How Google really works

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I had a friend who knows what I do on the internet asked me the other day if I thought Google really gave me the answers to what I was looking for when I did a search, I asked him why. He said he wanted to find information about how to find a hotel in Europe and that was exactly what he typed in to google.

However he said for every site that gave him very little information on the subject there was 9 sites on each results page that was nothing but hotel booking sites. He said each booking site said nothing about how to anything, they were all just fill in your dates and city and that was it.

So I looked and he was correct, which made it difficult for him to find what he wanted, with that in mind how do we as marketers target our customers since everyone says find out what problem they have and give them a solution.

But how can we give them a solution if Google can't even send them to sites with the answers to there question because everything is dominated with giant sales sites.

What do you really find when you are looking for something, do you get what you are looking for right away or do you have to go in 5 pages deep to get a site that has the answer that also sells you a solution.
#google #works
  • Profile picture of the author superowid
    That's where the long tail keywords needed to be learnt by all ordinary Google search users in the world. If we want to find specific result, then we need to go in specific way, not common way. Most people won't do this... and that's what Google likes.
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    • Profile picture of the author Tim3
      The answer is simple, nobody is targeting that keyphrase, except a site called ricksteves, the other results are probably you on another forum?

      The reason is also simple, Google knows, everyone knows how to find a hotel. The search is not specific enough

      type this in...
      hotels in Berlin with a balcony -
      and you get tripadvisor.com which is where your friend should look.
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  • Profile picture of the author DRP
    Google is always updating their search algorithms (2x/day in fact)
    Sometimes, I also have a hard time finding what I'm looking for. Google tries though.
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  • Profile picture of the author paulgl
    Originally Posted by marks2424 View Post

    He said he wanted to find information about how to find a hotel in Europe and that was exactly what he typed in to google.
    Google thinks the chap is looking for a hotel in europe, which is a useless question anyway.

    When you give google a nonsense phrased question for a looney query, what do you expect?

    That google is going to answer that nonsense looney question?

    Okay, I'll give it a shot!

    How to find a hotel in Europe:

    1. Get yourself to some place that is in Europe.

    2.Once you have figured out where you actually want to end up,
    start walking/driving up down each street.

    3. Pull out a language dictionary for that region or country.

    4. Look up the word hotel.

    5. Start looking for buildings with signs that have that word.

    6. Chances are, you might see the word, "Hotel."

    7. If you see such a sign, chances are, it's a hotel.

    8. Now that you have found one.....

    I shudder to think anyone is googling,

    "How do I find the milk in walmart"

    Paul
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  • Profile picture of the author nwik
    Google is a reliable source. Most of the time it gives you accurate answer to your searches.

    You really just have to dig deeper if you really want a more specific answer to your question.

    You may not always find the answer but through the use of smarter keywords it can give you what you're looking for.
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  • Profile picture of the author st0nec0ld
    The question is vague. If you want specific answer then be specific.
    Drilldown what you are trying to search, like which part of europe.
    Will you just walk-in or book ahead? Something like that..
    If you are looking for a direction or guide then use those term instead of the word find.
    If you don't know how to search then you will not be able to get the answers you are looking for.
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  • Profile picture of the author marks2424
    I understand what everyone is saying and agree to a point except with paulgl as it is not a nonsense question. Of course google thinks he is looking for a hotel in Europe but that is exactly why is phrased how do not just find a hotel and that is what should make the difference.

    The guy was asking how to and if someone has no idea of how to find a hotel in europe then how does he ask. It also doesn't matter if you put in the city you are thinking about because you don't get any sites with an article on how to go about finding the kind of hotel you want all you get is big booking sites that tell you nothing.

    Isn't that the point of using a long tail keyword so you can get a more specific answer and if you can't get an answer using it then what is the point, how will people find what they are looking for.
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    • Profile picture of the author Kay King
      You seem to be focusing the complaint on Google - and google is a search ENGINE. The problem with the general searching is the huge numbers of junk sites meant only to sell to you or get ad clicks from you....welcome to the internet.

      HOW you search is crucial - dumb to look for "how to find a hotel...anywhere". Better to know what city you will be in - and get into local searches.

      I just looked for a veterinarian in another city. I didn't put in "how to find a veterinarian".....I put in the name of the city, the state and "veterinarian".

      Voila - I got a full list of vets in that city and in that local area AND links to their sites. When you search a "how to"....what you get are all the "how to" sites that are meant to capture traffic and nothing more.

