What do folks want to hear about at PubCon?

Request a topic..

[GoogleGuy]

Hey, Google will be speaking at the WebmasterWorld pub conference next week. I got a request for topics that people want to hear about the most. So: what Google-related subjects do folks want to hear about next week? I'll point any speakers/panel members to this thread.

Thanks everybody. If you give us a heads-up on what you want to hear about, that makes it that much less likely that anyone in the audience will fall asleep. :)

[austtr]

Will directory sites continue to dominate the SERPs?

Will multi-page sites with artifically created internal links continue to flourish?

Will on-page relevance make a return to the Google search results?

Will the guidelines be updated to reflect current reality?

(Well... you did ask!)

[mat]

I'll ask the same question I did when you solicited once before - though others above have done so already - does G intend to step out from behind the toolbar and produce a full-blown browser to front-end your services, both existing and future (say, email)?

[ThatAdamGuy]

Alas, I will not be able to attend. But hopefully we'll all get a good report :)

So here are my questions:

1) Personalization
I've heard that Google has argued AGAINST SERPs personalization (e.g., returning selection or ordering based upon a user's preferences, interests, prior searches, etc.). Is this indeed the case? And if so, why?

2) AdSense goals
What is Google's primary goal / mission for AdSense? Provide revenue to Mom and Pop? Encourage creation / maintenance of content sites? Offer additional reach for AdWords customers? Or something else entirely?

3) Webmaster/Publisher assisted targeting
Currently, Google ignores meta tags and does not permit AdSense publishers to assist with Google's targeting... likely due to spam concerns. Does Google eventually wish to include input from Webmasters and Publishers if it's possible to do so without inciting increased spamming? If so, how and in what contexts? If not, why not?

4) Main challenges facing Google
What are Google's primary challenges at present? Data crunching speed? Hiring enough quality employees quickly? Scaling / sharing knowledge with an increasingly large workforce at HQ and internationally? Protecting proprietary information? Understanding user intent (Apple fruit vs. Apple computer, in the context of buy vs. history info, etc.)? Or something else?

5) Google's general take on the Social Networking Space
What does Google think of the Social Networking Space (with regards to orkut and in general)? How does it -- or might it -- relate to Google's already-existing core competencies and goals?

6) Social Networking and Privacy
With regards to Social Networking Services, what is the BIG PICTURE of how Google might (via its own service or others) help people find not info, but rather network with other PEOPLE efficiently while still protecting privacy and encouraging diversity (e.g., not just tech weenies or 20somethings, etc.)?

7) Working at Google
What are the greatest joys of working at Google? The greatest challenges or frustrations?

8) Optional pay services
Does Google see a place for ever charging end users for optional / premium Google services? How, and what for?

9) Blogger acquisition and direction
Why did Google buy Blogger? Will the Blogger brand persist, or will it become Google Blogs? Why? And what is Google's goal or mission with Blogger?

10) Internationalization issues
How might Google's international status and usage affect the company's integrated goals, mission, vision, and tactics (with regards to differing standards on privacy, intellectual property, libel laws, workforce rights and expectations, etc.)? Will Google-by-country service implementations and work forces become increasingly individualistic to fit with relevant local cultures, or will Google 'move towards the middle' to maintain overall consistency in branding, operations, and service offerings?

Thanks for considering tackling any or all of these questions! :)

[george123]

I should ask them if the Democracy in the internet belongs to the big guys or i should ask them what means democracy ,Google says that they want democratic results ,what we see in the SERPS are the giant.com's ,though they are irelevant.If that's a democracy i rather hang my self.

[slicks]

I got some questions too:

1. When will google update his webmaster guidelines?
2. How often (in future) will Google update his directory in the year?
3. Does google cool down the relationship to webmasters?

Greetings from germany
slicks

[piskie]

I would like SEO/Webmaster guidance with reference to acquiring a bad site and knowing little or no history of tricks and transgressions tried so far.

When I take on a BAD site how do I:

1) Check for a Google applied penalty and judge its severity and implications?

2) Determine whether previous "History" has damaged the domain name to the extent that it is now too great a liability to try and repair.

3) Having revamped a site to GOOD practices, how long should elapse before (2) comes into play.

