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*) Why have google provided us with www[2,3].google.com if not to collect queries from SEO's? ( other than to torment us of course )
*) What would you do with this information if you were google?
*) Is it worth the risk to know your ranking a few days earlier?
*) Does anyone take any steps to deal with this?
They are not really provided as a service. They are there for Google to transer the new index too. Only when they are happy with the index and it is not mangled in some way will they migrate that across to the main domain.
>>Is it worth the risk to know your ranking a few days earlier?
I dont see a risk, perhaps if you are playing unfairly so to speak it may be worth the wait. However, if G dont spot your questionable methods you can rest assured one of your competitors will. They will do the reporting for you :)
>>What would you do with this information if you were google?
Tip of the iceberg compared to the normal logs they have. They without doubt have the biggest user preferences file in the world (not based on any evidence, my opinion :))
>>Does anyone take any steps to deal with this?
The other thing to note is where you are in the serp, they will not know that. You may be #1 or #200. They cannot look at them all.
Relax and dont get paranoid, it is only M$ that is out to get us all :)
Cheers
I think they do want SEO'd sites as long as they are SEO'd the Google way ;)
If you are spamming I think they will catch up with you eventually anyway.
<They without doubt have the biggest user preferences file in the world (not based on any evidence, my opinion :))>
I think Yahoo would probably hold this award :-).
<Relax and dont get paranoid, it is only M$ that is out to get us all :)>
Agreed. We are their friends -- We provide the easily-spiderable content that allows them to provide their search service.
Of course we have an idea of how google figures it out so we try to serve that up the best we can....
Point - I really do think that Google could not be as good as it is without us....
Imagine a web made up of Flash sites only... how would google ever figure out what they were about?
Don't under estimate our value - google needs us too....
JP
I'll gather you've never read that page Google has up where they describe an SEO firm who would refuse to push a button to kill some random peasant halfway across the world for a million dollars? Looks to me like Google considers SEOs the scum of the Earth. Well, at least the scum of the Internet.
He is trying to pass on the information to make their index the best it can be. Yes, unethical stuff does get by. It is a fact of life, however they are trying to clean it up.
I don't sweat the dance because I know I've done nothing wrong. I've used good solid techniques and designed for the user. Our site enjoys some great rankings and I didn't have to cheat to get them. What a life it must be to worry from dance to dance if your site will get caught.
Google is trying to let the algorithm sort out the spam and unfortunately some of the stuff will get by. That is what the spam reports are for.
I love Google, I'm sitting here in my Google hat watching the fantastic results the latest dance has brought my site.
Long live Google!
I'm feeling lucky today!
I doubt very much that Google have the manpower available to do much more than identify markets (groups / themes / whatever) that tend to be heavily SEO'd.
Granted if you are a serial offender in terms of dodgy SEO - or have acomplished the feat of managing to warrant the attention of a multinational company, then yes, perhaps you should be a bit cafeful.
But I don't think that me, you and the next guy have much to worry about in terms of privacy concerns. Perhaps a general tweaking of the algo that may effect us slightly...?
Scott
Google wants good results in their serps. They don't want SEO'd sites, they need to know what sites are "cheating".
(Fixing titles, broken links, Flash-hidden text etc.)
Looks to me like Google considers SEOs the scum of the Earth. Well, at least the scum of the Internet.
I'd gather you've never read Google's page about choosing an SEO company, the same page that links to the article you mention?
"Many SEOs provide useful services for website owners, from writing copy to giving advice on site architecture and helping to find relevant directories to which a site can be submitted. However, there are a few unethical SEOs ..."
[google.com...]
"Dear google.com,
I visited your website and noticed that you are not listed in most of the major search engines and directories..."
oh god that's soooo priceless!
that just made my day.
in addition to the comments noted above, its worth noting GoogleGuys comment in a thread here in the last day. He was speaking about spam reports, and commented on the number of spam reports at this stage in the update. I cant remember the details of what he said, but I understood from it that google received spam reports from www2/www3 during the update. - that in itself could be enough reason to let us see it.
Do you think that only SEOs hang out here? OK, I confess that I SEOed a commercial site as a favor (which is still kicking ass in the Google SERPs, BTW). However, I have yet to sink to the depths of depravity of doing SEO for pay. ;) Many here have not gone over to the dark side yet.
If we ever start an organization, we must call it "Depraved Women of the Web." Very catchy, I like that, rfg. We'll have to see what some of the other ladies think in Boston [semconf.com].
"bully pulpit," meaning a terrific platform from which to persuasively advocate an agenda.
Perfect. ;)
I've actually considered quitting posting here because some have thought I am a "SERP perp". Because I know something about SEO, I must be burned at the stake. Really, I'm not that evil. ;)
You need to be clear if there were other reasons behind this penalty.
Was the SEO site penalised for any reason? I think they must have been. you wouldn't drop rank by simply linking to an SEO.
It's the truth and straight from the horses mouth.
One reason and one reason only - a link to an SEO company on my homepage - that's what the email from google said and it was from a Google employee who is often seen at the Search Engine Strategy meetings. They even told me to remove it and check for any others, i did this and already my page has increased 1 pagerank.
Then how do SE companies attain PR, and some quite a high PR at that.
I sure would like to see the site you linked to.....and the email google sent you
