“For every one thing I get right, I’ll probably do 10 things wrong.” 🔗
Live on Facebook from Affiliate World Asia in Bangkok, I interviewed Matthew Woodward, who teaches people how to make money online on his blog, and took live questions from my audience. 🎙️
📊 In this episode, we unpacked:
- 🐧 What Penguin changed
- 🤝 Influence people by solving problems
- 🔗 No one-size-fits-all link strategy
- 📄 Content first, then links
- 🧠 Embrace failure
🎥 Watch the full episode:
🐧 What Penguin Changed
Matthew had been running his blog for four years, publishing content that solves digital marketing problems. 🐧
Before Penguin, backlinks were positive or ignored. With Penguin, they could be negative. The latest update reverted that: bad links are now ignored rather than counted against you, so link building carries less risk. You can still get a manual penalty, though. For another link building view, read Alexandra Tachalova’s interview. 🔗
🤝 Influence People by Solving Problems
His one piece of advice for new bloggers: it’s easy to get distracted by link building and email, but all you’re really doing is influencing people, and the best way is to help them solve problems. 🤝
Use AnswerThePublic to find the questions people ask about any subject, and remember there’s a person on the other end of every website. Instead of following one blog, use community-voted aggregators like Inbound.org or GrowthHackers.com for diverse information. For a keyword research angle, read Mike Long’s interview. 🔗
🔗 No One-Size-Fits-All Link Strategy
It depends on your goal. An e-commerce site wanting fast rankings before Christmas might go more aggressive, while others play it safe long term. Matthew doesn’t really believe in white hat vs black hat, but said the safer route is better long term. 🔗
His own blog did zero link building, and that worked for him. For niche sites like Amazon affiliate sites, he called private blog networks a powerful option where you control the risk. Outreach and guest posts suit some situations and PBNs others. Social signals alone can be strong enough too. SlideShare PDFs and YouTube videos are for traffic, not links. For an SEO veteran’s take, read Craig Campbell’s interview. 🔗
📄 Content First, Then Links
A big mistake: being so desperate for links that you forget the foundation. Without good content, rankings will eventually drop, no matter how strong your link profile. 📄
Publish unique, high-quality content that solves problems. You can improve on what exists, but don’t copy. If your content is great, share it in Facebook groups and communities where people ask related questions. For more on content-led SEO, read Koray Tuğberk’s interview. 🔗
🧠 Embrace Failure
Many newcomers lack the right mindset. You’ll fail a lot and make many mistakes, and that never changes. Embrace it, in SEO and in life. 🧠
How long will SEO exist? “As long as search engines exist, we can optimize.”
📝 Key Takeaways From the Matthew Woodward Interview
- 🐧 Penguin now ignores bad links instead of penalizing
- 🤝 SEO is about helping people
- 🔗 Choose a link strategy that fits your goal
- 📄 Build a content foundation first
- 🧠 Expect to fail often
❓ FAQs About Matthew Woodward
Who is Matthew Woodward?
A UK blogger who teaches people how to make money online through SEO and affiliate marketing.
Does Google Penguin still penalize bad links?
After the update discussed, bad links are ignored rather than counted against you, though manual penalties still exist.
What is Matthew Woodward’s top SEO advice?
Focus on solving people’s problems with great content, then pick a link strategy that fits your goals.
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Has your link building strategy changed over the years? Tell me in the comments. 💬
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Jitendra Vaswani is a well-known expert in SEO and AI-driven digital marketing. He has spoken at international events and founded Digiexe, a digital marketing agency, and AffiliateBooster, WordPress plugin designed specifically for affiliate marketers. With over 10 years of experience, Jitendra has helped many businesses succeed online. His bestselling book, Inside A Hustler’s Brain: In Pursuit of Financial Freedom, with over 20,000 copies sold globally, underscores his influence and commitment to empowering digital marketers.