You Are All Right, Google Got it Wrong

[BarryWheeler]

I'll wear a flame retardant suit for this one seeing how I'm new to WF but I just can't bite my tongue any longer.

After reading all the posts about how much you've dropped in ranking, being deindexed and penalized by Google, I can't help it anymore, I have to go on record and say this ..

Yep, all you bloggers, webmasters and online business owners are right ... Google got it wrong! You all deserve to be ranked #1 for all your keywords. You all deserve to be dot com millionaires.

BUT ... here's the reality of the situation ... Google probably got it VERY right!

Everyone wants to point fingers at why they're not making money online, or why they've gotten penalized. It's always someone else's fault. It's never your own fault.

Well, take it from me ... if you site drops in ranking, gets penalized, or deindexed ... it's probably you!

I've been at this for a long time, make some decent coin from my sites but when I stopped working on my own personal blog and being serious about blogging, it showed. My content sucked. My readers left and my ranking fell!

It was nobody's fault but my own.

But guess what ... I accepted responsibility, corrected my ways and started building again!

Next time something doesn't appear to be going right and you think Google is getting vindictive ... Look in the mirror before you post ... ask yourself ... What you did (or didn't do) to cause it to happen!

Cheers!

[Ben Armstrong]

But the google Panda killed my business and sexually assaulted my wife!!

I think as internet marketers sometimes we have trouble looking at the search rankings from a user experience point of view. When you have so much money and time invested in these rankings it's far too easy to get hysterical about a drop in rankings.

In reality... the search engine is there to assist the people searching, not internet marketers.

I think the biggest lesson people can learn from this is not to rely on google. It's tough but that's just the way it is.

I do however have to disagree with some of your post... Not everyone who dropped in rankings did so because of poor content or not providing the quality that the sites above them do.

Google's alogrithms can't possibly get everything right. And there's still a lot of garbage at the top of the serps to prove it.

[BarryWheeler]

Originally Posted by Ben Armstrong

I do however have to disagree with some of your post... Not everyone who dropped in rankings did so because of poor content or not providing the quality that the sites above them do.

Google's alogrithms can't possibly get everything right. And there's still a lot of garbage at the top of the serps to prove it.

Yes, I do agree with you there.

However, things have definitely improved from where they were prior to the update.

Strange thing is, I've watched some of my sites take a hit (Link Directories, Article Directories, Made for Adsense sites in particular) ... other sites that weren't doing well with great content improved.

What I have noticed, sites with a more "social" feel, where users are engaged, commenting, liking etc ... they have done so much better since the update.

[Josh MacDonald]

"You Are All Right, Google Got it Wrong"
That's rediculous.

[Ken Strong]

Originally Posted by BarryWheeler

Chances are ... You're the reason behind you're site's failure.

Chances are... you might get banned if you start another thread in order to promote your blog.

[BarryWheeler]

Originally Posted by Ken Strong

Chances are... you might get banned if you start another thread in order to promote your blog.

Well, sorry for linking to my post. Relatively new here and yes, I did read the rules prior to posting / linking.

If it's against the TOS, it's been removed. My apologies.

[Ben Armstrong]

Originally Posted by BarryWheeler

Well, sorry for linking to my post. Relatively new here and yes, I did read the rules prior to posting / linking.

If it's against the TOS, it's been removed. My apologies.

As far as I know there's nothing wrong with linking to your own blog.

[dmurphy]

Originally Posted by BarryWheeler

What I have noticed, sites with a more "social" feel, where users are engaged, commenting, liking etc ... they have done so much better since the update.

This is where the Panda update I feel did very well. It pushed down the sites that weren't as great when it came to content and obviously they didn't fare very well. In my own experience, I had some test sites take a hit as a result. But, were they really anything significant that have good "social capital?" Nope, they had barely any at all. So my sites deserved it.

[gtk29]

I do not know what to say but it looks right to think that what Google Panda update did to most of us was wrong in a sense that only we can understand and not Google or someone else.

[BarryWheeler]

Originally Posted by dmurphy

This is where the Panda update I feel did very well. It pushed down the sites that weren't as great when it came to content and obviously they didn't fare very well. In my own experience, I had some test sites take a hit as a result. But, were they really anything significant that have good "social capital?" Nope, they had barely any at all. So my sites deserved it.

Interesting to hear you mention "social capital" - a term that many should come to love if they want any success in the near future.

For those that haven't watched Google's own evolution towards the social internet, they should realize search is about to change even more dramatically with coming updates. The success of Facebook and Twitter means Google has to get serious about being social and they are.

People online want a better user experience, not to be keyword spammed and trapped on sites offering no engagement or involvement.

[LucySands]

Ill play angry birds

[vvsingh]

Overall the Google Panda is a change for better. Since, Internet is a very very vast field it is not possible for a single entity to be 100% accurate but over all it is a welcome change.

