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  Daily Search Forum Recap: May 1, 2009

  Posted: May 1st, 2009, 11:00pm CEST by rustybrick

  Tags:  Search Forum Recap  

  Here is a recap of what happened in the search forums today, through the eyes of the Search Engine Roundtable and other search forums on the web.

  
  

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  Video Recap of Weekly Search Buzz :: May 1, 2009

  Posted: May 1st, 2009, 10:25pm CEST by rustybrick

  Tags:  Search Buzz RoundUp  

  In this week's search recap, I covered several topics on search. I started off with how Google's localized search engines may have some geo targeting issues. Google ran up a $30,000 bill for some new advertiser. Google has a major issue with merging business data on Google Maps. Microsoft stopped faking the search referrals, for now. You can trick AdWords into giving you longer titles with keyword insertion. Google updated their AdSense program policies, this is a big one. Publishers are upset with Google over delayed AdSense payments. Google might ban you if you don't update your privacy policy. Google fashioned a Morse code logo this week. Some are looking to make money off the Swine Flu. That was this week in search from the Search Engine Roundtable.

  Make sure to subscribe to our video feed or subscribe directly on iTunes to be notified of these updates and download the video in the background. Here is the YouTube version of the feed:

  
  For the original iTunes version, click here or to see the YouTube version in higher quality, click play at hit "HD."

  Some Of The Topics Discussed:
  

  • Is Google's Geo Targeting Off In Web Search?
  • $30,000 Google Surprise: New Advertiser Runs Up Huge Bill
  • Google Maps Merging Competing Business's Local Information
  • Microsoft Disables Fake Referral "Feature" Temporarily
  • Get Longer Google AdWords Titles Through Dynamic Keyword Insertion
  • Google Updates AdSense Program Policies Again: Guidelines Broaden
  • AdSense Publishers Panic About Not Receiving March Payment
  • Google Banning AdSense Publishers For Not Updating Privacy Policies?
  • Google Logo Not Broken, It's Morse Code
  • Swine Flu Concern Helping With Google AdSense Revenue?

  Please do subscribe via iTunes or on your favorite RSS reader. Don't forget to comment below with the right answer and good luck!

  
  

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  Most SEOs Use Interns For Link Building

  Posted: May 1st, 2009, 3:20pm CEST by rustybrick

  Tags:  Link Building  

  I ran a poll a couple weeks ago asking, do you use interns as link builders? The 120 plus responses are in and most of those who responded said yes, they use interns as link builders.

  74 of the 120 responses, or 62%, said they do use interns for link building. While, 45 of the 120 responses, or 38%, said they do not use interns for link building. One said that he is considering it.

  The main debate is if an intern can be successful in link building. Is there enough time to train and deploy an intern in the art of link building before that intern moves on to the next thing he or she may be doing? The debate is still going on, on this topic. But clearly, most of you are comfortable with using interns for link building.

  Forum discussion at WebmasterWorld.

  
  

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  Swine Flu Concern Helping With Google AdSense Revenue?

  Posted: May 1st, 2009, 3:11pm CEST by rustybrick

  Tags:  Google AdSense  

  Profiting off of medical concerns, such as with the recent Swine Flu outbreak, is something most people don't think about. But in a WebmasterWorld thread, some people are suggesting that if people are afraid to go out, they might spend more time on their computers.

  Clearly, more people sitting front of a computer, surfing the web, can lead to higher AdSense earnings. So technically, publishers and Google may profit off of this concern. At least, indirectly.

  The thread said:

  I believe if this flu does take hold, then it could be good for adsense members, due to the amount of people staying away from shops etc. More online shopping, more clicks :)

  Sad, but possibly true.

  In any event, Chris Sherman posted Tracking the Swine Flu Epidemic at Search Engine Land the other day.

  Forum discussion at WebmasterWorld.

