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.
Feeds
5540 items (5015 unread) in 3 feeds
Google
(325 unread)
-
Official Google Webmaster Central Blog (325 unread)
SEO
(4690 unread)
-
Emily Chang (347 unread)
-
Search Engine Roundtable
(4343 unread)
Search Engine Roundtable (6 unread)
-
Daily Search Forum Recap: May 11, 2010
Posted: May 11th, 2010, 11:00pm CEST by rustybrick
Tags: Search Forum Recap
-
Google Pleading With Searchers To Stay After Redesign
Posted: May 11th, 2010, 3:31pm CEST by rustybrick
Tags: Google Search Engine
When Google launched the redesign last week, many hated it but Google said they are sticking with it, even if some say referrals are down. Since Google is adamant about sticking with the new design, Google is on occasion pleading with some searchers to try it out and give the new design a chance.
Googler, Rubie, in the Google Web Search Help forum responded to one complaint in a long but somewhat funny manner. Here it is:
It pains me to witness the tragic unraveling of a technological love affair. Clearly you're beyond the "We need to talk" phase, but I still think there's hope for your relationship. I, too, was shocked by the new Google search results page when I first saw it. Where had my beautifully textured G-O-O-G-L-E gone? And who invited Left-Nav to the party? It was like my mom had changed her cheesy potatoes recipe and ruined Thanksgiving forever. Nevertheless, out of respect for the Goog, as my friends like to call it, I gave it a whirl.
Shortly thereafter, I did a search for [bridal shower ideas] and, to my surprise, the old Google was back. I guess it was just an experiment that came and went. What luck, right? Wrong. Despite my initial resistance, I had actually started to like to new interface. I could so easily toggle between images, blogs, and videos for the perfect combination of ideas on how to put together the ideal shower. Was I a traitor? Was I betraying the old Google by embracing the new one? I decided that I didn't really care because I was getting exactly the info that I wanted.
I understand if you recall with longing another time with a different Google results page, but Google is not ready to give up on its relationship with you. You're free to search wherever you like, but know that Google will be always be waiting for your return.
How classic is that? I mean, seriously, how classic is that?
Forum discussion at Google Web Search Help.
-
Google Maps Street View Bug Takes You Through NYC Building
Posted: May 11th, 2010, 3:24pm CEST by rustybrick
Tags: Other Google Topics
A Google Maps Help thread reports a humorous bug with Google Maps Street Views. The street view seems to take you through a NYC building on 5th avenue and 31st street. FYI, I'll be there this week, so maybe I'll give it a try.
Here is a picture of the buggy street view directions:
As you can see, 5th avenue appears to go right through that building.
I know Google is testing store views but I doubt it works this way.
Forum discussion at Google Maps Help.
-
Poll: Google's New Design Sending Less Traffic To Your Site?
Posted: May 11th, 2010, 3:09pm CEST by rustybrick
Tags: Google Search Engine
The new Google design launched May 5th and even if you hate it or not, it is here to stay. But some webmasters are claiming that although the ranking of their web pages are the same in Google, the traffic Google is sending is much less. Meaning, the redesign has impacted the likelihood of a searcher clicking from the new Google search results, over to your web page.
A WebmasterWorld thread has Brett Tabke, the owner of that forum saying:
The last week was the biggest single change in our referral profile graph since florida 2004. Anyone else seeing major changes in referral numbers since the new serp layout last week?
(this is not about the algo update, but specifically with the new serp layout)
Not everyone in the thread thinks it has to do with the redesign. I personally checked a handful of sites and some of those sites are up in Google organic referrals since the design change and some are done. So it is hard to say.
Let's try to get a few hundred responses to this poll. Go ahead, take a look at your stats, compare May 6th through yesterday with the previous week and see if your organic Google referrals are up or down on average. Then take the poll below:
Google Referrals Change Since Google Redesignonline surveys
Now, go ahead and have your friends take the poll. I'll report back in a week with the results.
Forum discussion at WebmasterWorld.
-
Google Maps Get Directions, My Maps & Transit Directions Failing For Some
Posted: May 11th, 2010, 3:01pm CEST by rustybrick
Tags: Other Google Topics
A Google Maps Help forum has confirmed reports that for some users, on some browsers, the Get Directions, My Maps & Transit Directions features and links are not working on Google Maps.
Brian B from the Google Maps Team said:1 - The "Get Directions" and "My Maps" buttons simply do not work for users.
I have tried to reproduce this error on a few machines and on a bunch of browsers, but haven't been able to successfully reproduce. Are users still seeing this error? I know some of you mentioned having gone through troubleshooting steps found on our Help Center, and that's a great first step. Please let me know if this problem is still ongoing.
2 - Transit directions don't work where they used to.
Some of you have mentioned Salt Lake City as one area that is affected. What other areas are folks having issues with? Keep in mind public transit information isn't yet available everywhere.
I've escalated both of these issues to the appropriate folks. Keep the details coming if you're still experiencing these.
So if you are having issues with the items mentioned above, please go to the Google Maps Help help forum and chime in about your browser and PC type.
Forum discussion at Google Maps Help.
-
Webmasters Weigh in on Teoma Search Results
Posted: May 11th, 2010, 2:52pm CEST by rustybrick
Tags: Ask.com
Last week, Teoma came back and was relaunched as "a simplified interface for everyday keyword web search" by the Ask.com team. Since then, webmasters have been giving it a try.
A WebmasterWorld has some comments from webmasters on the user interface and the search results. I'll include select quotes below, but first, give Teoma a spin and let me know how you like the search results based on relevancy, freshness and speed. Here is the poll:
Do You Like The Teoma Results?customer surveys
Now for quotes from the thread:
No organic results above the fold = you love it? There are five ads at the top and they are huge! I have to scroll down to see organic results. There's lame and then there's Teoma lame.
I welcome any new player in the search engine game!
internetheaven - the results look good to me too. It's the layout you don't like. It's a page right out of Ask.
Google and Bing have run off the end of the earth trying to reinvent the wheel and it's nice to see an old friend pop up, if not for any other reason than to remind us of why we are all here in the first place.
I give the results a 'pretty darn good' in my niche. In fact they seem to be able to tell a real 'authority' site far better than Google does these days. No paid links or networks filling the top top page.
Let me rephrase that to be more specific. For the few searches I did in my niche, their results were noticeably better than Google.
One other thing I noticed though. They must either crawl or index pretty slow. Because I found two examples of sites that are ranking, but when I visit them the current site has some difficulties.
Forum discussion at WebmasterWorld.