You have been involved with similar petty pissing contests with that slots0cash guy. You can smell your weakness a mile away when you need to be petty about someone posting a link.

[universal4]

Whoa....slow down here guys....

It's ok that the original post was a little bit of a promo for that blog....

And please do NOT let this thread turn into a battle over what seo advice is better than others...

No matter what forum, blog or postings I read I never agree 100% with any SEO "expert" but I read a number of them with great interest so that I can extrapolate what I feel is my best advice and form my own opinions of which direction to go.

I have even stated here a few times that I dis-agreed with Gary, and I have read some of Randy's stuff before and did not always agree with his stuff....but by the same token I have picked up tips etc reading each of their columns....

These forums ar5e here for everyone to interacft and learn from....whether everyone agrees or not is not the pint....and actually the ddisagreeing thoughts always help stimulate more discussion and therefore more viewpoints so even more people can learn.....

Rick
Universal4

[Randy]

I didn't know this thread existed until Hazo pointed it out to me via PM today, but it would be a simple matter for a moderator to lock it, delete it, edit the URL, and/or delete the URL, whatever. I don't need to spam forums in order to promote my websites, my site ranks fine for its keyword phrases, and I have plenty of link equity. Spamming forums has never really been a linkbuilding methodology that I've used.

[universal4]

We do NOT just up and delete or edit threads here.....

Randy, no one ever stated that you were involved in spamming here looking for traffic to your blog, and I certainly tried to make it clear that the original post mentioning your writings was actually very in line.

My suggestion to anyone wanting to read more about SEO...

READ IT ALL!!!! Garys stuff, Randy's stuff, everyone else's seo stuff posted here and elsewhere....READ IT ALL!!!!

Rick
Universal4

[Randy]

Actually, 2 posts in this thread did say that I was promoting my site. One of them (posted by a "moderator") even called the initial post "suspicious". I posted here to make sure that it was clear that I had nothing to do with the thread (until now), and I've never had any intention of promoting my site here at all.

[Randy72560]

Hey everyone, I was shocked to see the tone of this thread and I expected more out of the GPWA members. Randy Ray is a guru in gaming SEO, and if you have not heard of him you are really missing out. Above all else he is a great guy and a guy that has changed my life with his advice. I went form making next to nothing to having a very successful gmaing network.

I think a few of you should apologize and take a minute to read some of his stuff and learn something. Hell, just google his name and I think you will see that your assumptions are pretty far off.

[ddm]

Interesting points of view floating around here..

mine is that if someone wants to come on gpwa and give advice to members, great... but do it on the site.

obv a lot of seo'ers get a lot of business by "working" forums (gary the scuba guy comes to mind - I'm sure u get a lot of biz from members on cap/gpwa and other sites, and I notice you don't try to drag people off to your site/blog or whatever).. this is cool with me, as long these SEO people are contributing good info/advice on the forums while they are building up a good rep for themselves ... it's good for them and good for those learning the SEO ropes imo.


someone said : "this guy used to work for stars".. big deal imo.. so have plenty of other SEOers. FWIW stars are where they are on the serps due to an annual viral marketing campaign and having the biggest, baddest and best poker site on the internet... not due to 1 dude's SEO skills.

when someone with like 2 posts or something comes on and points to some "guru's" blog/site It's hard not to raise and eyebrow, or sigh.

a bunch of people on a forum saying someone is a "SEO guru" is hard for me to stomach without seeing any results. All we have to go on is that blog site.

Also, IMHO, the people who tout these "gurus" skills generally do so due to the fact that the people themselves are usually not exactly as clued up as they could be in the domain to say the least, but don't hesitate to blow someone else's trumpet for them.. (similarly the same goes for people recommending web-developers who don't adhere to standards and dish out crappy web-sites w/ tables for layout - but gee whizz, it was cheap and it works and looks ok on the outside, so I GOTTA recommend that guy to people)

also isn't it ironic that site the OP linked to suffers from plenty of SEO problems.. duplicate content, no page descriptions in categories and a bunch of other stuff..


@ "thedonk" hmmm you signed up just to make that post? I wonder who you are ...

my .11c

[Chalkie]

I have read this thread and reread it and i feel depressed!

I dont want to upset anyone here, however, how do i say anything here this without upsetting people? mmmmm (scratches head)

Firstly, we are very VERY lucky to have Gary here, a guy that knows his stuff - that no one can deny.

1 SEO guru on here is plenty, after all its not an SEO forum, however, there is no need for anyone to fall out over someone posting what seems to be a very good offer by what appears to be another seo guru. Lets face it, 1 link here is hardly going to make a massive difference to his blogs seo and if he is no good then we have not lost more than a few minutes of our time.

People post helpful links here all the time and we all glean info and help from these links at one time or another.

This is not a spam link to some bull **** site that will do us or our industry any harm, it is a link to a possible resource.

SEO is at times a personal taste, its like you say tomato i say tomarto and any chance any of us get for a little extra is no bad thing.

Come on guys, kiss and make up

This is not a thing to fall out over!