[Spyder77]

Originally Posted by BarryWheeler

Interesting to hear you mention "social capital" - a term that many should come to love if they want any success in the near future.

For those that haven't watched Google's own evolution towards the social internet, they should realize search is about to change even more dramatically with coming updates. The success of Facebook and Twitter means Google has to get serious about being social and they are.

People online want a better user experience, not to be keyword spammed and trapped on sites offering no engagement or involvement.

Someone has written to describe what you're talking about... a year ago (I was struck by the copyright date relative to how prescient he seems to me, even if I can't think of his name). He called the three factors needed to rank today under G as:

content + links + human activity

He mainly used social media as the human element role, but also mentioned a number of other businesses G has acquired or products put out with one thing in common: they increasingly track the user experience and are become increasingly more predictive as a result of feedback from all of these apps. G+ came along after the book was published, but is further proof - in mind - that content + links aren't going to rank a new page like before, without the 3rd ingredient, and that older sites that don't embrace social bookmarking are going to wither on the vine.

Eye-opening book, but he made his point through good argument and research while developments since seem to prove him right.

[thebitbotdotcom]

Not quite sure of the purpose of this thread, but...

...I gained ranking. I believe most of us did. It was the article directories that took the hit.

[mbmehmet]

Originally Posted by BarryWheeler

I'll wear a flame retardant suit for this one seeing how I'm new to WF but I just can't bite my tongue any longer.

After reading all the posts about how much you've dropped in ranking, being deindexed and penalized by Google, I can't help it anymore, I have to go on record and say this ..

Yep, all you bloggers, webmasters and online business owners are right ... Google got it wrong! You all deserve to be ranked #1 for all your keywords. You all deserve to be dot com millionaires.

BUT ... here's the reality of the situation ... Google probably got it VERY right!

Everyone wants to point fingers at why they're not making money online, or why they've gotten penalized. It's always someone else's fault. It's never your own fault.

Well, take it from me ... if you site drops in ranking, gets penalized, or deindexed ... it's probably you!

I've been at this for a long time, make some decent coin from my sites but when I stopped working on my own personal blog and being serious about blogging, it showed. My content sucked. My readers left and my ranking fell!

It was nobody's fault but my own.

But guess what ... I accepted responsibility, corrected my ways and started building again!

Next time something doesn't appear to be going right and you think Google is getting vindictive ... Look in the mirror before you post ... ask yourself ... What you did (or didn't do) to cause it to happen!

Cheers!

Yep, You are right. We should all take responsibility for our actions.....

The problem is how can we take responsibility for our actions if we don't really know whats wrong? How can we correct something if we don't know what big daddy wants?

So while I agree with what you are saying I am still in the opinion google are vindictive. Why? Because they are a business, and all they care about are themselves, whether we like it or not, they have to be like that and probably will continue to be like that. problem is, who are they answering too?

They do what they want when they want, who is going to hold there actions accountable?

Am I pissed they slapped my sites? Yes, why? Cause I don't have a f(*kin clue what I done, and that is the truth. I am sure other webmasters feel the same.

At the end of the day no one really knows what Panda is, what it does and what the F(*K google want. No disrespect to you, but comparing Panda and simply losing rank due to poor quality content etc etc is utter S*(T.

If you have been around for a longtime, like you say you have then you wouldn't be on this forum telling us that poor quality content is a reason or the reason for us getting treated like crap.

Content has nothing to do with it, it's the intention that counts nothing else. I am sick to death with people coming on here telling me good quality content prevails, write for your readers WTF. To some extent this is true, but for those searching for products, buyers keywords, they want to BUY not bloody read how comfy bed sheets are.

Please get of that ledge, I was there once, now I am off it. It's easy for others to judge from the outside, posts like this in most part send others in the wrong direction.

God sake, there goes my bipolar again, I am off to have a fag....

[BarryWheeler]

Some fine points you've made and yes, while it appears there are some who legitimately may have a beef with their sudden drop in rankings, we've all used the common methods to drive traffic.

At some point we all have looked at some "tips", "hints" and "tricks" to get ahead of our competition.

Just reading through the commentary on this latest update and all past updates you'll see the same types of complaints. The only difference is this one appears to cover more things that some suspected were "questionable" or "grey" areas in the past.

One thing you've said has me nodding in agreement ... you're point about products / buyers. You are so right about those people wanting to Buy, not read blogs / sites full of content. Different type of optimization and traffic required for those sites. What works for content / passive income sites will be different for those.

As for not knowing what we've done to be penalized ... that's the fun part of this isn't it?

Oh, and yes, I've been around for a very long time, have made many mistakes and still making them. Fortunately, I don't rely totally on online revenue to make a living.

