Comments on: Google Is Losing Its Grip On Relevance http://www.themadhat.com/google/google-losing-grip-on-search-relevance/ TheMadHat SEO Blog Wed, 19 Nov 2008 22:24:53 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.3 By: Nai http://www.themadhat.com/google/google-losing-grip-on-search-relevance/#comment-91842 Nai Sat, 29 Mar 2008 15:25:42 +0000 http://www.themadhat.com/google/google-losing-grip-on-search-relevance/#comment-91842 I can see where you're writing from and I do agree on many of your arguments. It's natural for Google to protect their most precious system (pagerank) because their very existence depends on it. I can see where you’re writing from and I do agree on many of your arguments. It’s natural for Google to protect their most precious system (pagerank) because their very existence depends on it.

]]> By: David Jonata http://www.themadhat.com/google/google-losing-grip-on-search-relevance/#comment-77368 David Jonata Tue, 19 Feb 2008 03:25:48 +0000 http://www.themadhat.com/google/google-losing-grip-on-search-relevance/#comment-77368 That is right. You know paid links are always going to be around and will be until Google figures out a way to rank pages based on something other than PageRank. That is right. You know paid links are always going to be around and will be until Google figures out a way to rank pages based on something other than PageRank.

]]> By: cctv http://www.themadhat.com/google/google-losing-grip-on-search-relevance/#comment-76314 cctv Sat, 16 Feb 2008 16:45:11 +0000 http://www.themadhat.com/google/google-losing-grip-on-search-relevance/#comment-76314 That is great. Thank you very much for sharing. You know Google initially created the marketplace by creating the PR bar. Myself and a lot of other webmasters don’t pay much attention to it anymore. That is great. Thank you very much for sharing. You know Google initially created the marketplace by creating the PR bar. Myself and a lot of other webmasters don’t pay much attention to it anymore.

]]> By: Prechha Narongthai http://www.themadhat.com/google/google-losing-grip-on-search-relevance/#comment-54530 Prechha Narongthai Wed, 12 Dec 2007 08:07:44 +0000 http://www.themadhat.com/google/google-losing-grip-on-search-relevance/#comment-54530 Thank you for sharing. I would say they could take a step in the right direction by not showing toolbar page rank. I think it means very little to most people and webmasters use it as a gage to buy and sell links. Thank you for sharing. I would say they could take a step in the right direction by not showing toolbar page rank. I think it means very little to most people and webmasters use it as a gage to buy and sell links.

]]> By: TheMadHat http://www.themadhat.com/google/google-losing-grip-on-search-relevance/#comment-26372 TheMadHat Thu, 30 Aug 2007 21:53:41 +0000 http://www.themadhat.com/google/google-losing-grip-on-search-relevance/#comment-26372 <b>"Well, they could take a step in the right direction by not showing toolbar page rank."</b> You're right in a sense. Google initially created the marketplace by creating the PR bar. Myself and a lot of other webmasters don't pay much attention to it anymore (unless for some reason it's blank, then panic can begin). You're right about the PR update I think. I haven't seen movement in a long time, but then again I'm not really paying attention. PS: Everybody started out with a lot of noobness but you're ramping up quickly! I like the Zing too, it adds zingyness :) “Well, they could take a step in the right direction by not showing toolbar page rank.”

You’re right in a sense. Google initially created the marketplace by creating the PR bar. Myself and a lot of other webmasters don’t pay much attention to it anymore (unless for some reason it’s blank, then panic can begin).

You’re right about the PR update I think. I haven’t seen movement in a long time, but then again I’m not really paying attention.

PS: Everybody started out with a lot of noobness but you’re ramping up quickly! I like the Zing too, it adds zingyness :)

]]> By: InternetZing http://www.themadhat.com/google/google-losing-grip-on-search-relevance/#comment-26369 InternetZing Thu, 30 Aug 2007 21:31:12 +0000 http://www.themadhat.com/google/google-losing-grip-on-search-relevance/#comment-26369 > Paid links are always going to be around and will be until Google figures out a way to rank pages based on something other than PageRank. Which I find it difficult to believe they will do anytime soon. Well, they could take a step in the right direction by not showing toolbar page rank. I think it means very little to most people and webmasters use it as a gage to buy and sell links, sometimes without consideration to any othe factors (traffic, relevance, etc). This page rank update is taking forever, so I hope they didn't do this already (I'm a webmaster filled with much noobishness; I could use the crutch for about another 6 months...). > Thanks for stopping in InternetZing! NP. BTW - like the hat. > Paid links are always going to be around and will be until Google figures out a way to rank pages based on something other than PageRank. Which I find it difficult to believe they will do anytime soon.

