Google Does Impact Many Small Businesses

Like with the Florida Google Update, many stories came out with businesses going belly up, due to the huge changes with Google's algorithm. Since then, the industry took a focus on balancing paid and free listings - but it isn't always enough. As study after study has shown, the free listings do have the potential to send a huge number of buyers to your site, even if you do paid, some businesses still need the free results.

A thread at WebmasterWorld tells a story of a business that had no choice but to layoff 3 of their workers recently. I normally would tell such a story, but this individual small business owner has been a WebmasterWorld member since September 7, 2001. He started his e-commerce business 1998 and been through Florida, been through 9/11, he has been through a lot. But he couldn't hack it.

We have been absolutely bludgeoned in the last couple of months - google organic referrals are down 50-70% (depending on which hour you check). Most all of our losses have come from our long tail keywords.

These are the stories that make me think. At what level has this e-commerce business utilize paid search, shopping search engines, local search and all the other verticals - in order to supplement the organic listings? It is hard to say, and I am not someone who should be judging. Someone who has been in the business since 1998 and plus, has been a WebmasterWorld member since 2001 - you have to give him the benefit of the doubt.

We wish you and all those like you, the best.

Forum discussion at WebmasterWorld.