  
  

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  SEO Tip: NoIndex Or 503 Site Coming Soon Pages

  Posted: May 1st, 2009, 3:00pm CEST by rustybrick

  Tags:  Search Engine Optimization  

  A Google Webmasters Help thread has a webmaster upset that he lost his rankings in Google. He switched web hosting companies and days later, his Google rankings plummeted. On typical server move, you should not really lose rankings, if done right. But this person lost his/her rankings.

  Google's JohnMu chimed in on the thread, saying:

  It looks like your site might have shown a generic server start page for a while (a "This is the default ... server page. (...)" page). When this happens over a few crawls, it can confuse Googlebot enough to cause problems with the indexing of your pages. At the moment it appears that this is no longer happening, so I imagine it'll just resolve itself automatically over time.

  Good news, the rankings should come back. But I noticed an interesting tweet from @JohnMu saying:

  Tip of the day: If you have a generic "your site will be hosted here soon" page, use "noindex" or 503 result code, thanks!

  Clearly that is related to this post. This is a good tip for anyone who is moving or setting up a site. I would completely avoid showing a generic message on the server, if possible, but if you can't, the advice above makes sense.

  If you want to see a live site with one of these starter pages, see [commgrad.uky.edu].

  Forum discussion at Google Webmasters Help.

  
  

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  Yell.com Threatening Drop in Google Rankings?

  Posted: May 1st, 2009, 2:50pm CEST by rustybrick

  Tags:  Local Search  

  Let me start off by saying I find this hard to believe. A Google Maps Help thread has one individual claiming that a Yell.com representative claimed that if you don't pay for your Yell.com listing, your Google listing will drop down. Yell.com is a popular UK local search engine.

  The Yell representative reportedly said, "of next week, unless you pay for Yell.com, your listing on Google maps will drop down below anyone listed with Yell.com in your area."

  Of course, this is not possible, Google would not let Yell.com influence how Google Maps works and ranks listings. In early 2008, there were rumors that Google would buy Yell and in 2005 Yell even powered Google Local UK, but that is long over with.

  A Google Maps representative made it crystal clear. Joel H from the Google Maps team said:

  Yell.com doesn't control ranking in our search results.

  Maybe the poster was confused or maybe the Yell.com representative was confused or a bit crazed. I don't know for sure, but one thing I do know is that Yell.com cannot do what this poster said.

  Forum discussion at Google Maps Help.

  
  

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  Should Google Go The Rel=Follow Route? Opt In vs. Opt Out

  Posted: May 1st, 2009, 2:42pm CEST by rustybrick

  Tags:  Link Building  

  There is a pretty funny thread for anyone who is somewhat familiar with the SEO industry. A thread at Google Webmasters Help has this SEO who goes on a rant about the nofollow and what have happened to links. In fact, he says that Google should consider all links nofollow by default and require webmasters to add a rel="follow" to links that they deem respectable enough to deserve any link equity.

  Here is the webmaster's post:

  I'm thinking that I should just adopt a site-wide policy that all links have nofollow. Because of Google's PageRank algorithm, links have become a dirty thing that requires a lot of consideration, a cause for concerns and panic, an object of envy, conflict, fight, bitterness, etc.. Reading this forum is a good indication of the sad state of what "links" have become. And, it's all because of Google's PageRank algorithm. It would be simpler, easier, and healthier if all links had nofollow as a policy. In fact, I wish Google would do the opposite; require people to add rel="follow" only when you want to pass "link juice" to someone else. The truth of the matter is that everyone has to know what PageRank is these days and some degree of SEO, which means that everyone is perfectly aware of what value and power links have. No one is innocent. Everyone treats links like money whether we actually get paid for it or not. Links has become a currency of power. In the old days, when we used to call them "hyperllinks" they were just a mechanism for convenience.

  Now how is that for a rant? I kind of agree. I mean, the nofollow link attribute was originally designed to prevent spam in blogs, forums, and any open web form. Now it is used for ads, for managing your internal PageRank and to penalize sites. I am not going to go off on a rant on the nofollow attribute, so I will stop there.

  The Google Webmasters Help thread has a lot of discussion around the nofollow attribute. It makes for a fun, pre-weekend read.

  Forum discussion at Google Webmasters Help.