It's certainly entertaining to follow the various discussions about the coop ad network. There are many networks being developed along "similar" lines and doubtless they will come to represent a significant matter in SE thinking. Perhaps in the current G update we are seeing the first defensive manouvers to these networks.
Hi SEbasic What, if any, impact has the latest google update had on your SEO competition? I guess you guys are following the SERPS very closely for this term.
It'd be aproblem if it becomes contextual in that it will violate AdSense T'c & C's for many of the coop participants. I take it themed is not necessarily contextual?
I haven't seen anything major since the last update. To be honest though, I have done so little work on the entry, I'm amazed that it's where it is. It's all down to the Coop links. I will be adding some more content to the site over the next few days, so I'll see what kind of an influence it has. I'd love to win the competition, but it seems a little unlikely seeing as how the page hasn't moved in the results at all recently. It's still at #3 from here, but I did see it at #2 on a Google API results page a couple of days ago. More links is what it needs more than anything else... That is correct. Contextual would mean that the ads are being chosen "automatically", following a spidering of the page. Themed just means that the ads have been chosen, manually to appear on the page.
Like so many things, it started out very good then kind of just disintegrates. I have noticed lately that there are a lot of posters doing drive by trashing of the Coop Ad Network in particular. They tend to be very non detailed posts from either new posters or ones who havent posted in a long time. I would say as new people launch their own ad networks you will see more and more of this: http://forums.seochat.com/t18948/s.html I just laugh when I read these people that are so passionate in their denial that it doesn't work. I understand there may be some possible issues down the road, but that it flat out doesn't work? You have to question their intentions
I also noticed in threadwatch googleguy (thought he posted at wbm!) commenting that coop members should be wary as they cannot control who they link out to. It is surprising how many people seem to be "scared of their own shadow" in the SEO world. Do they ever sit back, ask why, and test things out. It is likely that SE's will continue to mature and networks like this one will work less well than today. However, surely we (Shawn with our support) will mature this network also, this seems to be a point many people miss. It also feels like a lot of posters take a position that the network is somehow morally questionable - why?
Not to mention I see a lot of posts that say "Google will filter this out one day" which is their justification that there is no value. What kind of SEO are they then? What do you tell your customer when they have no traffic or sales because you are optimizing for 10 years from now. The coop network works today and if Google ever discounts the value of the network then it will either evolve or as good seo's we will be on to the next thing. Patient - I have noticed people are very self rightous...It boils down to one of two things. 1.) They are developing their own similar network and want to try to bring others down 2.) They have too few pages to use the network and therefore are just jealous of innovation.
I think the third category is bigger: 3. Read all the bulls**t posted on forums and are either too scared to try new stuff or come to believe that the SE's frown on advertising your website. Why the same people think spamming me all day with emails for their link exchanges is OK mystifies me. How can they believe the coop network is wrong but at the same time believe link exchange is right
Methinks some of us are jealous (myself included of course) that *we* didn't come up with the idea first, and implement it.
Could be paid by the big bro to smear DP's reputation? Or, it maybe the sign that they're going to start something similar to Coop If there're over 20 networks by next year, G may change their algo like MSN Beta does - Little content, low ranking
I wouldn't put all my eggs in one basket no matter how nice that basket is. The Coop Network works but as with all things with SEO, you had better be diversifying. The Ad Network runs itself so I am still writing unique content, getting quality inbound links from other sources through articles and press releases and a variety of other things. If someone touted one thing as the only thing required, I would tell them they were crazy whether it was the Coop Ad Network or not. Shawn will eb the first to tell you this. But I do know that it works today, is free, and easy to use. So how people can be set against it because one or two small factors may change over time is beyond me.