      Google can't read your mind. If you want to find hotels in a certain city in a particular country, you have to say so. The specificity of search terms used determines quality of the results.

      don't get any sites with an article on how to go about finding the kind of hotel you want all you get is big booking sites that tell you nothing.
      Not referring to you personally - but this is part of what I see as the "dumbing down" that is becoming common for those who grew up using the internet.

      What would you have done 25 years ago if you want to find a hotel??? You would look for local publications in the library - read travel guides to the area for recommendations....you would have done your homework by digging into specific sources of information.

      You can't expect the internet to provide every detailed answer you want. Do you NEED an article to tell you HOW to choose a hotel? Have you considered going to travel sites for the area to look for recommendations? YOU have to do your part in a search - that's what people here are saying. If all you are getting in a search are big booking sites and promotions - you need to narrow/refine your search parameters.

      For example - try doing a google search for "travel guides to european hotels"....you might have to purchase a guide....but there's a lot of good results there.
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      • Profile picture of the author DABK
        Generally speaking, people looking into how to find a hotel in Europe want to end up booking a hotel room in Europe, they don't do it just to know the answer to that question, hence, presenting you with a bunch of sites that allow you to book a hotel room in Europe is a great answer to your friend's question.

        Yes, Google skipped a few steps... too basic. How do you find a hotel in Europe? You Google Hotels in Europe and Google shows you a bunch of sites that let you choose rooms a different prices in different parts of Europe. Again, Google's was the perfect answer to that question.

        If you want to know how do you choose a good hotel in Europe, which seems what your friend was after, then you ask Google just that: https://www.google.com/search?q=how+...utf-8&oe=utf-8.
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  • Profile picture of the author nettiapina
    Originally Posted by marks2424 View Post

    He said he wanted to find information about how to find a hotel in Europe and that was exactly what he typed in to google.
    As a guy from Europe I can tell you that it's pretty silly way to use Google. Would you search for a hotel in US in similar manner? Of course you would not. You have some idea of the state and city you're going to visit. When dealing with Europe you just replace the state with country. This should be pretty obvious at this point, but googling for "hotel in Germany" makes as little sense as googling for "hotel in California". Should Google just randomly decide that you're visiting San Fran, LA, Berlin, or some other city?

    Google for "hotel in Madrid" or "hotel in Helsinki", and you'd get better results. Or at least your "complaint" would make some sense. Gotta agree with Paul on this one.

    Yes, the major hotel booking sites are going to rank for this kind of stuff. They've got the budgets to advertise all the time, and strong sites such as airlines and major hotel chains link to them. They're also quite likely your best bet if your query is that vague. Google can't read your mind, but the results in this case were still relevant and helpful.
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  • Profile picture of the author randyman
    Lol, of course google will show your friend hotel booking sites.

    Tell your friend to use exact match search, for example:

    "how to find hotels in europe"

    I doubt you'll find any good websites about it, because europe is very vast, one country is different from another. Best way to search maybe:

    "how to find cheap hotels in paris" >>> there are tons of travel websites that offer tips on traveling to paris, and some might offer tips on acommodation.
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  • Profile picture of the author marks2424
    I understand what everyone is saying and again I am not the one doing the search but I also have typed in fine hotel in Rome or Florence or Paris and once again nothing but big booking sites. Any one who has been to europe knows finding a hotel there is nothing like getting a hotel in the states.

    So once again if someone is going to any of these cities and has never looked for a hotel in any of these cities just how would they learn what to look for or how to pic a location or anything if they can't find a site that tells them how to do this only booking sites which tell you nothing.

    I mean what if someone typed in how to bake a cake would they get only sites that are selling cakes or would they get sites that shows them step by step what to do or at least sell them recipes isn't that the hole reason for the how to find in the first place but to learn how to.

    I also know Google keeps saying they built google to be able to type in searches in a question form and I know Google can't read someone's mind but shouldn't it also be able to understand what you are asking if they claim their system will

    I also did find a few articles on exactly how to find a hotel in Europe and I did it just to see if there were any but they were way back on like page 10 so at the same time shouldn't google also be able to find an exact match because the article title was how to find a hotel in europe.

    Sure I know people get lazier and lazier every day but they should not have to take a class on how to find something on the internet.
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    • Profile picture of the author DABK
      Again, you're saying you want the answer to a question other than how to find a hotel in Europe.

