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Google Groups member JLH spotted a line on Matt Cutts's blog where he suggests that forum members take advantage of Google Groups to get their questions answered:
Got a webmaster-related question or suggestion that is not directly related to the topic of this entry? Instead of posting it here, your best bet is our official Google forum linked from http://www.google.com/webmasters/
I've only found mention of that comment in one blog post, but I'm surprised Matt didn't do it earlier. After all, I can imagine he's in demand and Google Groups is not really a widely known avenue for assistance from those I've spoken to.
The bottom line is that if you need assistance on your website, the blog of Matt Cutts is not the place to ask for it; there's a really useful Google Groups for that.
Forum discussion is at Google Groups.
Comments:
Matt Cutts
09/04/2007 05:16 pm
I wanted to wait until the Google Group was going well, but that's really the best place. Over the 500+ posts that I've done, I average 60+ comments per post, so I just can't respond to every person with a question. :( The group is much more likely to get help from fellow webmasters or Googlers.
Barry Schwartz
09/04/2007 05:18 pm
Matt, I don't blame you. Hopefully it will help.
Sam I Am
09/04/2007 07:13 pm
The problem with GG is that a lot of webmasters are wary of Google watching over them. And considering the Googlers rarely actually post there, there's really no benefit to posting there besides other forums. I still post there regularly but unfortunately our situation can't be figured out by anyone; googler or not...
Michael Stubblefield
09/04/2007 10:46 pm
Well if people start using it as a resource, then it'll bring the attention on its own. Kind of a circular argument but true. Once it becomes a destination for a lot of people, it'll attract more resources.
Tamar Weinberg
09/05/2007 04:54 am
"And considering the Googlers rarely actually post there, there's really no benefit to posting there besides other forums." Sam I Am, you'd get more attention from Googlers than you would if you posted a comment on Matt's blog. Even if they rarely are seen as active posters, it doesn't mean that they aren't reading. As Susan Moskwa said in a recent <a href="http://groups.google.com/group/Google_Webmaster_Help-chit-chat/browse_thread/thread/19dae58b42ef76a6" rel="nofollow">Google Groups</a> post: "A lot of what Googlers do on this forum is 'silent' (we take back your feedback/suggestions to our teams, investigate problems that you report, etc., and we don't usually post an update every time we do so).' That means you have their attention. My point was to say that it's better to post in the Google Groups than on Googler Matt Cutts's blog. Either way, you're getting exposure from Googlers, but one is a better method of communication than the other.
Sam I Am
09/05/2007 10:34 am
I realize it is a better medium than Matt's blog, but you can tell when posting there that there is an inherent fear of posting in Google's backyard. This is the company we all love, hate and fear at the same time, so I don't think that's so strange. But it does mean that a lot of the people that have been in the business for years don't post there and take their advice elsewhere. If you are looking for the silent Google treatment, that can be found on any of the other big forums too :) Like I said though, I still post there.
Rob Abdul
09/05/2007 01:05 pm
Guys correct me if I’m wrong, but isn’t a blog a one way street? It is only be of Matt’s close association to Google that he gets all that attention.
Michael Martinez
09/05/2007 06:33 pm
Matt is pretty popular now. He could probably leave Google and start a turnip farm and people would still read his blog. The Google Group is no better or worse than other discussion groups from what I have seen. It has a high noise-to-signal ratio already from Toolbar PR afficianados and other purveyors of SEO myths. I long encouraged Google and other search engines to take an active role in Webmaster communities by starting their own forums, but I think they should spend a little more time responding to the technical questions.
Jaan Kanellis
09/06/2007 08:39 am
I tried asking some simple Google Maps questions about the newly released MyMaps and was torn apart in there. It was a sad display of Google Maps members.
Rose
09/15/2007 01:10 am
I took advantage of Google groups and was laughed at.