Can using typos be considered as "spam"

[galide]

Quoting from a different "thread", kgun suggest that targetting typos as "keywords" may be considered as spam. This was a bit off topic, and think the point deserves a thread on its own.

The point is not what "advanced xsl" is about really, but the number of people who wonder what the heck "advanced xsl" is all about. Get about 30 hits a day for this phrase.

but this is a bit off topic, isn't it?

...

Still my bolding.

Sounds like spam to me.

If it is discovered by Google, you may get zero hits from them a day

I don't think that using typos (on purpose or not) can be considered as spam. If I search for "brtney spears", and someone has mispelled it this way in a relevant article about britney spears, and subsequently rank well for these keywords, why should it be considered as spam?

Manu

[kgun]

But if I searced for

"advanced xsl"

I would not use a SE that consistantly produced a story (hit) about Britney Spears.

P.S.
Wrong spelling of word was (is still?) an element in (... hat) SEO.

You may spell Yahoo and Google with one o. Domains with those names would naturally get many hits.

[galide]

I think you are fighting the wrong battle here kgun, the post is a genuine reference to this article. And you have caught the wrong fish in your net . But the question about whether targeting typo can be penalised or not is still valid though.

In regards to using typos for SEO, I believe it is a genuine method which has nothing to do with so-called "black hat" techniques. You are simply helping Google driving people to the right content, even if they have misspelled their search query.

And if you are using Google adwords for instance, the suggestion tool will provide you with misspelled keywords as recommendations. Since Google implicitly recommends to target misspelled keywords in your CPC campaigns, I don't see why they would prevent webmasters doing exactly the same thing in natural search listing.

Manu
<please add your link to your signature CD>

[Martinscholes]

And which of these words is not spelt correctly? Colour, color, defence, defense, organisation, organization?

[galide]

according Spelling - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, none of them.

[Dubbya]

Originally Posted by Martinscholes

And which of these words is not spelt correctly? Colour, color, defence, defense, organisation, organization?

"spelt" is not "spelled" correctly.

[mattholsonback@mac.com]

Typos and/or misspelled words are legitimate tools all day long.

[subhzash]

Originally Posted by kgun

But if I searced for

"advanced xsl"

I would not use a SE that consistantly produced a story (hit) about Britney Spears.

P.S.
Wrong spelling of word was (is still?) an element in (... hat) SEO.

You may spell Yahoo and Google with one o. Domains with those names would naturally get many hits.

What is typos?? I don't know will you please tell me??

[galide]

Originally Posted by subhzash

What is typos?? I don't know will you please tell me??

Please see Wikipedia link posted above. Definition is on there.

Manu

[galide]

Typos and/or misspelled words are legitimate tools all day long.

Agree

[crankydave]

Just to add a point...

If the misspellings are determined to be "deceptive" they can cause you problems. Another thing to consider when using them is their potential effect on the credibility of a site.

Dave

[galide]

If the misspellings are determined to be "deceptive" they can cause you problems. Another thing to consider when using them is their potential effect on the credibility of a site.

Yep good point. A couple of advice which would fit in the category "please use your common sense before trying to do something you think is very clever."

[kgun]

Originally Posted by galide

I think you are fighting the wrong battle here kgun, the post is a genuine reference to this article. And you have caught the wrong fish in your net . But the question about whether targeting typo can be penalised or not is still valid though.

Hm.

Originally Posted by galide

And if you are using Google adwords for instance, the suggestion tool will provide you with misspelled keywords as recommendations. Since Google implicitly recommends to target misspelled keywords in your CPC campaigns, I don't see why they would prevent webmasters doing exactly the same thing in natural search listing.

So you would advice people to set up domains with names that can be confused with well known domains and redirect them to their own domain?

Are you a SEO specialist?

[galide]

So you would advice people to set up domains with names that can be confused with well known domains and redirect them to their own domain?

No. I would advise to use common sense. Does Google suggests "Britny Spears" when you target "secured mortgages"? No. So I would not advise someone to buy britny-spears.com and redirect the traffic to their mortgage site. But I would certainly advise someone to buy secured-morgage if it is available and redirect it to their website about secured mortgage.

Are you a SEO specialist?

Depends on your definition of "SEO specialist". So many people brand themselves "SEO specialists" that the term itself becomes confusing. But I do not need any credential here really anyway, since all the information I am providing here is either common sense or can be checked easily. No assumptions presented as positive statements, no questions presented as answers, no misleading information presented as words of wisdom

[powsurfer]

we have a short list of typos at the foot of our pages on Ski Chile & Argentina
I have found we catch a good number of searchers from this as they are common misspellings of what they are really looking for.
I believe we are helping our potential customers.

[advancedmerchant]

Typos and common mispellings are PERFECT for Pay per click! Nobody bids on them, so they are cheep (pun intended).

[galide]

I believe we are helping our potential customers.

100% agree

[goxford]

You tell me is it Cheesecake pan or Cheese Cake pan you need to be listed under both

[powsurfer]

I am however always unsure whether we should be using US or UK spellings on other words e.g. traveler / traveller when our market is split between the UK and US