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An interesting thread at WebmasterWorld is asking SEOs to take a step back, relax and wait. Then think - what is the best user experience for your web site visitor and don't worry too much about what works with Google.
Easier said than done - but the webmaster in the thread said - it may be something more important for your SEO than you know.
He cites a discussion from August where a Google patent was analyzed on how Google may change rankings to trick spammers into changing their site and then change the rankings back. Yes, they will temporary shift the rankings around to see who reacts first to try to counter those ranking changes. It may be used as a signal to see which web sites obsess a bit too much over SEO and may raise a red flag for that web site.
So the feeling is, when there is a major ranking change specific to your site - maybe not react too fast.
Forum discussion at WebmasterWorld.
Image credit to BigStockPhoto for diving into a cup image
Comments:
Barry Adams
04/17/2013 12:32 pm
Exactly - like I wrote about in my post 'Transition Rank as Propaganda' on State of Search, it seems Google is fully intending the SEO industry to react in certain ways to the information Google releases. Unfortunately it seems many SEOs are all too willing to take everything Google says at face value, and apply precious little critical thinking to the information they're being bombarded with.
Fedor
04/17/2013 01:25 pm
Sometimes you just can't help but overreact when you go out of your way to do everything Google asks of you, create a better user experience and then Google screws you with shit like manually punishing 5,000 sites because they're making a decent income from adsense. Then they give you a bullshit excuse and make you ruin the user experience by interrupting their fun by placing ads right in their face just to get some damn click without nessie. Rankings are just the beginning, the evil runs deep.
Jim Christian
04/17/2013 02:48 pm
By overreact you mean pop open a frosty one and start drinking, right?
G
04/17/2013 03:14 pm
I'm probably not alone in going from Google fan to Google cynic, but these days I think a few things about Google: 1) search is the loss leader for Adwords 2) search only has to be good enough to sell Adwords 3) they want the money currently being spent on SEO to be spent on Adwords 4) they play with search results to make businesses question whether ROI is better from Adwords 5) they want to be good enough to make lots of money from lots of cool things... but their only true success is Adwords.
Philip Busk
04/17/2013 03:41 pm
Another reason to sit on my hands and do nothing.
amir
04/17/2013 07:53 pm
Oftentimes you simply just can not help but overreact when you go out of your way to do every little thing Google demands of you, produce a better user practical knowledge and then Google screws you with shit like personally penalising 5, 000 sites mainly because they're making a reasonable income from adsense. Then they give you a bullshit excuse and make you ruin the user practical knowledge by interrupting their fun by adding ads right in their face just to get some damn click without nessie. Rankings are just the commencing, the malefic runs deeply.
Cheyserr
04/17/2013 09:54 pm
Google is now here to trick us and they just expect us to just smile.
or zilberman
04/18/2013 06:38 am
Next time they will have a patent to send you 'jump from the roof' and see on the news who jumps. To trick rankings just to see if someone reacts? People rely with their lives and incomes on this traffic as many business owners rely on such traffic. And Google said 'do no evil'
Soni Sharma
04/18/2013 06:43 am
It is not necessary... Google changes ranking after some time as there are many factors like some other page comes up with good quality, information and context. So try to improve webpages regularly in terms of user experiences and context of site.
David
04/18/2013 07:16 am
Srsly @disqus_PN3yP2Nqgy:disqus why are you copying and pasting other people's comments? Got nothing to say?
David
04/18/2013 07:20 am
Get what you saying, but at the end of the day I don't think this is gonna change anything as G shift their SERPS everyday.The bottom line here is the fact that Google is tricking people by shifting it's SERPS with the intent of causing people to loose business.And all that people really want to do is make an honest living by doing exactly what Google tells them to do.I really didn't expect anything like this at all.
Soni Sharma
04/18/2013 08:17 am
Hi David Thanks for sharing your views.. You are right G shift their SERPS everyday But I always look at the side that there will always be 10 results on first page with some logic to come up.. But do not rely on single Search engine source You should build audience by SMM, E-mail campaign and other methods for Long lasting growth.
Soni Sharma
04/18/2013 08:40 am
Ctrl+C and ctrl+v so simple... Hahaha.
Alan
04/18/2013 09:38 am
Was a fan and now a cynic also and you sum up Google perfectly in that comment.
Ranu Jain
04/18/2013 10:17 am
We are the SEOs who have withstood Panda, Penguin and all the worst algorithmic changes happening in the Google search world. Not being pessimist but hoping for good results seems like shooting yourself in the foot. Google is offering free information and products to grab your attention. Then it captures your attention to businesses in the form of ads. Will it be right to put - "Google is now a hardcore advertising company?"
Salvador Polonan
06/04/2013 06:16 pm
We should only react if there's something to to react like giving complement for those articles that has sense and more helpful to give us more information and ideas. Google has all the tools we need so most people are searching that can help them and that maybe the reason why the rankings is changing. Providing quality information webpage are we looking for. Great post. Thank you for sharing.
Spook SEO
02/04/2014 01:34 am
I am working as an SEO and I am totally miserable due to Google updates. Panda and Penguin algorithms are nastier and they make SEO more and more complex. I hope Google should take a stance on their rules and regulation.