Google ups the ante... again...

Nothing new about this part for those who read Matt Cutts' blog, other than that it's now officially enshrined in Google's Webmaster Guidelines:

However, this next section adds a new twist:

Note the highlighted excerpts. They don't give us a lot of options, do they?

I can't see this working out well for Google, frankly. I see a restraint of trade suit on the horizon.

 

hmm ... will this even work?

 

Just further proof of corporate collusion

Also validates that Matt and other googlers blogging are merely just puppets..

When Matt C heads out on the retirement loop post burn out... they'll just prop another Matt C up as lead puppet of googlebs

 

I can never see the second part happening.

Google is wrong in trying to regulate and twist the arm of webmasters as they themselves are to be blamed for such a situation

The did it the day they inflated the value of the PR in their algo..

 

what does this mean for the yahoo directory?

 

I'm glad that Google is upfront about the flaws in their technology as well as the guidelines that they are going to enforce. Probably they are doing this to ward off any potential legal challenges. My guess is that they are free to do whatever they want with their technology while others attempt to exploit weaknesses. However, I do think that overall Google does a good job of providing good search results though there is probably room for a next generation search engine to emerge.

Rich

 

Well Google can have their methods of how they want others to conduct business just as Walmart has methods their vendors must follow in order to be a supplier to Walmart.

Thing is there are 10,000s of very successful businesses without Google or Walmart as their partners.

Build your business the right way and you'll have no worry of Googles wishes.

I didn't see text-link-ads.com shut down.....

 

There's actually an easy solution... ditch PR... not entirely but from the toolbar and from everyones view.

 

Google uses the PR to snare webmasters into trying to analyze links (something nobody can know the value of)

So that they'll spend less time trying to spam the SERPs.

In googles eyes its just another tool to distract and confuse people.

Shock and awe I think is the term, but Minstrel can probably delve into that part with much more knowledge than I could ever hope to impart.

A lot of what's done is based on the minds response to stimulus.

 

Well, see, this is happen when there is a monopoly

 

Well then the Yellow Pages would have been considered a monopoly.....

 

I find the next paragraph not quoted by Minstrel the most interesting:

To me that sounds like they are lumping link exchanges now in with purchased links

The other part that get's my attention:

Where they clearly state that buying a link may give a site a penalty, but then they go on to tell you how bought links should be formatted (nofollow etc.)

So as a link buyer, am I now responsible for the way that the sites I buy my links from conduct their link practice? What if at the time of purchase the link had nofollow on it, then 3 months later they remove it. Should I now incur a penalty because of their action?

 

Back to meta tags.

 

One for me, two for the competition. One for me, two for the competition. Rinse and repeat.

How would/could G ever really deal with that in a manner that even approaches effective?

There a lot of other reasons I can think of that would make it difficult, the above just happens to be the most obvious and easiest to do.

 

This raises another issue that I don't think has been mentioned.

Let's say you have been reported by someone.

Then you clean up your website. Do you still remain on that list. How long is it gonna take to get you back from the Paid Link Black Hole?

Skinny

 

hmm i dont think its too good for those of us who are heavily into buying and selling links..

i guess it wont work much then...

 

I guess Google is giving fair warning. I imagine they can send out a crew to "bait" webmasters into purchasing links and then penalizing them. I hope Google doesn't do this, and keeps everything relatively above-board. At least they should notify webmasters of any suspected actions and allow time to remedy the issue(s).

Rich

 

i don't know why google even has a say on this. wtf. they got to get strapped.

 

I'm only guessing, but I think Google probably feels that its search ranking methods, which are of utmost interest to them (since this is what provides them with an edge over rival search engines), is being somewhat compromised at this point and they have to address their problem aggressively. In order to forestall and accusations of bias, they are giving everyone fair warning. I would say that is a bit of a problem for webmasters since Google and use all kinds of tactics to begin "scaring" people out of link buying and selling. I never got involved with this technique because I always felt that Google could get tough on this if, and when, they wanted to.

Rich

 

Hi,

You have a point, but I don't think Google has to be precise or thorough. Just knowing that Google is cracking down and affecting some sites is enough to put a major damper on the whole industry. The question is whether they are really going ahead and enforce their rules and make test cases.

Rich