This is in response to the first post on this thread. A boycott against Google would be pointless. Another member brought this up in another post, end users far outnumber webmasters. And the fact of the matter is, Google Search, still the bread and butter of Google, is the best on the web. Their relevancy is on par with Yahoo's and the simple design of Google.com is brilliant. I'm not sure if anyone else brought this up, but their business model is top notch. Think about it, everything they offer is free. It would be hard to convince the general public to stop using a resource that is useful, easy to use, and free! Also for every webmaster who is disgusted at Google for moving their site from the 1st page to the 3rd page of the search results, there is another who is ecstatic for finally landing on the 1st page. That's just the nature of this business. jquindlen, I don't mean any harm but I would have to say that instead of using your energy to boycott Google, I think your time would be much better spent trying to figure out how to work with them -(by working with them I mean trying to work with their algorithms in order to crack that 1st or 2nd page of the results for your keywords). It would also be more profitable for you - because right now Google is king in the search engine game. Kerry
Kerry, I understand your position, and unfortunately I must say I agree that boycotting them will have little effect, especially if the masses/non-webmasters don't join in. Still, I personally refuse to support Google in anyway shape or form, and even if I am the only one, at least I'm taking away a few dollars from Google everyday. In regards to search engine placement, I am on the front page of Google, as well as Yahoo! and MSN for the keywords I am targeting. I do good SEO, and have strong, numerous backlinks. Search engine ranking is not an issue for me.
End users do outweight webmasters, that is something that will never change. However, webmasters outnumber end-users when it comes to owning webpages. As a web master one could still boycott Google, but still SEO for it's seach engine...there is nothing wrong with that ~ using the enemy (lack of a better word?) to your advantage. I believe what jquindlen is saying is simply to stop feeding the bear. Find a different stat program then Analytics. Remove the google search from your home page. Use site explorer rather then webmaster tools, etc... A site can run just as well without google integration, and the more we rely on Google the more google holds sway over us (all of us). We are allowing it to happen, and I fear that someday down the road when jquindlen's grandkids are webmasters he'll be sitting on his rocking chair on the front porch saying "told you so".
Not sure can we as webmasters boycott google,only maybe by not buying adwords and not using adsense,key is in surfers.Also yahoo is bad beacuse they support spyware meanwhile google atleast do something against it.
I assume you've not downloaded the Google Toolbar. They have bots that read your mail to deliver relevant ads to your inbox, what makes you think they are not reading your google bookmarks, google search history, or paying attention to what sites you visit based on where their toolbar visits? Then again, maybe they don't monitor where there tool bar visits...they likely don't need too, not with well over half the sites we visit having Analytics installed. Neither are as bad as the Alexa bar, but all of them, as far as I can tell, both do a certain amount to "spying" on those that use thier toolbars....it's just that google is pretty covert about it.
"Google exists to please the end user" But google gets the majority of its revenue from site owners and it treats them very badly.
I try to use yahoo search instead of google because I don't feel google has been supporting webmasters well.
Google made there own fortune, why try and steal it away from them. SO what if there a monopoly, they got there,allthgouh they might be a bit though on webmaster use other ad services, they provide the most accurate results and theres nothing anyone can do about that. Glory to GOOGLE
I still don't understand why you would boycott Google. They're a great company. It's like planning a mass boycott against Microsoft. Some hate their operating system. I happen to like it, and I also like Google. As a webmaster and an end-user. Hell, let's boycott Stop & Shop, Dunkin' Donuts and McDonald's too. They all offer services that are cheap and easy to use with only a handful of competitors. They're getting too powerful! -boxer126
Perhaps you guys should read more on the topic of "monopolies" and maybe should read all about the antitrust lawsuits against Microsoft and other companies. So let me ask you this. How much money have you made from your Adsense advertising? Last year? This year? Your traffic? This is a great place for understanding the different issues that perhaps may spank you some day. And McDonald's isn't close to Google. Given the recent OK by the US government it's now McDonald's, Burger King, White Castle, KFC, Taco Bell and a bunch of other chains wrapped up into one.
Personally i love Google!! It send me all this free traffic and all they ask is to abide by their guidlines, which ive done and slowly its started to pay of in my page rank and also in my Adsense income..
I think google has too much power but the only reason they have the power is because we give it to them. It would be great if millions of people decided to boycott google.
When they are allowed to buy DoubleClick, one has to wonder whether antitrust laws are worth the paper they are printed and the money buying off the politicians.
"Personally i love Google!! It send me all this free traffic" All search engines send free traffic. The issue is whether or not it's good for the Internet when one company to has such power.