Implemented Google Maps API and Now Site is Gone From Yahoo Serps

Could there be a Connection?

[KlausWright]

I built out some new pages on a site which has enjoyed a steady 4 year presence in Yahoo SERPs and directory. Simple "widget info" pages with plenty of content, minimal HTML templates, and a Google Map indicating location.

Roughly 2 weeks - and about 40,000 visits from Inktomi Slurp later, ALL of our placements (many extremely competitive) are gone.

With no other unusual or abnormal changes made to the site, it seems to be more than just paranoia - ecpecially considering the fact that the site has not budged more than a handful of positions for important searches for a good 2 years.

The whole thing coincided with the release of the Yahoo Maps API ... my dumb luck.

But is it really possible that Yahoo would stoop to such infantile methods of competiton vs. Google that they would penalize a site for using Google's Maps? I would gladly switch it for Yahoo Maps if it wasnt so crappy.

In any event - does anyone have any info regarding this or similar events or circumstances? I thank you in advance and await a response prior to taking my car for a loooooong spin in my closed, airtight one-car garage :(

[martinibuster]

I can't think of a good reason why Yahoo would adopt a Google Map penalty.

[edited by: martinibuster at 10:55 pm (utc) on Nov. 23, 2005]

[KlausWright]

My rationalization for such a penalty draws upon the old issues of Yahoo manually manipulating the results for searches for the phrase "Google" (or vice-versa). I believe this was discussed a while back in the forums. It would be a very underhanded way to discourage webmasters from using Google's API, and trying something different, like.....Yahoo Maps :)

[Altair]

Our impression is that Yahoo bans sites for totally arbitrary "editorial" reasons. If you read their guidelines, they state that they reserve the right to ban a site for any reason specifically including very subjective criteria such as "quality" (ie. they don't like the site).

I have this vision of 150 people, whose previous job was at McDonalds, sitting in a bullpen in Yahoo's third sub-basement merrily banning sites.

Google's webmaster guidelines much more specifically address "abuse" and pretty much state that they don't ban sites except for abuse.

[iroyster]

"I have this vision of 150 people, whose previous job was at McDonalds, sitting in a bullpen in Yahoo's third sub-basement merrily banning sites."

Amen on that statement!