Forum Moderators: phranque
Going back through some old posts from a few years back makes for really interesting reading now and again. I found this one tonight ... anything seem familiar?
July 29, 2000 [webmasterworld.com]
The rise and fall of various search engines over the past few years is all documented right here on WebmasterWorld!
Remember, LookSmart's remarkably poor choice in switching mid stream from their PFI programme in favour of PPC. Wow ... that got people's blood boiling and LS has never recovered.
How about the death of Excite and the painfully slow downhill slide of Alta Vista or the Ink/Yahoo, Google/Yahoo, Ink/Yahoo, full circle ride.
Remember submitting pages (5 at a time) to some of the search engines and waiting 2 to 6 months for them to even appear in the SERPS? I honestly can't even remember some of the SE names!
The game remains the same, only the "most popular search engine" changes from time to time!
But through it all, we have had WebmasterWorld! I've been a member since September 19, 2000 and never would have made it past the Inktomi 2000 crash if it were not for many of the webmasters here.
If Google is broken (as many seem to think), another will fill the void in short order. We all just have to be prepared to react quickly and go with the flow. The Florida update taught me that much.
But to all who truly believe that everything hangs in the balance because the PR toolbar isn't behaving as it should ... only need to look at their traffic and sales. THAT is the true indicator if any SE is broken.
As soon as the public decides its broken and goes elsewhere to do their searching ... then it really is broken! That's when we gear up for the big change, put on our thinking caps and collectively help each other figure out which way to go.
Just stick around WebmasterWorld and you won't get lost in the shuffle! :)
Not at all! My site is doing just fine ... (for the time being) but I am now aware that anything can happen, any time. My point of the above message was actually one of encouragement rather than resentment towards Google or fear of possible future events.
WebmasterWorld is a wonderful place with loads of experienced people ready, willing and able to help when they can.
Many of us here have survived various SE disasters by helping one another through the bad times. However, history does tend to repeat itself, and I would be very sad if Google went the route of some of the other search engines mentioned in my earlier post ... but I am very aware it could happen at any time.
Sure, I will panic just like anyone else ... but once I get a grip, I will do whatever it takes to survive the storm, hunker down and work my butt off to recover. Pulling all nighters for several weeks in a row is something I have become used to! :)
All I wanted to say was that those who seem to be panic stricken about the toolbar "weirdness" have no other option but to wait and see what happens next ... at least that's my opinion.
I think everyone is spinning their wheels prematurely. It is far too soon to tell what major long term affects the recent toolbar/PR changes will have ... if there are any affects at all!
Hang in there and keep your fingers crossed ... but be prepared in the event that the hammer drops. There are sure to be those whose sites are not affected by whatever may happen. Ask them for help!
no other option but to wait and see what happens next
We don't have to just sit around waiting for the sky to fall. There are many ways to promote a website that aren't at the mercy of algo hiccups. Free traffic from the search engines is wonderful when it comes, but if that's your site's only source of traffic you need a business development plan, not just SEO strategies.
If I have to resort to PPC programmes or other methods of getting traffic/sales ... I will! Until then, I see no point in second guessing.
Analysis can only go so far until there is a very plain observation made by the vast majority. So far, I don't see any common thread in any of the theories being offered as to what the toolbar changes really mean. All I am seeing is a great deal of confusion and conflicting theories.
I have a very solid business plan (which does not depend upon free traffic) and which is positioned to go into effect at the drop of a hat ... but I do appreciate the warning. Everyone should have a back up plan. ;)
This question is for "you, Liane" though. If you have ideas for other promotions that would help you ride out a major algo shift, what's to stop you from implementing some of them now and having the best of both worlds?
I am not allowed to hire any outsiders unless it is full time. The process takes months and sometimes up to a year!
I can't quite justify hiring a full time employee just now and training a BV Islander for part time work would put a strain on me which I do not wish to accept. It is also a given that, once trained, the BV Islander would then leave and go find full time work with a company who can afford to hire a full time employee ... displacing another non-belonger in the process! And there would be me ... still without the help I need!
I'm sure many of you understand the growing pain syndrome. I'm also not sure I want to grow past this level. I am over 50 and have no desire to try to take the world by the tail ... again. I've been there and done that!
For the first time in many years, I am happy and comfortable and I feel "somewhat" secure. I know that can disappear overnight, but I prefer to think positively and only deal with the disasters as and when they actually happen.
I live in a hurricane belt. If I worried every single time a hurricane approached the BVI ... I would be a basket case! Several gargantuan beasts passed by our shores in the past few months and wrecked havoc everywhere they made landfall! Most affected were taken by surprise.
I couldn't have cared less where they were until the day before they "might have hit" the BVI ... because I was prepared! I knew what to expect and how to look after myself and my home to the best of my abilities.
When things are completely outside of your control, you can only do your best to survive the storm. Be aware and be prepared! Beyond that, there is little else one can do! :)
