Google Makes Webmasters Knuckle Under

[incrediBILL]

The latest videos about Penguin goes live and people are in a panic over advertorials, sig links in forums, etc.

I'm really getting concerned when one company is dictating how sites must be done and millions of webmasters collectively jump and do their bidding immediately.

Sorry people, but this is how things get out of control when you give them that power and I've been preaching the message but nobody listens.

It all started when they created rel=nofollow and everyone implemented it.

That was the first mistake, we all should've ignored them right then and there.

Then they did the next thing, and the next, and suddenly Google is dictating how sites should be run and if they say no sig links every forum owner on the planet is trying to figure out how to filter those out of their sites and blogs.

No backbone, millions of webmasters and not a spine among them.

I watch the news come out today and everyone jumps. I'm surprised the earth didn't shift in it's axis but maybe thee aren't that many webmasters to make that big of an impact.

Sad. Really sad.

[Leosghost]

It all started when they created rel=nofollow and everyone implemented it.

Not everyone..never did..never will..I link to what I want..

"It", began before that..you ( like most people ) just weren't paying close attention before that..

When G rolled out adsense..most webmasters let the dollar signs obscure their vision..

Never did "sig links" either ..IMO they are tacky..

[BeeDeeDubbleU]

I have been championing the non-commercial search engine cause for about six or seven years. Search is too important to be left in the hands of a company like Google whose main purpose is the bottom line.

Sadly they now seem to be untouchable. They are probably now so big that their demise would affect markets worldwide and those in power are not going to allow that to happen.

[engine]

I agree, it has become a whole ecosystem of its own which is so big, as BDW says, is a problem for everyone.

[blend27]

I'm surprised the earth didn't shift in it's axis but maybe thee aren't that many webmasters to make that big of an impact.

Due to the fact that the SERP is constantly jumping up and down Most of the Webmasters already left the game and the rest are at the island: [wired.com...]

[Key_Master]

I refer to them as the Google Collective. Mindless Borgs who don't realize that the entity they are so desperate to please, actually has them enslaved.

[londrum]

there's an article on searchengineland at the moment which tells how google's "zapped another link network" and "several thousand link sellers are hit"

ive never really understood what is so bad about selling links. sure, we all know that google thinks its bad, but why is it bad?
what is the difference between selling ad space promoting a site, and selling a text link promoting a site. not much. but google said it was bad because it messes up their link algo, and basically wiped out a legitimate business

[StoutFiles]

ive never really understood what is so bad about selling links. sure, we all know that google thinks its bad, but why is it bad?

It's bad for Google. They want you to use AdWords to advertise, not spread links all over the internet and do it for free or pay someone else.

[jmccormac]

Tim Berners-Lee needs to say something about the way that Google is trying to destroy the infrastructure of the web (links) through a campaign of intimidation of webmasters and clueless FUD.

Regards...jmcc

[Swanny007]

Yup, Google wants the Internet their way and if you don't like it, they will punish you as a webmaster (well, if you don't follow all their rules). They talk all nicey nice in public and at "In Your City" events but don't let that fool you.

I thought Tim Berners-Lee was a bit cozy with the GOOG... he was teaming up with them in the UK to judge something or other recently...

[weeks]

Why not trust Google?

For me, the three prime factor of trust are competence, integrity and caring. (This is outside of or beyond outright cheating and lying.) Fall down in any of one of those areas and trust is damaged.

I believe Google's management and their professionals do care about their impact on the web and overall society. They are still striving toward "Do no evil."

The issue for my clients (and from what I am reading here) has become integrity and competence, especially with Google+, but there are issues with standard search, their highly popular news pages, their maps (being the best is not good enough, they need to be right) and, yes, Adwords/Adsense especially as it applies to local websites and enterprises, which is where Google has been putting a great deal of effort in the US.

BeeDeeDubbleU's point about the need for a non-profit search is well taken, but I would add how, looking back over the last 10+ years, how disappointing it has been how the formerly major media players on the local just rolled over. I saw this first hand. There were several problems, but as best I can determine the prime driver was laziness.

But, yes, the world should not trust Google as much as it once did. And, even Google would probably agree with that. I trust Facebook even less.

Many are watching Yahoo, hoping...

[BeeDeeDubbleU]

I believe Google's management and their professionals do care about their impact on the web and overall society. They are still striving toward "Do no evil."

There has not been much evidence of this during the last few years.

[weeks]

There has not been much evidence of this during the last few years.

Running a company the scope of Google carefully and kindly isn't easy. Sometimes you have to make a harsh move because not doing so may be more harsh or more risky. But, when you are a giant and you move aggressively with the best of intentions longer term but screw it up, good intentions are going to be difficult to see. Or, as your Dad told you I'm certain, good intentions are not enough. Google might not be evil (or greedy), but it might not matter.

What am I talking about? Well, for one, Google Plus. It is coming close to screwing up their search product, which is to say almost the entire internet. The intention was (likely) to make things "better" for everyone.