[raphnix]

That's why I rather not called my self or be known as an SEO Expert since there's no official board exam or well-known test to prove it. Though there are online certifications, still they're not enough to prove you as one. Unless you've been optimizing the whitehouse's website, adobe or Google solely.

[kwblue]

Bottom line.....

Rick / Universal is 100% correct. We should use as many resources as possible to determine our own SEO path. GaryTheScubaGuy AND Randy have good advice.

Randy was definitely not spamming and neither was Hazo. Randy is a very understated person and very good at what he does.

Let's just take in all this good info for what it is and not worry so much about stuff that doesn't truly matter.

I look forward to hearing more good stuff from both guys and appreciate Randy stopping by, but feel badly that he even has to defend himself. He has been around for a long time in this industry and has proven his skills/worth many times over.

Let's just get along and stop worrying about a few posts in the beginning of this thread......

[ck8795]

Wow what a way to welcome someone Gary the Scuba Guy and Pauljones. I think both of you owe Randy an apology, especially you Gary because you are here to represent GPWA and you did so poorly by being a total dick to a member.

As far as the blog - If this guy gets 6 figures for advice like that I'd love to meet his clients.

I could say the same for you Gary. As a so called expert I find it difficult to swallow that you publish content on gpwa as advice that you have published elsewhere, not to mention it was published how many years ago. You discredit someone who is well respected in this industry and yet as the GPWA SEO guru you cant even be bothered to rewrite some of your material to make sure its current and not published elsewhere. isnt that one of the very first rules. Do not publish duplicate content on your websites...and yet its ok for you to do so here.

Before you knock someone else I think you should take a look at your own faults and correct them. Show some class Gary!

http://forums.seochat.com/showpost.p...93&postcount=1

https://www.gpwa.org/forum/536321-post1.html

Hazo asked Randy on his blog if he would mind doing a Q&A. He agreed and he posted here as well as pokeraffiliatelistings.com and casinoaffiliatelistings.com. Nobody forced him to do that, and nobody is forcing anyone to visit the site. If Michael didnt want links to other sites than all links should be no followed. You can not expect someone to drop a link and go to the code view and nofollow it. Thats ridiculous.

Pauljones -

someone said : "this guy used to work for stars".. big deal imo.. so have plenty of other SEOers. FWIW stars are where they are on the serps due to an annual viral marketing campaign and having the biggest, baddest and best poker site on the internet... not due to 1 dude's SEO skills.

Wanna bet. You may want to check your information on this a bit more. It is because of Randy that Stars is able to do what they do now.

Randy is a very good friend of mine and someone who's opinion I value. He has helped me more than anyone else in this business and I owe him as do alot of other affiliates. He is very good at what he does which is something I cant say about many people. Ask anyone he has helped and they will tell you the same. If Randy helps you because he was kind enough to do so you should feel grateful for the time and advice he gave you.

Universal - I am sorry. I am not trying to argue with anyone here but I find it really hard to believe that this thread went this route. I have no idea if Gary is being paid for his services, "title" here at GPWA or if it's a volunteer position, but he was totally out of line and acted like a child and GPWA should have stepped in. There is a difference in how someone should behave between a member like myself and someone who was given a role from the GPWA organization.

[Randy72560]

Very nice post Kaus, I won't be as nice though. Some of you are really just clueless lol. I guess maybe you somehow feel threatened Gary, which is just wrong and pretty damn funny. I don't know the whole story, but I'm 99% sure Randy didn't even know hazo was posting that here, and Hazo was just trying to contribute.

Both of these guys get this kind of support from GPWA and to be honest, this thread look like i belongs on CAP or 2+2. Again, I expected more here from the staff and members.

[universal4]

OK....some of you thought I should have stepped in and scolded Gary a bit more....

I have no idea if Gary is being paid for his services, "title" here at GPWA or if it's a volunteer position, but he was totally out of line and acted like a child and GPWA should have stepped in.

I do not really know the answer to that either.

And to be honest, I agree that a few of the posts were starting to go south and it appeared they were clearly heading into personal attack territory.

Some people may not like or agree 100% with how I responded above when this thread FIRST started going sour....

...but I tried to respond in such a way as to not offend anyone and difuse the situation as fast and efficiently as possible.....and I apologize if not everyoine can agree with the way I tried to do that....however....

I will NOT blindly edit posts from another person (with the exception of serious infractions of derogatory personal attacks and spam) and as a pracxtice here at the GPWA we do NOT delete threads and posts and do not censor.

Randy, I apologize if you felt I wasn't defending you enough....or if that you felt I should attack Gary more...but like I stated above as well in my pm to you, I was trying to difuse what what happening and trying not to let my personal opinions get in the way of that.

Kaus, you made a good point and I fully respect the point you were trying to get accross to me....

I made sure that Cityguard and Michael were made aware of this thread, but honestly, I ask everyone to take a "chill" pill and get back to business and let's try to be a bit more tolerant of those opposing viewpoints.

Rick
Universal4