Why is it that webmasters are so quick to blame Google if their website falls down the search rankings, or out of the rankings altogether Can it never be their own fault
I read an amusing forum post headed Whats up with Google. The writer had a website just 2 months old, which had only had 2 visits from Googlebot, a Google robot. The poster was a bit grieved, and was blaming Google.
It seems they had extrapolated their own situation into one they had witnessed with other webmasters on another forum. They were also upset, this time by Googles latest update, as their websites had been badly hit. Of course, the drop way down the rankings had seriously affected their income; what right had Google to do that to them, they were demanding to know
So grieved were this group of webmasters they were trying to drum up support for a boycott of Google. Big G was too big for its boots and was going to be brought down by these few innocent souls. Who were they trying to kid, apart from themselves
What was it these webmasters had in common that brought them together in this bring down Google brigade Apparently, their websites were directories.
Now, lets apply some intelligent marketing thought to this little situation as Google faces obliteration by a few small directory owners. As a company, Google has a tendency to get its basic marketing right, eventually. In the case of search, its customers are those using the Google search facility, as many millions of us do every day. So, Googles first duty, when someone makes a search on a particular keyword or phrase, is to supply a list of what it considers the best websites for that search. Does that make Google the big bad monster No, of course not; its trying to look out for its search customers.
I have been searching on the internet for many years. If ever I have searched for the omnipresent widgets, then it has been widgets I have typed in. Not once in my memory have I typed in widget directory. I have never even wanted to use a directory online; they take too long drilling down to find anything useful. As for the proliferation of online directories recently, they are often junk sites, using some automation software to create them in the first place. Many have been set up to deceive search engine robots into thinking they are valuable sites.
It is absolutely no surprise that Google has found a way of homing in on directories, if that is what they have done, and given them a shove down the rankings with their latest algorithm change. If their customer does a search on a keyword or phrase, thats what they are looking for. They are not looking for a directory which, more often than not, is just a whole load of other links that may be related. I find such sites extremely irritating if Im searching; am I the only one I doubt it; people want to get directly to a site that has information on what they are looking for; something with added value.
No directory owner has the divine right to syphon off Googles hard won search customers. Google is doing a decent job at marketing: trying to look after its customers. The directory owners calling for a boycott of Google are doing no such thing. They had found a way of getting high rankings, and now that method may have gone down the pan.
It is up to webmasters to do their own marketing, and Google is an important part of our market place. In the long run, we need to see Google as a customer and partner, as it sees us a customer and partner. Google is actually a very helpful company to webmasters, Google Sitemaps being a recent example of their desire to co-operate.
While some blinkered webmasters may see Google as an enemy (friend when they have a high ranking), it is up to the rest of us to try and apply some basic marketing practice. That means understanding what Google is looking for and trying to supply that need. After all, that is what Google does so successfully. We can all learn something.
Just look at Googles Home Page. The message is: Ok, we know youre here to search, so get on with it. Heres the search box.
The message is not: Hello, look at my pretty page. Do you like my Flash, and my clever graphics And what about those links all over the place, arent they nice You want to search Hang on a minute, theres lots of pictures for you to look at lower down, and how about going off to read about loads of other products. Oh, alright, you want to search; theres a search box somewhere; near the bottom I think. Youll find it.eventually.
The secret of real marketing is to understand your marketplace as it is, and how it is likely to develop. Google has made it obvious for a long time what they want; quality content that fills the needs of their search customers.
Hands up anyone whos really searching for a directory
This Google search engine article was written by Roy Thomsitt, owner and author of the Change Direction website.
Back in November 2004 I discovered a way to get a top 10 ranking in Google. I tested the technique for 3 months before I shared my findings with the world.
Some people worked my technique and are still holding on to their top Google rankings. Others criticized it, and decided not to give it a go.
Since November 2004 my targeted keywords have gotten more competitive. Webmasters have gotten swifter and saavier with their techniques. New tactics for gaining top 10 listings have emerged, and are enjoying their place in the spotlight.
And here I am still sitting blissfully with the same top 10 Google rankings that I had nine months ago. In fact, Ive added several more in July 2005, just to make sure my rankings werent maintaining because of some seniority algorithm. (Hey, you never know with Google!)
Heres what Ive discovered in that time frame.
While Google still hesitates for weeks (but more often for months) to list new sites in their ranking structure, optimized pages from sites that alaready have a good Google ranking get spidered and listed much faster.
How fast
Using this precise theory I got a #1 rank for a targeted keyphrase within 3 days.
Sounds exciting.
But unfortunately its not easy to find sites that have great Google rank, and will permit you to freely promote your product, service or web site.
Here are two such sites thatll give you an easy in to a possible top Google ranking--
1) EzineArticles.com
EzineArticles.com is one of the best kept secrets for getting top Google rankings.
Articles submitted there are often spidered within 1-3 days. A well optimized article can easily land in a top 10 slot.
Take for example the keyphrase- ingrown pubic hair
An article featured at EzineArticles.com holds the #1 position at Google for this targeted keyphrase.
How popular is such a keyphrase
Well according to the Overture Search Term Suggestion Tool, 975 searches were done in June 2005 for that very phrase. And in my personal experience, Google almost always yields more searches than Overture.
The author of the article is promoting an ingrown hair treatment spray, within the resource box of the article.
So hes receiving a boatload of free traffic to his site, because of this particular article.
Still not convinced Heres another...
2) Epage.com
Epage.com is a popular classified ad site, with a wide variety of categories.
Often times if you optimize an ad for a specific keyphrase the ad will get picked up by Google, and placed in the top 10.
For instance, the Overture Search Term Suggestion Tool says that hammer strength exercise equipment receives 60 searches per month.
A search for hammer strength exercise equipment at Google places an epage.com ad for in the #4 slot.
Pretty neat.
Now some of you are probably thinking thats a nice trick for keyphrases that target small niches. But does it work for competitive keyphrases like fix bad credit or something along those lines
No... it doesnt.
This technique only works with smaller, niche targeted keyphrases.
But if youre an online entrepreneur who develops specialty sites, centered around niche topics, this is one technique you can use to bring an ongoing flow of traffic to your site.
I run a sinus infection information web site, and for the past 6 months this is the only tactic Ive used to generate traffic. In fact, it took me exactly two days to get a #1 position for an ad using my targeted keyphrase. (Today that same ad hovers around #3-#6, depending on the dance Google is doing.)
The great thing is I earn AdSense revenue from that particular site almost every single day.
The other point you should keep in mind is that this tactic doesnt work with all classified ad web sites.
There are literally only a handful classified ad sites that get spidered by Google on a regular basis, AND have ads consistently showing up in the top 10.
So dont go blasting your ad to 50,000 different sites, cause its not going to work. Theres an art to doing it the right way.
Either way, its definitely worth trying the two sites listed in this article. Targeted traffic is always good traffic, no matter how much it is.
Alexis Dawes is the author of Taking The Back Road To Get On Googles Front Page. Her report highlights additional sites and insider knowledge she has used to obtain several top 10 listings in Google. You can get more info at: