Oct 10
More Food For Thought with Google and PR
Yesterday we had a lot of good talk about Page Rank, Google, and penalizations. And looking back in our conversation, I don’t think I really picked a side in the whole thing.
Now don’t get me wrong - I think for instance that Opal’s tendency to look outside of Google for monetization is a smart thing.
I mean, say you rely on Google and then you get hit with a huge penalty that takes away all your PR, Adsense and traffic in the SERPS.
You’re basically screwed. And it doesn’t help matters that Google isn’t warning webmasters first before stripping them of PR. (I mean, what is the point of webmaster tools if Google isn’t going to tell us about problems they are finding with our sites).
The Penalty Situation
So here’s what is a happemin’ - I originally read about the situation on Court’s blog, and it seems that the big G is laying the smacketh down on sites that are selling text links. Now thus far I’ve been unsucessful with text link ads but I’ve still been giving it the college try.
Until now.
I read a FANtasic article about text links and google. It’s long, but it’s well worth the read. If you want the short version of how I feel now, here it goes…
- Google is first and foremost provides a search engine and is constantly trying to make that search engine the best in the world. The practice of selling text links undermines what they’re trying to accomplish and makes their search engine not as good as what it aims to be.
- My current PR and Alexa Rank is so low right now that even if I WERE to sell text links, it probably wouldn’t outweigh how much I could make with a better PR. So the threat of penalty is enough for me to stop text link ads for now.
Interesting to Note
First, I have to re-iterate how much I think you should read that article. I think it is simply one of the best articles I’ve read in quite sometime and certainly deserves your attention.
October 10th, 2007 at 7:54 am
I wouldn’t count on iwebtool too much. It seems to be unpredictable. The majority of the time it said I had “insufficient backlinks” that was when my website was a PR 5 then at times it would get it right, lol. A few weeks ago it said I would have a PR of 6.
I never liked Googles game from the beginning which is why I have looked for other ways to make money online. I’m very happy that I did. Even though I lost rank my traffic has not decreased. I really don’t pay too much attention to my PR.
It still seems hypocritical on Google’s part it’s ok to use text link ads from Google but you might get penalized if it’s from another source?
My highest traffic site gets most of it’s traffic from sources outside of Google. Although one of my websites is fairly new, created in May, it receives more traffic than veganmomma and more money.
That was my intention when creating my new websites I did not want to be dependent on Google search engines for my traffic in doing so you sort of have to follow what the big G says in order to do well even if you don’t agree with their tactics.
As a business owner I would never treat my customers the way Google has treated some of theirs but they are a lot bigger and perhaps in some of their minds they can do what they want because many depend on them for traffic and income. I did not want to be put into a position where I had to do what they said. I read the article 85% of his online revenue comes from Google so I can see why he did what he did.
Thankfully I don’t have a lot to lose not depending on them perhaps a few hundred dollars every few months but I do much better with affiliate marketing. If I don’t like an affiliate program I can always drop it and pick something similar.
I also think Google will be penalizing more than text link ads. I think more websites will be getting penalized but that is just my opinion.
I was mildly surprised about Andy he really does not advertise on his website. I always thought of him as a consultant. He does the occasional review but his are very thorough and read like his regular posts that’s one thing I’ve always respected about him.
David Airey was penalized but he was able to get his reversed.
October 10th, 2007 at 8:07 am
I also agree with his statement simply notifying the owner would do a lot of good. It’s just good business practice.
October 10th, 2007 at 10:20 am
@Opal T - I see what you’re saying about the hypocritical nature of Google, but if you’re referring to AdSense ads that appear on sites, they aren’t standard text link ads are they? I mean, they don’t give sites link juice. Or are you talking about something else?
October 10th, 2007 at 11:18 am
I’m doubting I’ll ever see that PR5 the way things are going ;P
October 10th, 2007 at 11:45 am
@Mike - Yeah you and me both. My kid will probably be getting his license before the PR update.
October 10th, 2007 at 2:16 pm
iWebTool has a problem with its reporting. If I searched for my blog with a blog/ at the end, it says inaccurate backlinks. If I just use blog without a / at the end, it shows a predicted 5 lol.
Whatever google is up to, it’s taking way too long.
October 10th, 2007 at 3:24 pm
@Brown - I’ve noticed the same w/ your site too. Have you ever typed it into google? link:brownbaron.com … You get very different results if you type in link:brownbaron.com/blog
October 10th, 2007 at 4:03 pm
Typing link: … onto google for my domain I allways noticed google know about 3-4 linkbacks (from usualy 6-7 .. only ?) I have from a blog is abandoned since may or early-june. Since then, google was not able to find anything linking back to “me’ :-P. And that`s not new, is since late june I notice.
“PR predictors” are totaly unreliable while programers of them can`t know what google`s “gurus” have in mind …
Adsense may not look as standard text-links ads yet that`s what is it - a contextual text or image advertising.