[mbmehmet]

Originally Posted by BarryWheeler

Some fine points you've made and yes, while it appears there are some who legitimately may have a beef with their sudden drop in rankings, we've all used the common methods to drive traffic.

At some point we all have looked at some "tips", "hints" and "tricks" to get ahead of our competition.

Just reading through the commentary on this latest update and all past updates you'll see the same types of complaints. The only difference is this one appears to cover more things that some suspected were "questionable" or "grey" areas in the past.

One thing you've said has me nodding in agreement ... you're point about products / buyers. You are so right about those people wanting to Buy, not read blogs / sites full of content. Different type of optimization and traffic required for those sites. What works for content / passive income sites will be different for those.

As for not knowing what we've done to be penalized ... that's the fun part of this isn't it?

Oh, and yes, I've been around for a very long time, have made many mistakes and still making them. Fortunately, I don't rely totally on online revenue to make a living.

"Oh, and yes, I've been around for a very long time, have made many mistakes and still making them. Fortunately, I don't rely totally on online revenue to make a living.[/QUOTE]"

Smart guy, I like it ;-)

[4morereferrals]

Originally Posted by BarryWheeler

I'll wear a flame retardant suit for this one seeing how I'm new to WF but I just can't bite my tongue any longer.

After reading all the posts about how much you've dropped in ranking, being deindexed and penalized by Google, I can't help it anymore, I have to go on record and say this ..

Yep, all you bloggers, webmasters and online business owners are right ... Google got it wrong! You all deserve to be ranked #1 for all your keywords. You all deserve to be dot com millionaires.

BUT ... here's the reality of the situation ... Google probably got it VERY right!

Everyone wants to point fingers at why they're not making money online, or why they've gotten penalized. It's always someone else's fault. It's never your own fault.

Well, take it from me ... if you site drops in ranking, gets penalized, or deindexed ... it's probably you!

I've been at this for a long time, make some decent coin from my sites but when I stopped working on my own personal blog and being serious about blogging, it showed. My content sucked. My readers left and my ranking fell!

It was nobody's fault but my own.

But guess what ... I accepted responsibility, corrected my ways and started building again!

Next time something doesn't appear to be going right and you think Google is getting vindictive ... Look in the mirror before you post ... ask yourself ... What you did (or didn't do) to cause it to happen!

Cheers!

Id readily agree with you if the sites that had replaced mine were of the same or better caliber - had tons of high quality content, that was unique - regularly updated ... didnt also have spammy profile links propping them up etc.

Many of the sites I had take hits - didnt get displaced by "content rich authoratative pillars of hte niche" they just got replaced by other spammy piles of dung that were far worse than mine from a content point of view - less links and far worse tripe ... they just havent been hit yet.

Yeah ... are there some of us that deserved to be OFF page one - sure thing ... BUT are there still hundreds of pages in front that are even worse now and why are we in position 187 and an even thinner - more mfa hunk of utter trash end up on page one.


NO google panda didnt get it right bro - sorry. Theres now even more tripe on page one and ranking higher than ever... seeing it across 20-30 different niches... not just my one pet project blog.

[BarryWheeler]

Originally Posted by 4morereferrals

Id readily agree with you if the sites that had replaced mine were of the same or better caliber - had tons of high quality content, that was unique - regularly updated ... didnt also have spammy profile links propping them up etc.

Many of the sites I had take hits - didnt get displaced by "content rich authoratative pillars of hte niche" they just got replaced by other spammy piles of dung that were far worse than mine from a content point of view - less links and far worse tripe ... they just havent been hit yet.

Yeah ... are there some of us that deserved to be OFF page one - sure thing ... BUT are there still hundreds of pages in front that are even worse now and why are we in position 187 and an even thinner - more mfa hunk of utter trash end up on page one.


NO google panda didnt get it right bro - sorry. Theres now even more tripe on page one and ranking higher than ever... seeing it across 20-30 different niches... not just my one pet project blog.

Yes, I do agree with you there is more crap still ranking well, and showing up at the top of the SERPs and yes, I've seen what you're talking about as well.

The thing most (not all) but most site owners use the same or similar techniques when building their online empires. Wouldn't it make sense if one site takes the hit, all sites would take the hit because of these same techniques?

Wouldn't that explain why all sites across multiple niche sites got affected?

With my own sites I've seen some very strange things happen. I've watched 1 site improve dramatically and I haven't done anything with it for about a year and I thought it was my "worst" site. Another that is updated regularly with content, has great backlinks from many great relevant sources (all with authority) dropped big time.

But, I had personally done things to that site experimenting for better placement, more traffic that was somewhat "grey" area and now I've paid for it.

It would be interesting to do a complete analysis of all the links to all my sites and all the content usage and see what is in common. Would be certainly tell a different picture than a quick look and quick WTF on my behalf.