Forum Moderators: Robert Charlton & goodroi
Imagine user's being informed (over millions of web sites) with something like "We recommend that you use xyz search engine for best results".
I remember all those "This site is optimzed for browser XX and screen resulution YY" sites. I normally hit the back button when such a message appears.
For every site going down in the SERPs, one or more are going up. There is only place for 10 listings on the first page and the new update just takes another subset of all available pages to be present on the first page. Percentage of spam pages is far below the percentage on Yahoo and MSN for the keywords I look at, so I think SERPs are good for the user.
My best performing page went down in the SERPs, but other pages went up for other keyword sequences. Total Google traffic is about the same, so in fact I am happy. Traffic from Google is more spread over the pages.
Hope this reaches you. I am a well-wisher of Google & was a fan....uptil now.
my website is online since 1999. for last 5 years, we have been on first page first site for our primary keywords.
But, now with this recent algo change of urs, we are nowhere.
This is simply NOT LOGICAL! I categorically state that, we have not spammed or used any technique which is called as black-hat.
In your race in rolling out new products, you have forgotten what your core competancy & responsibility is.
If this is the way you are gonna give importance to the quality of your algo, then I forsee Google going the Alta Vista way. I know many people have already said this before, but I just HAD to say this.
regards,
Paul.
I have a question.
I have a site which index page was PR4 on 1 Feb and now is PR0 and google shows no cache. However, the inbound links (to the index page) had increased (according to G) and the inner pages are the same PR. The SERPs are almost the same too.
What do you think it could be? Penalty form G? Any clue?
I had the same problem with a different site some time ago, but it was due to meta-refresh link to the site. I doubt this time is the same.
Just a few weeks ago there were only a few of us on here that were #*$!ing about Google. Now there seems to be hundreds! What do you all think of Google now? Are you all still PRO-GOOGLE? Bring the heat MSN!
Yes ... I'm still pro Google because I have good reason to be. That doesn't mean that I am not thrilled that MSN has jumped into the frey. More traffic is more traffic and makes me very happy!
It doesn't mean I don't feel for those of you who are suffering right now. I know how devastating this experience can be. However, huffing and puffing and throwing out meaningless threats does not solve your problem.
It has already been suggested that you start sharing observations and trying to figure out what may be happening. But I can't stress enough that it is still too soon to tell! The data centers still haven't settled.
Has history ever seen the sort of commercial situation that site-owners like ourselves face now?
Many times! Just look in the archives for "Florida" and you'll read several, very similar threads. Google likes to shake things up every now and then lest webmasters become complacent. We have to be ready for it.
Maybe if more webmasters join forces and start taking actual action against this weird seismic google ups and downs (with absolute disregard to the impact it have on so many web sites/businesses). Maybe then the guys at google will think twice before shacking the boat too hard (SERPs and Adsense). Maybe then they will roll what ever algo changes they have SLOWLY.
I can only hope my competitors feel the same way as you and block Googlebot! :)
If enough webmasters get fed up and ban Googlebot, word will get out that Google's index is not complete, because their bot has been banned.
Never going to happen, unless of course you want to lead the parade and we'll see how many follow. :) Its best to face the facts. See what happens in the next week or so and then get down to some serious analysis of what has transpired and try as a group to figure out how to "fix your sites".
It's strange that nobody from Google posts on this MIA phenomenon where sites drop 90 or so spots in the rankings when they are not breaking any rules.
That's why I am still a little nervous myself ... despite great rankings and even better referrals. Usually, by this point GoogleGuy has chimed in with at least a couple of comments. His lack of participation makes me think something could be very wrong with the algo and that nobody is safe. :(
greg
Macro: It's a great pity but I think you're right... :-(
[edited by: djgreg at 3:54 pm (utc) on Feb. 7, 2005]
Seems like google is actually getting wiser.
All datacenters shows different results, theese observations are from the main google.com page.
The site: command is not working on [216.239.53.99...] at the moment for my sites?!
It hasn't been, for a couple of days. Still the very same DC show pretty decent results for the same domain it won't return any pages on with the site: command.
Liane you are so right. We're all too keen to start #*$!ing and talking up revolt. I did on Thursday / Friday, then I braved it and actually looked at the SERPs and analysed why sites have moved above me. I've now formulated my strategy for this algo if it sticks.
My only beef with Allegra is that I wasted at least 12 hours moaning / panicking. But that was my fault. Many of us have been here before (eg Florida) and we made it back, made some money, and now... off we go again. But that's life...
2 steps forward, one back may be a bummer, but it seems to be the law of business - let alone SEO. Progress just ain't a constant upward trend.
Frankly, words in this thread would be better used discussing the current algo / changes.