October 10th, 2007 at 4:57 pm
@Valentin - I’m curious to see how unreliable they are or aren’t, but of course the PR update would have to hit for me to see right?
October 11th, 2007 at 2:19 am
Bush, I don`t think you have to wait to be hit by storm to see if have to avoid it or can live with.
Is (simple-shallow style) about a simple andwer (yes / no) to a singular question, basicaly question : you are on web only to make money or you are on net to be on net.
Say yes to first part of the question and there you are surrounded by taifuns : ANY of sites providing links to be sell/buy; ANY of sites requiring sell/buy of paid reviews; maybe-soon-also directory-sites selling …
Because ALL are more or less (usualy more) relying on .. google PR.
Google itself created this situation and promoted as “solution to raise PR” while now they are facing the issue of making competition to themself - then they seems to choose the simple way, cut the damaged tail (real competitors, sponsored posts, sponsored ads, paid links, link farms - all non-google) but not touch the ass - any tail is raising from am ass:-P (google itself).
Well, association of google`s depatraments which make google look like a monopoly (mean any area is not direct involved to be a search engine) with an ass may not be quite a coincidence … :-))
October 11th, 2007 at 9:41 am
It’s predicted I’ll be a PR5 but I don’t care. I am irritated that wordpress 2.3 is using google blogsearch beta instead of technorati now. I seriously hope a new search engine pops up.
When anyone is peaking on top, they will fall - just like Adolph Hitler! LOL!!!!!
October 11th, 2007 at 12:54 pm
@ Bobby Revvell
Well, “hope die last” is a wisdom-word, yet I`ll allow myself to advice you to not bet your last year income vcalue on that hope.
Because of my wretched english, is hard for me to express sometime what I feel, see, know, experienced. yet time to time I either manage it either found someone whoallready writed about in a +90% manner.
For example - related to above my advice - :
http://iamned.com/blog/2007/10/04/are-the-most-popular-websites-at-risk-for-being-displaced/
October 11th, 2007 at 9:59 pm
@Valentin - “you are on web only to make money or you are on net to be on net.” Hm. I don’t think for me it as simple as that in that I don’t know if I can answer that question with an “either/or” kind of answer you know?
I think I’m going to write a post on this sometime tomorrow to answr you fully. Thanks for the inspiration!
@Bobby - What do you mean that 2.3 is using blogsearch instead of technorati? Are you talking about what services it pings? I don’t have 2.3 installed so I’m not sure what you’re referring to here.
October 12th, 2007 at 12:26 am
Bush, wp 2.3 returns you in admin-dashboard a table of backlinks based on google search. Just as example, sarah of bluejar dot com allready rant against that and I saw several (read lot of) comments speaking same “language”. Is a simple replace a couple of lines in admin/index-extra.php. Or use of a plugin which do switch back to technorati.
Why ? Because google search seems to return mostly your own inside linkbacks and less real linkbacks.
Hell, again a google feature is not quite what people would espect it from ..
As about WP change, you wonder if is a nice change or is just a “nice” way to put webmaster to face the “to be or not to be” quest of a new plugin - which mean slowing the pages, maybe, or at least some more not-paid linkbacks for someone .. :-P :-)
October 12th, 2007 at 5:07 am
[...] The tech whiz, Bush Mackel loves video games! I loved his recent post about page rank! [...]
October 12th, 2007 at 10:57 am
@Valentin - AH! Thanks for clearing that all up for me!
October 15th, 2007 at 2:32 am
According to the PR predictor swollenpickles.com is gearing up for a ye olde google biatch slap. It burns.
October 15th, 2007 at 5:34 am
Ok, it looks like I have been turkey slapped by the google monster!
Not sure why, but could be cos of that single text link ad I sold!! GRRRR
October 15th, 2007 at 7:06 am
[...] do some research, and I’ve uncovered some disturbing stuff. First I read this post about the impending PR update by Bush Mackel, that’s what go me [...]
October 17th, 2007 at 10:11 am
@Swollen Pickles - I’m just waiting for the boom to be lowered on me. You gotta let us know about your efforts to get back in Google’s good graces. *nod*
October 17th, 2007 at 9:57 pm
I’m not confident that they’ll get back to me at all. It would be nice though to hear back from them to know what I have done wrong. I mean, I’m happy to take a look at whatever’s bugging them and fix it, but at this stage, I’ve removed the TLA spots and can’t think of anything else that’d be a google offense.
October 22nd, 2007 at 1:25 am
Hi Bush. Just wanted to let you know that I featured this post in the Super Link Sunday - Batch #5 post! :)
Shine on,
Aaron
November 27th, 2007 at 9:41 am
[...] I Feel About PR Well as I’ve said before, I’m not mad with Google. All they’re doing is trying to make their search engine the best it can be and selling links [...]