Google . The most exciting ride in town?

Are you enjoying the ride or just wanna get off ...

[colin_h]

Hi Googlers,

As some regulars will know this month has finally been the straw that broke the camels back with me. After 7 years as a web designer I am calling it a day. Last year was horrible and I decided in December to sell my business and property and get away from it all.

In June-ish last year my main site got banned. I had no duplicates that use different techniques to take its place, so I was stuck ...

I down-sized my business, moved out of town and had to lose some workforce / friends along the way. A Google update and I was really up against it.

This was a rollercoaster and everything was going downward ... but it still held my attention like nothing else, the dream that I could program my way out of trouble was too much of a challenge. I was hooked to DC watching and PR fluctuations made my head spin. I LOVED IT!

My message to others, as I make my final post and move on to a regular life, is "If you feel it all slipping away from you ... let it go. You're bright and you can start again ... don't waste your time watching Google ... Life is too short".

Best Wishes to all the people that have tried to help over the last 7 months ... where did all the time go?

Signing off for good ... Colin_H (Once gone, quickly forgotten ;-))

[JuniorOptimizer]

Good luck to you, Colin. I haven't quit the online business, but I have definitely quit caring what Google does, so I know how you feel.

[Matt Probert]

We noticed a few months ago that Google is presenting results for our pages lower even than illegal copies of our pages! Basically, searches on Google wont find us. However, despite that we are still doing about 3 million page requests a month, and so we don't lose sleep over Google. There's MSN and alltheweb delivering sensible search results.

Matt

[bekyed]

Hi Colin,

That is so sad, but my story is the same.
I have lost 5 staff, my business is on its knees and all because of google and our high listings and playing by the sodding rules!
I too am moving on from this after 6 years and selling up.

Good luck Colin.

Bek.

[Ian Cunningham]

Best of luck mate!

[phpdude]

Good advice!

One should never base a business model on using another businesses resources when that business has no implied contract to continue giving you those resources.

You need to be able to bob and weave and go with the flow even if one of the waves your riding fizzles out and doesn't make it to shore. You just catch another wave of the many that are out there and ride it in instead. Then paddle out and do it all over again.

Having applied this principle since 1999 when Alta Vista was the rage, I've been able to buy a new board and catch many, many waves ;)

Good luck to you!

[otech]

All the best colin_h - will miss your company on the 'late night threads' as they are for me down here in Aus (its 2:45AM right now here - I think i must have the google DC syndrome/obsession too..)

[reseller]

colin_h

No..no..no .. am I gonna lose a good WebmasterWorld friend? Now why is that? (:(

You have been posative and shining on the update threads.

I wish you all the best and God bless.

Shall miss you much Colin.

But I'm as optimistic as you and hope to see you among us again... therfore:

So long, Colin

and not goodbye :-)

[colin_h]

Many thanks to all. I've just finished with the brokers and I feel GREAAAAAAAAAT :-)

PHPdude. I too had survived until now from 1999. Keep Lucky ;-)

All the best & Signing off for a BIG DRINK :-o