Google Results Quality: how does it compare to the other SEs?

[rfgdxm1]

The purpose of this thread is to get opinions about how Google fares compared to the other SEs when it comes to spam. I don't do much searching of the sort where spammers are likely to want to target that SERP, so it is hard for me to know. I see lots and lots of posts here complaining about spam on Google. However, are the other SEs doing a better job than Google fighting spam? If not, then this doesn't bode well for Google to fight spam much harder than they are now. Where Google would get worried is if people switched to other SEs to avoid having to slog through the spam at Google.

[Dolemite]

I don't think Google is any worse at sorting through the spam than anyone else, but people have learned how to target it well.

The algorithmic differentiation of, for example, "genuine" link popularity and keyword density from spam is inherently difficult, and we're getting better at blurring the lines.

In any case, I think the potentially effectiveness of spam tactics until the offending site is "caught in the act" with a spam report is an ineffective deterrent. Incremental and immediate penalities for "spam-like" traits might work better to discourage this sort of thing, although that again raises the question of where/how to draw the line to distinguish spam vs. not spam using automatic detection.

Philosophically, I prefer innocent until proven guilty but if I good enough detection system was developed (with a manual review process), then I think immediate penalties could work.

[jady]

I tend to still think Google Algo is the best. We research other engines frequently, and yet Google (which is not immune to spam) still contains the most relevant results. Other SE's have issues when searching for specifics - strange results pull up for totally un-related topics. Google still is the strongest here.

What I am sick of (personally) is that most sites ranking high are so tweaked out with header text, keyword repitition, etc. - just makes the web look so "tweaked". I like nice, clean designs - easy to navigate and use and not a bunch of YELLING text (H1, H2) all over the place..

[rfgdxm1]

>Other SE's have issues when searching for specifics - strange results pull up for totally un-related topics. Google still is the strongest here.

I've noticed this too. Other search engines seem to have a greater problem of sites getting page 1 of the SERPs where I ask "now why is this coming up so high?" In fact, I use that to my advantage. When I am really trying to search deep on a topic, because of this the minor sites on a topic will often do well on the other SEs, and thus makes it easier to find this stuff.