      Ask those questions to get the answers to those questions.

      how to find a hotel in a safe neighborhood in paris france gets you: 10 best safe hotels in Paris, from trip advisor.

      And this:
      Where to Stay in Paris -- Best Neighborhoods and ...

      Adventurous Kate | The Solo Female Travel Blog › Blog


      Oct 20, 2014 - Take a look at the neighborhood before you book accommodation. .... Europe, Featured, France, Paris · Tagged with europe, france, lodging, paris ... Very safe, quiet Parisian neighborhood and a quick 15 minute walk to the ...



      Paris Hotels for Women | USA Today

      traveltips.usatoday.com › European Travel › France Travel › Paris Hotels




      For women travelers, Paris is a safe city, and there are several hotels in particular ... Near the Hotel Littre is Saint Germain des Pres and the Montparnasse shopping district. ... Hotel Littre 9 rue Littre 75006 Paris, France 011+33-01-53-63-07-07 ... Hotels for Families in Paris · About Hotels in Paris · How to Book Paris Hotels ...



      Paris Arrondissements: Where to Stay - Europe Up Close

      europeupclose.com/article/paris-arrondissements-where-to-stay/




      Mar 7, 2016 - This guide will help you find your best area to stay in Paris. ... In general, hotels in arrondissements close to Paris' city center or near Paris's ... This safe area is very gay-friendly and has a great Jewish quarter with ... For the best restaurant prices and authentic French food, don't eat on the Champs-Elysées.



      Safe and Dangerous Places in Paris - AOL Travel Ideas

      If safety is not the concern, you ask about: hotels in university neighborhoods, or exciting... Or how do you know you're not overpaying for a hotel in Paris.

      Originally Posted by marks2424 View Post

      I understand what everyone is saying and again I am not the one doing the search but I also have typed in fine hotel in Rome or Florence or Paris and once again nothing but big booking sites. Any one who has been to europe knows finding a hotel there is nothing like getting a hotel in the states.

      So once again if someone is going to any of these cities and has never looked for a hotel in any of these cities just how would they learn what to look for or how to pic a location or anything if they can't find a site that tells them how to do this only booking sites which tell you nothing.

      I mean what if someone typed in how to bake a cake would they get only sites that are selling cakes or would they get sites that shows them step by step what to do or at least sell them recipes isn't that the hole reason for the how to find in the first place but to learn how to.

      I also know Google keeps saying they built google to be able to type in searches in a question form and I know Google can't read someone's mind but shouldn't it also be able to understand what you are asking if they claim their system will

      I also did find a few articles on exactly how to find a hotel in Europe and I did it just to see if there were any but they were way back on like page 10 so at the same time shouldn't google also be able to find an exact match because the article title was how to find a hotel in europe.

      Sure I know people get lazier and lazier every day but they should not have to take a class on how to find something on the internet.
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    • Profile picture of the author nettiapina
      Originally Posted by marks2424 View Post

      Any one who has been to europe knows finding a hotel there is nothing like getting a hotel in the states.
      So what's different? I have no idea what you're trying to imply here. Is Europe harder to navigate because of all the different countries and languages?

      I don't get what's so bad about the big hotel booking sites. Again, they're one of the best replies to the question. They link to the hotels. You can and should investigate more. In the best case they'll give you a good list of some hotels that are in the area. You get keywords, street names, districts, etc.

      So you want the hotel to be located near a beach, in the historic city centre, or some other specific location? It's pretty obvious what you should try with your pal Google Search.

      I've tried to search for "how to find a hotel in Europe", and there's a lot of generic articles on the topic. Yes, some of them are from the big names. Do the same for US, and the list looks very similar although different sites are ranking.

      Originally Posted by marks2424 View Post

      I also did find a few articles on exactly how to find a hotel in Europe and I did it just to see if there were any but they were way back on like page 10
      This many posts to the thread, and you only now tell us that you're complaining about your own articles. You know, asking for ranking advice would work better. However, you'd be still going against the very strong sites that are ranking. That's the reality of your chosen niche. You need to go big, go long tail, or get out.

