Comments on: Has Google canned the Economist in Search Rankings? Blog Platform http://www.mattwardman.com/blog/2008/04/27/has-google-canned-the-economist-in-search-rankings-blog-platform/ Politics, Commentary, Culture, Technology. Thu, 07 Aug 2008 18:58:21 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5 By: admin http://www.mattwardman.com/blog/2008/04/27/has-google-canned-the-economist-in-search-rankings-blog-platform/#comment-8820 admin Tue, 01 Jul 2008 10:40:40 +0000 http://www.mattwardman.com/blog/2008/04/27/has-google-canned-the-economist-in-search-rankings-blog-platform/#comment-8820 Update 1 July 2008: The Economist is back to PR8, and in the meantime it has added "nofollow" to the link adverts, and the more controversial ones are no longer there. Update 1 July 2008:

The Economist is back to PR8, and in the meantime it has added “nofollow” to the link adverts, and the more controversial ones are no longer there.

]]> By: Mike http://www.mattwardman.com/blog/2008/04/27/has-google-canned-the-economist-in-search-rankings-blog-platform/#comment-8232 Mike Thu, 01 May 2008 22:23:53 +0000 http://www.mattwardman.com/blog/2008/04/27/has-google-canned-the-economist-in-search-rankings-blog-platform/#comment-8232 The thing here is that, if Google and its algorithms are so smart, why does it need to "punish" a site in this way? It seems clear that the page ranking algorithm is not working in the way it should. Why shouldn't a page that is clearly relevant in the context of search terms used to find it get a high rank even if it has commercial links on it? Isn't that just what Google does with its own ads anyway? Google is, in effect, telling publishers (small or large) what they can and can't do on their site. This is the behaviour of a monopolist and is akin to Microsoft telling consumers what media player they have to use - and we all know where that one ended up. This is a case of the tail wagging the dog and the sooner we all wised up to it the better. The thing here is that, if Google and its algorithms are so smart, why does it need to “punish” a site in this way?

It seems clear that the page ranking algorithm is not working in the way it should. Why shouldn’t a page that is clearly relevant in the context of search terms used to find it get a high rank even if it has commercial links on it? Isn’t that just what Google does with its own ads anyway?

Google is, in effect, telling publishers (small or large) what they can and can’t do on their site. This is the behaviour of a monopolist and is akin to Microsoft telling consumers what media player they have to use - and we all know where that one ended up.

This is a case of the tail wagging the dog and the sooner we all wised up to it the better.

]]> By: Top UK websites, and does Google have potential to dominate? | The Wardman Wire http://www.mattwardman.com/blog/2008/04/27/has-google-canned-the-economist-in-search-rankings-blog-platform/#comment-8193 Top UK websites, and does Google have potential to dominate? | The Wardman Wire Wed, 30 Apr 2008 12:55:22 +0000 http://www.mattwardman.com/blog/2008/04/27/has-google-canned-the-economist-in-search-rankings-blog-platform/#comment-8193 [...] UK blog analysing the source (i.e., referrer) of UK internet traffic , and as a follow-up to my Economist post at the [...] […] UK blog analysing the source (i.e., referrer) of UK internet traffic , and as a follow-up to my Economist post at the […]

]]> By: Economist gets PageRank wrist-slap from Google « Online Journalism Blog http://www.mattwardman.com/blog/2008/04/27/has-google-canned-the-economist-in-search-rankings-blog-platform/#comment-8132 Economist gets PageRank wrist-slap from Google « Online Journalism Blog Mon, 28 Apr 2008 09:05:31 +0000 http://www.mattwardman.com/blog/2008/04/27/has-google-canned-the-economist-in-search-rankings-blog-platform/#comment-8132 [...] 28, 2008 Matt Wardman has an interesting post on the Economist having its PageRank cut by Google (translation: Google punishes Economist for unknown transgression by giving its website less [...] […] 28, 2008 Matt Wardman has an interesting post on the Economist having its PageRank cut by Google (translation: Google punishes Economist for unknown transgression by giving its website less […]

