Forum Moderators: open
The Google update threads have exploded. As I’m writing this post the September thread has reached 370 posts. In all of these post the most valuable is the first one, which announces the update. The next 100 posts are me too post people. From 100 to 200 people are ”still seeing changes”. In all the last posts people are more or less happy with the results.
I stopped reading the Google update thread a long time ago because it is useless.
May I suggest that all future Google update threads are started and locked by a moderator.
We all now that there is a Google update every month so lets not make a fuss about it. It’s also no surprise that results are changing during the update. Of course some do better and some do worse.
Don’t get me wrong. There are some quality posts in the thread but there is just too much noise around them.
It’s nice to see so many people participating on Webmaster World but some self-discipline would be nice. Sometimes I think that people are more interested in increasing their personal post count than contributing with quality content to a quality forum.
This post may feel as a slap in the face to someone but that is the easiest way to get focus on a problem;)
Beside the Google update threads I truly believe that this is the greatest forum in the world, which is why I try to contribute to keep it that way.
Torben
There are some quality posts in the thread but there is just too much noise around them.
I'm with you there. I find the posts trying to define the possible/probable tweaks in the ranking algos very usefull and interesting, but a lot of the posts are useless.
The problem here is more how to define which posts are good and which ones are not. Guess it is more of a self-regulation thing. Everyone should be able to see whether he has something useful to contribute or not. If not, don't post.
We're human. We need outlets. The Google updates are a huge issue for many/most of us.
If anything, I'm very pleased to see that post up to 370, because it means that those posts are not spread out over 200 or so individual threads.
I'm sure that if anyone has a real pearl of wisdom or an important question they will post it separately... preferably when the SERPS have stabilised, the excitement has settled a little and they have had the chance to actually confirm/analyse the problem a little.
I'm sure that if anyone has a real pearl of wisdom or an important question they will post it separately... preferably when the SERPS have stabilised, the excitement has settled a little and they have had the chance to actually confirm/analyse the problem a little.
That is exactly how it should be done!
If you need an outlet I suggest you take a friend to pub or go to the pub conference ;) However, in order to maintain a quality forum we need minimize the noise.
Torben
I have a feeling that there has been a major increase in new members, and many new to the game, almost as if another board closed and sent all its members here! To the participants there it can be fun, and i enjoy visiting it personally. It's 95% fun, and 5% useful for sure in that thread, but it lets people let off steam who have tried to optimize for Google. It also shows that there is far too much reliance on google, as people start getting a bit depressed and morbid and start slanging off! Most of us know that being in Google is a long term thing, and an easy way in and staying is getting far less easy. Long term its all about improving your site and making it worthwhile, and G will tend to pick it up. Particpating in that thread allows people to learn from experience, though I do wish some would learn from previous knowledge in the Google knowledgebase first, before asuuming things!
It's pretty obvious that update threads serve more a social purpose than anything else.
With Google dwarfing every other search engine on the web traffic wise the updates are very important points in many members lifes.
And, lets face it: this update ritual is one of the most powerful PR instruments in Google's arsenal.
People just love rituals... ;)
And, why is this a problem if you know what the update thread is, and can ignore it and stop reading it?
They should not be forbidden though, they seem to work as a therapy for some of us.
To avoid loosing the (very) few useful posts from that thread, maybe another one, heavily moderated, can be started in 1-2 weeks time, called update findings, where only hard facts (algo changes) would be discussed?
It's a shame because there are indeed some good posts in there... analytical posts... the ones that really add value.
Using the keyboard to express emotion is never a great idea. Using it to explore and share theories, to analyse, to seek guidance... much better and far more useful to everyone. I doubt that there's much that can be done to stop the tide it though.
And hey rfgdxm1... your posts certainly fall into the good category!
I realize that analysis is a whole lot better for the general reader instead of "WhooHoo I've done great" stuff, or the opposite. Perhaps the reason from me that you are reading the former is that my Google SERPs just haven't changed that much in the latest update. ;) I'm a bit up from some major keywords, and a bit down for some others. However, nothing that has me totally jumping for joy, or crying in despair. As such, I'm trying to analyze in minute details what exactly is different between this update and the last. It just so happens not only do I know well about my site, but have in the past analyzed other sites that do well on the same keywords to find out what was making them do well. And, looking at the lastest update I can make some good guesses as to what is different in the algo this month. Too early to really say, as the dance isn't yet over. However, at the moment I'd say that either anchor text of inbound links is lower weighted, or PR is now a bit more important, or perhaps both.
I'd have to agree with that. I really can't be bothered to read the thing and the thread is too large and too populous to stimulate any interesting debate.
I think it should just be locked after the first few posts confirming the update. Any other issues could be brought up in new threads.
I don't think a brand new thread just saying "well I did really well this month, I'm going to sleep" would last long (or that anyone would post it)- so why have a great big chunck of html with hundreds of people saying it.
Fair enough people need to let off steam- but it would be good if it was interesting or insightful steam- and if it was- it would probably merit its own thread...
Just my two cents...
I notice we get a lot of exitable new users around this time of the month, a recognised outlet is both necessary and desirable, IMO.
If the thread was locked early then the useful and new information (which is, no doubt, somewhere in there) could be posted in a new thread and more people would see it.
I second the proposition of having the thread closed after the dance is confirmed. Insights are worth their own threads, whereas nobody (I hope) will start a new thread just to tell us he/she has done great.
Because on Webmasterworld, worthless and/or irrelevant threads are moved or deleted... Thats part of the attraction of coming here and being part of the community here.
Whats FOO on this forum for then?
Edit- here I am, 75 posts, and trying to run the place... I'm going to be quiet now.
And the Google forum is irrelevant to Google updates?
Why not just announce the update and that would be it? I'm not saying that the google update is irrelevant. I am saying that the detritus that is spawned as a result of the update is mostly irrelevant and no good to anyone.
- have one thread with 400-500 post on the update.
Personally for the time being I prefer the latter.
Added: Community is most definitely not a place for irrelevant posts. It's the place for members who care for WebmasterWorld to discuss this board. It's an important forum.
Secondly: I don't think there would be 350 irrelevant threads as opposed to one thread with 350 posts- I think that locking the thread early would stop the irrelevant threads alltogether. No one would post "yipeee I'm nr 1 again" in the google forum (at least not with a clear conscience)... And, on the other hand, the Google update thread is not likely to spark any informative debate, because of its size/character.
If it is locked early then I think it would branch off into many interesting threads.
Hence, though i posted to say that i could not see the update, early in the alarm. I've not read it since, and would not entertain the idea of adding another post.
Have a nice week end. I'm off to the pub :)
Torben
