Hi Guys, Sorry if this is old news but I've only just noticed it this morning. I know someone on here was saying that google was beta testing the buttons in search results you can click to promote a site to the top of the results or remove it from your results, but I've only just noticed them implemented today. Sorry if everyone already knew this but I was just wondering if this makes SEO effectively obsolete for sales sites. Great for google results but obviously crap for some of us advertisers....
NetGuru, apparently using the buttons will only impact on the results delivered to your personal results. But we'll have to wait and see.
Well I don't think it will make SEO obsolete but will definitely change it by some degree. I say this because to be able to shuffle search results (SearchWiki) you will have to be logged into Google and majority of the customers are not. Even if they are, if your website is in the top 10, searchers will see your website. Now if they think it is not relevant to their search they might push it down. That is great because even if he landed on your website they would have left because they have already made an opinion. If they think it is relevant they would keep it there. For people who are not logged in, it would not make any difference. Therefore apart from just SEO, relevance will play a key role. Even now it does because customers leave the website even today if they find it irrelevant. So I don't see much of a difference. Now Google says it will not use this data to somehow manipulate the main listings. If they do it would be a big mistake. Why because then I can hire people to who would list my website to the top for the the related keywords. Now if this were to affect the main SERP, I as a webmaster can indirectly manipulate ranking. Something Google will not like or does not want to happen. Makes them more vulnerable.
Hmmm bit sceptical cuz the way I see it, most people agree on quality sites so if I was google i'd think it would be a good idea to affect results....Just my thinking
You are absolutely right in thinking that. It would definitely increase the quality of SERPs because Google can draw inferences from what people do. A good indicator but vulnerable to misuse.
I think this is a way Google unites regular search engine algorithms and social bookmarking elements. Smart.
This "promote" system has too much potential for abuse. I can just hire 10 guys who can run 50 IPs per day and "promote" my sites thousands of times per day.