What do you guys think about the autolink feature in the Google toolbar? I've read some pretty disturbing stuff about what this extension does. Here is one article about it. http://www.theregister.co.uk/2005/03/03/google_autolink/ It was just the first one I pulled in a search. There are many more negative articles about autolink. I found a java-script code that when added to your website disables the Auto-link feature in the toolbar. http://www.searchguild.com/autoblink/index.html Do you guys think implementing this code could affect rankings in Google? Would it upset users coming to my site if I disable something they may use and like?
Kyle, this could be the end of the world as we know it...... Not really, webmasters are going to get pissed off because it will be something that will provide links based on page content that you own in most cases and could send business directly to the competition. But so does Adsense if you run that without blocking competitors. Computing today is all about spyware and advertising, until the data mining advertising model changes we all have to live with it. Is there a better way? Who knows, I doubt that anything will change for the better so use the tools to benefit yourself if you can.
1. If that feature of the toolbar worries you, turn it off. There's been a lot of excessive and alarmist hype about something that basically just shows you maps and is already part of Personalized Google, IMO. 2. Stop reading The Register. It's an alarmist rag.
I'm not concerned about my browser. I don't use IE therefore the Google toolbar really doesn't affect me. I'm concerned about visitors to my site being directed by Google's auto-link to my competition. I don't read the alarmist, just happened upon it doing a search for Google auto-link. But even if I did read that website, why do you feel that your opinion on what not to read would mean anything to me. You obviously didn't read the arcticle and from your post you don't have any knowledge of the subject that I asked about.
You're taking things wayyyy too personally. My point #2 above was in reference to my point #1 above, specifically: As for the anti-autolink script, in a previous post here when autolink first emerged, I posted that it would only be a matter of time before such a script emerged, just as it did for ThirdVoice and SmartTags. To re-phrase: If you don't personally like the feature in your browser, turn it off. If the idea of visitors to your website using the feature bothers you, disable it using one of the available scripts. And stop reading The Register Oh and if my posts annoy you, put me on ignore -- half the forum has probably already done that
I didn't take it personally, it didn't seem like you were answering my questions. It seemed you wanted to just write something in a condescending manner. I like to hear what people have to say, but relevancy is important.
My apologies. It wasn't intended to be condescending. I was trying to state my opinion that the whole issue has been overblown and that publications like The Register aren't helping the problem.
It would be quite simple for google to use their spiders to check for <autolink="off" /> tags in a website that webmasters could place if they dont want the toolbar to autolink from their site It's just a case of google coming up with that idea
And it wouldn't surprise me if they institute something like this. And of course even if they don't there will soon be a vareity of methods publicized to disable the feature...