Well, they could take a step in the right direction by not showing toolbar page rank. I think it means very little to most people and webmasters use it as a gage to buy and sell links, sometimes without consideration to any othe factors (traffic, relevance, etc).

This page rank update is taking forever, so I hope they didn’t do this already (I’m a webmaster filled with much noobishness; I could use the crutch for about another 6 months…).

> Thanks for stopping in InternetZing!

NP. BTW - like the hat.

]]> By: TheMadHat http://www.themadhat.com/google/google-losing-grip-on-search-relevance/#comment-26337 TheMadHat Thu, 30 Aug 2007 17:55:50 +0000 http://www.themadhat.com/google/google-losing-grip-on-search-relevance/#comment-26337 That's the thing, Google wants webmasters to intentionally hurt themselves and their business just to improve their algorithm. And unavailable_after is a joke too. Even if everyone who had ever heard of nofollow complied it's not a large enough percentage to improve anything. Paid links are always going to be around and will be until Google figures out a way to rank pages based on something other than PageRank. Which I find it difficult to believe they will do anytime soon. Thanks for stopping in InternetZing! That’s the thing, Google wants webmasters to intentionally hurt themselves and their business just to improve their algorithm. And unavailable_after is a joke too. Even if everyone who had ever heard of nofollow complied it’s not a large enough percentage to improve anything. Paid links are always going to be around and will be until Google figures out a way to rank pages based on something other than PageRank. Which I find it difficult to believe they will do anytime soon.

Thanks for stopping in InternetZing!

]]> By: InternetZing http://www.themadhat.com/google/google-losing-grip-on-search-relevance/#comment-26330 InternetZing Thu, 30 Aug 2007 16:40:52 +0000 http://www.themadhat.com/google/google-losing-grip-on-search-relevance/#comment-26330 Paid links work and webmasters know it, and google knows it. Otherwise, there wouldn't be such a huge market for them, even for the ones that just pass page rank. And what is a webmaster to do? Put nofollow on paid links, but then 90% of the other webmasters won't or don't (many don't even know what nofollow is)? Yeah, THAT'S going to happen... Paid links work and webmasters know it, and google knows it. Otherwise, there wouldn’t be such a huge market for them, even for the ones that just pass page rank.

And what is a webmaster to do? Put nofollow on paid links, but then 90% of the other webmasters won’t or don’t (many don’t even know what nofollow is)? Yeah, THAT’S going to happen…

]]> By: TheMadHat http://www.themadhat.com/google/google-losing-grip-on-search-relevance/#comment-25787 TheMadHat Mon, 27 Aug 2007 19:58:48 +0000 http://www.themadhat.com/google/google-losing-grip-on-search-relevance/#comment-25787 I think they still want to increase the quality in their results, I just think they want to play on both sides of the fence. They do get nearly all of their revenue from ads, but remember that if the organic results are bad, people will use other engines resulting in fewer ad clicks. The takeaway from this post is that Google is either getting lazy or just doesn't know what to do to both improve results and battle spam. They are trying to get the webmaster community to do their jobs for them with these "unavailable_after" and "nofollow" tags. As for the local thing, I thought that was for getting listed in Google Local and not Adwords, but I could be mistaken. I think they still want to increase the quality in their results, I just think they want to play on both sides of the fence. They do get nearly all of their revenue from ads, but remember that if the organic results are bad, people will use other engines resulting in fewer ad clicks.

The takeaway from this post is that Google is either getting lazy or just doesn’t know what to do to both improve results and battle spam. They are trying to get the webmaster community to do their jobs for them with these “unavailable_after” and “nofollow” tags.

As for the local thing, I thought that was for getting listed in Google Local and not Adwords, but I could be mistaken.

]]> By: CatherineL http://www.themadhat.com/google/google-losing-grip-on-search-relevance/#comment-25783 CatherineL Mon, 27 Aug 2007 19:37:33 +0000 http://www.themadhat.com/google/google-losing-grip-on-search-relevance/#comment-25783 I used to think Google were serious about improving content quality on the Internet, but now I'm not so sure. They get nearly all their revenue from ads, so it would be more worthwhile for them to show less useful organic content, and sign up more Adwords advertisers. I noticed they're even trying to get people to visit local area business and sign them up for Adwords - paying them peanuts of course. How long will it be before we'll see the first ten pages of a search being all sponsored ads? I used to think Google were serious about improving content quality on the Internet, but now I’m not so sure.

They get nearly all their revenue from ads, so it would be more worthwhile for them to show less useful organic content, and sign up more Adwords advertisers.

I noticed they’re even trying to get people to visit local area business and sign them up for Adwords - paying them peanuts of course.

How long will it be before we’ll see the first ten pages of a search being all sponsored ads?

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