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SEO is Scroogled?
November 29th, 2007 by Sam Harrelson
Although this is still in the experimental stage, this image should send a shiver down the spine of every SEO’er:
Read the details here.
Somewhere, Jason Calacanis is smiling.
14 Comments | Filed under: Search Engine Marketing
Great post, Sam. A lot of people have talked for a long time about individualized search results. On a side note, I think online retailers and air travel companies would do well to follow suit with something like this.
I don’t think it’s quite a harbinger for the end of SEOs, though. “To see your changes next time, you must be signed in to your Google account.” - that requirement probably won’t change and so I’d guess the number of people who use this will be restrained.
On the other hand, I wouldn’t be surprised if thousands of internet marketers start to push Wikipedia results off their search pages.
Just personal search? Then I don’t think SEOers have anything to worry about. If this somehow affects the main results, then this would be something easily gamed and then that won’t last long.
Interesting.. I do not think that it will have a big influence on SEO but rather on a personal search scale as Brook mentioned.
Per google “Do you have to be signed in?:
Yes. To see your changes next time, you must be signed in to your Google account.”
Question is, will google factor in those results in the algorithm once they have sufficient data.
I think the fact that it relates to personal search only makes it a bigger threat to SEO than it would if it were universal (and easily gamed).
SEO, in general, is going to erode away b/c of the increasing personalization of search. It’s not a one size fits all platform anymore, and as more people realize the power of personalized searching (for emails, pics, or other types of content they’ve created), the search platforms will continue to go personal.
This is simply Google’s continued efforts in “personalizing search”, likely it will play a roll in quality scores but like Jonathan said, it’s yet another thing that can be easily manipulated.
Ahhh, the game of cat and mouse continues…
Shiver? I love it. Finally, people may start to focus on creating great content rather than SEO’d junk. I’m not saying it’s all junk…I’d just rather see 10 truly relevant search results on the first page rather than a couple and then 8 MFA or Wiki sites.
We may finally see a shift from SEO to “PO” (people optimized) websites. Sure, it’s experimental, but it’s inevitable. Be prepared.
Hey Shane,
I started calling it VEO about 3-4 years ago
Forget about SEO and focus on VEO (Visitor Experience Optimization). I met a Google engineer and talked with him at great length and listened to him talk about focusing on visitor factors.
“SEO, in general, is going to erode away b/c of the increasing personalization of search.”
Nobody really uses it Sam. And based on the screenshots, not many people will use that. People just want to type something in and get results. Look at the biggest circle above.
Know of a better webpage for….
If they did, they wouldn’t be using the search engine in the first place. Do you know who really knows a better webpage? People who would be looking to game it and the better webpage would be their own. So all this is nothing really.
Jonathan (Trust)’s last comment about “know of a better webpage” is right. Why would Google use this?
Two reasons immediately pop into my head. (1) G knows their algo is inferior to human intervention [think StumbleUpon) or (2) G might use this data to find those who seek to game their system [since they would be the ones most likely to “know of a better webpage”].
By now, G must have scoring and review systems in place for their human reviewers that they hire. If so, once those systems are tuned, why not accept input from people everywhere and only give merit to the input from people algorithmically proven to provide the very best feedback. Can it be gamed, sure - but it can also be checked for gaming and discounted. That’s what I think we’re seeing. It’s not open door for input, it’s an open microscope, an open automated microscope. And G getting wide spread input for free.
The shiver comes from the thought about all the manipulation opportunities that black hat spammers can employ to bump down white hat optimized quality content to get their low quality “make a quick buck” stuff up the rankings.
But lets assume that it can’t be skewed (laugh). Good SEOs will appreciate it, because they have to do less work to get content up in the rankings and still get the praise for doing it.
Don’t confuse SEO with getting shit to rank and good stuff pushed down to page XX of the results. This is as good as a statement as if you would say that all lawyers are blood suckers and all car sales men are thugs and thieves. Statements like this make you look less intelligent than you actually are, but some people don’t know that and believe that you are really so “flat” that you are only able to think in stereotypes and nothing more.
Okay, how was that for a spanking?
Google always comes up with new hoops for us to jump through when trying to SEO our website!
James Brausch has some great tips on the subject. I really enjoyed reading this blog, thanks!
Google always comes up with new hoops for us to jump through when trying to SEO our website!
James Brausch has some great tips on the subject. I really enjoyed reading this blog, thanks!
Signed in…
That is the catch. There are many things you can be using at Google to be a part of that.
SEO is not “dead”, but it IS changing. Good architecture helps of course (the nightmare of 10 years of content at Revenews), however brands must either:
BE STARTING the CONVERSATION.
BE PART of the CONVERSATION.
BE SPONSORING or ENABLING the CONVERSATION.
You should see search algorithms and their use in 3D worlds…(there are MANY 3D worlds- not just Second Life.) it might change perspectives…well probably not, indoctrination period is too long for most.
For the record there are pros and cons to SE in a 3D world…which is where are the Next-Gen are today- in games, worlds, experiences, and conversations. Yes and older people too…
regards,
Wayne