In all this, Google should be aware that the client/site owner in most cases is quite innocent of malpractice and in fact paid some dodgy SEO to ruin his business.

We have ethical SEO's trying to repair the damage with virtually no information or firm parameters to even estimate the timescales for the client to see light at the end of the tunnel. Further more not even knowing whether the URL (which could be the business trading name) has been rendered useless.

[brandboerge]

When will Adsense become available for the Scandinavian countries?

Will the answers to all of the questions in this thread be published here at WW?

[zgb999]

What is triggering the different results when looking at google.com / google.de / google.fr ... and why does a site with only english content from a German company rank worse on google.de (looking for an english word) than than on google.com

Does Google preferr larege sites and what does this mean for the site structure? What is the best
- www.domain.com, www.domain.de, www.domain.fr (best for user)
- www.comain.com, www.domain.com/de, www.domain.com/fr (best for Google?)

When is GoogleGuy doing a new Q&A session on WW?

[mfishy]

I would like to hear about some adsense issues. Mainly, what Google is doing to prevent fraud for both the advertisers and the publishers. The #1 problem many webmasters have with using adsense is the fact that you can get yanked with little warning if a competitor gets nasty.

I am also interested in theming (the myth), stemming, and any type of local rank you wish to discuss :)

[BroadProspect]

and who exactly is GoogleGuy :->

[mbennie]

What does Google see as the future of search, in general terms.

[chewy]

Please tell us about geotargeting.

Does Google regard AdWords Regional as a success and will it expand - if so how & when?

When will Google provide a real regional focus for organic search?

Oh yeah, one more question, where does one get those $ 250 credit coupons for AdWords?

[amznVibe]

What to expect from Google's new email service :) (see slashdot)

[webguybri]

"There is a lot of talk about 'SEO penalties' that have come as a result of Florida, and it would be useful for everyone to have a word on what google expects sites to do, and what not to. Even simple things are not clear anymore to a lot of people."

Would like to second this....

"Even simple things are not clear anymore to a lot of people."

Example:
Like I am afraid of gettng TOO many links at this point because of what i have seen and read about. Like if i were to get a banner on
a related site that is on all pages (over 5,000) of a site and that banner links directly to my site. Is that link spamming?

I am sure i am not the only one with this question.

[Allergic]

The date of the release of GoogleMail?

[pmac]

Do you plan on adding a "shop" tab that points to Froogle?

[HitProf]

I'm Really looking forward to this!

- Geotargeting & internationalisation, both in serps and services.

- Multi client AdWords control for intermediate ccompanies

- Spam handling

- Last but not least, I'd like to hear the announciation of (subscription based?) ranking check options :)

HitProf

[Chndru]

What is the biggest technical challenge the search engines face in 5 years, given the web's exponential growth?

you guys think, they gonna lay-on-the table all their future innovation/products?

[Jakpot]

Regret I cannot attend.
After the Conference I trust someone will compare
the requests for information/clarifications herein
to the info in Google's presentations plus additional
tidbits, if any.
Thanks.

[GoogleGuy]

Oh my--good questions. Given that the longest talking thingie is about half an hour, and there's already 49 posts, we'll see how much can be covered. Feel free to post more questions though. I'll point some people here. :)

[mil2k]

How webmasters can use ip delivery to Geo target their audience in a search engine friendly manner. :)

[Chicken Juggler]

Does google ever plan to add a free online mail service like Yahoo and Hotmail?

Right now it seems like SERPS change every day and move dramaticly once a week. I have not seen every data center exactly the same for some time. Does Google ever paln on going back to syncranized datacenters and stop tweaking the algo every day or week. I understand fresh data will cause movement but I am talking about where the top 10 sites are very static and never change. I see SERPS that where the top 10 never change but they move around all the time. There was a time where there was no change in the top 5 for months.

[OnlineGuru]

I visited Google.com 1 month back and saw a completely new design. This was just a 1-time occurence because subsequent visits used the old style. In this new design I saw that the Adwords listings were assigned more space than before, however there were no adwords listings that appeared on the top of the organic results, only on to the right side.

My question is:

1. When is Google planning on shifting all of the traffic to the new design?

2. What impact will this shift have on Adwords Click Thru Rates?

3. Do they plan on completely removing the top 2 bars of adwords sponsors above the web results and just leaving all adwords sponsors on the right rail?

[seofreak]

How would google look in 10 years from now? What kind of changes and additions should we look forward to from both the users and advertisers point of view.

[Chicago]

Shak’s question hits the core of G's operational dilemma, IMO.

To further:

1.If relevant result sets are amongst G’s fundamental goals, how does *broad match* satisfy this goal and what does it say about the future of a true open bidding marketplace?

2.Kelsey reports that 25% of Internet Commerce is local in nature. G is behind the curve regarding the monetization of local search beyond ADwords. Knowing that you must react, can we expect the further segmentation of search to incorporate local (yellow page) results sets in the near future (beyond the little non-monetized expiriments your currently running)? And what is the likelihood that an acquisition will be required to accomplish this?

[Hawkgirl]

So much of what we talk about around here is what the webmasters think ... but I'm curious as to how Google's regular customers - the searchers - feel they are being served.

Do you have reliable data on customer/user satisfaction of your search services?

What do they think about the quality of your results?

Do they see any differences across the board - or are most of the subtleties of the changes lost on them?

What services do they want? Where do they want to see you expand your offering?

What percentage of them clearly know the difference between Adwords and regular unpaid results?

Can you tell us anything else that might interest us/be important to us about your searchers?

[258cib]

Chicago said:

Kelsey reports that 25% of Internet Commerce is local in nature. G is behind the curve regarding the monetization of local search beyond ADwords. Knowing that you must react, can we expect the further segmentation of search to incorporate local (yellow page) results sets in the near future (beyond the little non-monetized expiriments your currently running)? And what is the likelihood that an acquisition will be required to accomplish this?

We certainly need to hear more about Local Search from Google, especially in context to what is happen on Internet Yellow Pages. The Yellow Pages executives are being fairly aggressive in the press about taking on Google and, privately, are saying even harsher things about G's interest--or lack of--in the local markets.

Case in point, as ms detta said:

'd like to know why a website that lists every state in the US and every providence in Canada on its index page isn't considered to be spamming Google and comes up on page 2 during a search for snipped. Should every website be designed to list every state and providence? Argh!

When I, as a user, type in a specific location, I don't want information from Montana, Nevada, etc. I want relevant information to the specific location.

[manzan]

It is important to decide and let webmasters know about their standing on affiliate sites and what in their opinion is a good e-commerce site (based on value to their users). MSN makes it very clear that they do not want affiliate sites to be submitted. If google believes in that, then they should be open about it. Also what is google's standing on content sites that are also e-commerce sites (that sell products to support the content sites). There has been a lot of speculation on these matters which really does not have to be case and it would save a lot of webmasters and site owners time and money.

[JudgeJeffries]

When is Google going to get a duplicate filter that actually works?
One of my competitors stole 40 of my pages, put them on 2 other sites with 10% alterations from my original and all ranked #1 #2 #3 for several months before I got the red hot poker out.

[Webwork]

I like printed handouts. How about a dozen bulleted list handouts that address the following:

If your website incomporates a-z in its design and content you will maximize your chance for a top ranking. Be liberal - more liberal that the G website - in spilling the beans. You want quality and relevance? Tell more of what the algo seeks.

Here's another handout: The following is an exhaustive list of what will get you 1) penalized or 2) banned.

Here's another: G really doesn't consider the following a-z to be an issue so don't bother reporting it to us as spam or a search quality issue.

Here's another: G is struggling with the following issues a-z in it's search results quality and we would appreciate the following types a-z of input which you can report to us at [e-mail]

Here's another: G understands your concerns about AdSense to include the following a-z. Here's what we are doing about it. Tell us what more we might do. Sense your suggestions to [e-mail]

I like detailed handouts passed out a day before meetings if possible - so I know what not to ask (it's already been answered) and what to ask for clarification. If you only have 30 minutes to speak, but your mission is to educate, then come with lots of handouts. If printed handouts are too much trouble then pass out floppies or post a link to "the handouts" online before the conference.