Google Listings Burned Down?

[CrusaderAD]

The community cafe seemed the best spot for a quick Google rant. Has anyone else noticed their listings in Google dropping for no reason? Have they switched over to a new algorithm? It's amazing how none of the many tools they offer actually inform you of what's happening.

[azurehi]

This might explain what you have noticed:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/pcworld/20110225/tc_pcworld/googlemovestoshuffledownlowqualitysites

[jwbrase]

This might explain what you have noticed:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/pcworld/20110225/tc_pcworld/googlemovestoshuffledownlowqualitysites

If so it's a good thing. I hate when I enter a search term, and the Wikipedia article comes up at the top of the list (no problem in itself), and then half the search results are from sites that are simple copies of the Wikipedia article. If they're deranking sites that are verbatim copies of other sites, it's good as far as I'm concerned.

[themarker0]

If so it's a good thing. I hate when I enter a search term, and the Wikipedia article comes up at the top of the list (no problem in itself), and then half the search results are from sites that are simple copies of the Wikipedia article. If they're deranking sites that are verbatim copies of other sites, it's good as far as I'm concerned.


I bet wiki's will still be the top...

[jwbrase]

I bet wiki's will still be the top...

As I said, I don't have a problem with Wikip's article being at the top in and of itself. I just have a problem with how, when it is at the top, half the search results are copycats of the Wikip article.

[handy]

I think this is a good thing. So often I search & get sites that have nothing to do with what I searched for even though they state that they do in the search page.

So hopefully the sneaky marketroids are getting a backhander from Google.

Though it will only set them back for a while.

Every time someone builds a higher fence, the ladder builders get to work. Interesting how that statement works both ways.

[CrusaderAD]

I think this is a good thing. So often I search & get sites that have nothing to do with what I searched for even though they state that they do in the search page.

So hopefully the sneaky marketroids are getting a backhander from Google.

Though it will only set them back for a while.

Every time someone builds a higher fence, the ladder builders get to work. Interesting how that statement works both ways.

I agree with you guys. Problem is, there's a lot of false positives... especially on a scale like this. Sites are getting demoted when they're completely legit. Google offers no help in explaining their algorithm or methods behind their madness. A small change effects everyone on a global scale. Businesses that have worked so hard for their rankings are suffering now. They need to figure out how to punish the "link farmers" without firing blindly.

[handy]

I expect that Google are in a process of developing & refining the tools for the job.

Those of us who remember the days before Google, when search engines were so bad that you just wouldn't bother using them. Then Google came along & changed the online world forever.

Smart dudes there, I expect that they will get this problem sorted out, though I agree, it may be costly for some for a while.