I have a page that is usually at position 11 or 12 in the Google SERPs for its main search term. It would be in the top 10, except there are 2 Wikipedia pages and 3 Amazon.com pages in the first 5 positions. All three of the Amazon pages are for the same book that somebody wrote, and Wikipedia has two articles about virtually the same subject. These five pages push all the other pages down and keep my page out of the top 10. Eventually My page might be able to move higher when it gets older. But I doubt if it can ever get ahead of Amazon and Wikipedia. I was just wondering if anybody else has this kind of problem.
I have seen this problem with a variety of search forms. With Wikipedia, I can understand them being listed as most of the time, they do have useful information, but 3 pages of Amazon.com is too much in my opinion. It would be nice if Google could keep search results a little better organised, and for sites like Wikipedia to be listed somewhere else on the page. Like what they do with Answers.com where they have links to the definition of words you are searching for. It might give the average webmaster a little more help with the SERPs of their own sites.
Of course Google's aim is to give the web searcher a little help. The webmaster does well to make pages that will be relevant to queries. Working with Google and not against them is the best and most long term strategy.
It would be nice if Google would drop Wikipedia results from the main index. Sorry Wiki sympathizers! I mean if Google included Wikipedia results in the define: operator, that would be great. But honestly, most people are not searching for definitions or encyclopedia information when they type in that keyword and hit enter. Google would provide better relevancy if Wikipedia listings were removed. When Wikipedia pops up number one for common shopping terms, I think there is a problem.
I do believe that who use Google will know Wikipedia as well. If someone searching for definitions or encyclopedia information, they would directly go to Wikipedia. Non of the business of Google. Except they want to show that their search algorithms is better than wiki’s search algorithms.
Yes, I couldn't agree more. When I search for some terms, Wikipedia's article is always on the first page. Maybe Google should put a sidebar or something (like the Sponsored Links on the right of the SERPs) especially made for Wikipedia's pages.
I also agree that Wiki should not be in the normal SERPs, if someone wants to visit Wikipedia for an article they can use the toolbar or go there themselves, I always do.
Hmmm, got to disagree on the wikipedia sentiments. While I would love wikipedia to be restricted to a single entry per query, along with most other sites, they are ranking highly for the very good reason that they are relevant to the search query. Why single out a site to be peanlised by being dropped from the SERPS - if it was your site ranking that well and a competitor argued that you should be dropped from the SERPS because you are dominating them, you'd be complaining about that......
Wikipedia is an authority site on many different topics, so they get linked to from many different sites. They also have just about the worst internal search I've ever seen on a major site, so I need to use Google to find stuff on Wikipedia. Also, they don't have advertising. I'm not saying that this matters much to Google, but it does matter to some visitors. I'd rather visit Wikipedia than a site with similar information just because I know Wikipedia will not bombard me with ads.
You really want wikipedia censored from the search results? Are you kidding me? Amazon and other comparison shopping sites, I can get onboard with that; but wikipedia actually adds value.