      Originally Posted by marks2424 View Post

      Sure I know people get lazier and lazier every day but they should not have to take a class on how to find something on the internet.
      Dude, please just stop digging the hole any deeper. The level of the mistake in the original post was continent versus city, and now that you kept talking I feel that it's continent versus district. My five year old would be embarrassed by that.
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  • Profile picture of the author marks2424
    Nice comment but who is really going to type this into a search (how to find a hotel in a safe neighborhood in paris france). Now I did type this in and got stories about which neighborhoods were safe and that is great but once again there was nothing in any article telling anyone how to specifically going about picking a hotel as there could be hundreds of mom and pop types of hotels that could be great for someone to stay in and again there was nothing explaining how someone could go about doing this.

    I don't want to sound like I have anything against Google because most of my sites are on page one of Google but there does seem to be something missing in how Google pulls up sites depending on the market and how the search is done.

    Not to say it over and over but Google does say they are making doing a search as easy as typing in a question and my friends original search was a long tail search and as I said many times before adding in the city and country really didn't get any better information then without, there would still be mostly booking sites.
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    • Profile picture of the author DABK
      https://www.google.com/search?q=best...utf-8&oe=utf-8 1900 searches a month (best places to stay in paris).

      Sounds to me like you've found yourself a nice, underserved niche. Go make money.

      Or, else, you Google Hotels in Paris and you get a bunch of sites that offer you lists upon lists of hotels, with stars and comments by people who stayed there, and all you have to do is look at all the 5 stars and read the reviews and the description.

      The hotels that don't make the list? They don't exist, do they?

      You don't get the same experience from visiting Paris for a week or two as if you lived there.

      But, if there's no site that delivers what you're asking, it means 2 things: you're not asking right here (because I and everybody else thinks you've got the answer to the question you asked) or in Google (it gives you an answer you don't like). If it's the 2nd, put up a site: if your tribe is large, you'll make lotsa money, won't you?

      Originally Posted by marks2424 View Post

      Nice comment but who is really going to type this into a search (how to find a hotel in a safe neighborhood in paris france). Now I did type this in and got stories about which neighborhoods were safe and that is great but once again there was nothing in any article telling anyone how to specifically going about picking a hotel as there could be hundreds of mom and pop types of hotels that could be great for someone to stay in and again there was nothing explaining how someone could go about doing this.

      I don't want to sound like I have anything against Google because most of my sites are on page one of Google but there does seem to be something missing in how Google pulls up sites depending on the market and how the search is done.

      Not to say it over and over but Google does say they are making doing a search as easy as typing in a question and my friends original search was a long tail search and as I said many times before adding in the city and country really didn't get any better information then without, there would still be mostly booking sites.
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  • Profile picture of the author marks2424
    No Europe is different because of all the mom and pop type of hotels. In the US pretty much any hotel in the entire country is the same. You get one room with 2 queen sized beds in it unless you want a room with one king sized bed in it. In europe because of all the individually owned hotels that doesn't happen. Sure there are some hotel chains that have American style rooms and more and more individually owned hotels are doing the same as far as rooms but there are still so many hotels with big rooms small rooms, rooms with one bed that holds only one person. If you are from the states it is just different. Not to mention picking a location, in the states everyone drives everywhere so if they want to go sightseeing they just drive and park their car in the lot of the site but that doesn't happen in Europe, at least not that I have seen. I like to get a hotel that is centrally located to many different sites so I can walk to them as I know most of them don't have parking any where close so knowing what you want to see before finding a hotel would be an important step in finding a hotel.
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    • Profile picture of the author nettiapina
      Originally Posted by marks2424 View Post

      No Europe is different because of all the mom and pop type of hotels. In the US pretty much any hotel in the entire country is the same.
      I was in the impression that there's a lot of difference across US too. Maybe you'd just call some of the smaller ones hostels instead?

      I'm willing to bet that there are local strong hotel brands across Europe, and some that operate in several countries. Accommodation is not my niche so don't quote me on that. However, it's the case in my backwoods home country.

      Originally Posted by marks2424 View Post

      Not to mention picking a location, in the states everyone drives everywhere so if they want to go sightseeing they just drive and park their car in the lot of the site but that doesn't happen in Europe, at least not that I have seen.
      Well, some of the most memorable sites in Europe are in cities that have been at that same spot for centuries. They weren't planned to accommodate for cars. But that's sort of the point why you'd want to visit those places, isn't it?

      These things you mention seem like excellent content ideas to me. You've got to assume that the person is not at the first step, but decided on the city and what they're interested in.
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  • Profile picture of the author azaria2410
    Google is the intelligence console so you can find information easily and it is very hard to use cheat with google
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