]]> By: MattWardman http://www.mattwardman.com/blog/2008/04/27/has-google-canned-the-economist-in-search-rankings-blog-platform/#comment-8122 MattWardman Sun, 27 Apr 2008 19:59:19 +0000 http://www.mattwardman.com/blog/2008/04/27/has-google-canned-the-economist-in-search-rankings-blog-platform/#comment-8122 My view of Google is that it is mainly G that brings the "general public" - so I think it is important to those of us in the political niche who want to focus in particular on increasing participation. I reckon that my % of SE visits has never (except for occasional flourishes) been above about 30-35%. Currently G is around 10%. >Sure, they make up a huge proportion of visits, but these are transitory — these people never come back. Sticky readers come through reputation and word-of-mouth. Disagree there. I'd also see Goog as being key to getting new readers - that's how most of them browse the net when looking. It's our job to <a href="http://www.problogger.net/archives/2007/08/15/stickify-your-blog/" rel="nofollow">keep some when they arrive</a>. Next week on Blog Platform I'll be covering how Google traffic has recovered after the hacking we had (viagra pages inserted via a vulnerability in Wordpress probably). Loved your last comment: >Found the link to the LibCon piece. Tore my hair out trying to navigate the site though — resorted to Google in the end. It has *some* uses, then ! My view of Google is that it is mainly G that brings the “general public” - so I think it is important to those of us in the political niche who want to focus in particular on increasing participation. I reckon that my % of SE visits has never (except for occasional flourishes) been above about 30-35%. Currently G is around 10%.

>Sure, they make up a huge proportion of visits, but these are transitory — these people never come back. Sticky readers come through reputation and word-of-mouth.

Disagree there. I’d also see Goog as being key to getting new readers - that’s how most of them browse the net when looking. It’s our job to keep some when they arrive.

Next week on Blog Platform I’ll be covering how Google traffic has recovered after the hacking we had (viagra pages inserted via a vulnerability in Wordpress probably).

Loved your last comment:

>Found the link to the LibCon piece. Tore my hair out trying to navigate the site though — resorted to Google in the end.

It has *some* uses, then !

]]> By: Matt http://www.mattwardman.com/blog/2008/04/27/has-google-canned-the-economist-in-search-rankings-blog-platform/#comment-8121 Matt Sun, 27 Apr 2008 19:41:26 +0000 http://www.mattwardman.com/blog/2008/04/27/has-google-canned-the-economist-in-search-rankings-blog-platform/#comment-8121 I think you might be in for a surprise - but it depends what proportion of the traffic is from search engines (not data that I have). What I am aure about is that if they do not address something that MAY be a problem, then they are slipping - one thing the Economist does well is attention to detail. I'll wait with interest to see what happens. Matt I think you might be in for a surprise - but it depends what proportion of the traffic is from search engines (not data that I have).

What I am aure about is that if they do not address something that MAY be a problem, then they are slipping - one thing the Economist does well is attention to detail.

I’ll wait with interest to see what happens.

Matt

]]> By: doctorvee http://www.mattwardman.com/blog/2008/04/27/has-google-canned-the-economist-in-search-rankings-blog-platform/#comment-8120 doctorvee Sun, 27 Apr 2008 15:26:36 +0000 http://www.mattwardman.com/blog/2008/04/27/has-google-canned-the-economist-in-search-rankings-blog-platform/#comment-8120 I have also made the "basic mistake" of selling text link ads on my blog. Sure enough, my PageRank went down -- but my bank balance went up by £x. I am increasingly of the belief that search engine traffic is next to useless. Sure, they make up a huge proportion of visits, but these are transitory -- these people never come back. Sticky readers come through reputation and word-of-mouth. The Economist has a strong brand and a reputation for excellent journalism and analysis. That is all they need. Google can take a hike. <a href="http://doctorvee.co.uk/2007/10/26/i-wont-lose-sleep-over-google-and-adverts/" rel="nofollow">I wrote a post about this a few months ago</a>. doctorvees last blog post..<a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/doctorvee/~3/278517060/" rel="nofollow">In lieu of proper blogging, a meme</a> I have also made the “basic mistake” of selling text link ads on my blog. Sure enough, my PageRank went down — but my bank balance went up by £x.

I am increasingly of the belief that search engine traffic is next to useless. Sure, they make up a huge proportion of visits, but these are transitory — these people never come back. Sticky readers come through reputation and word-of-mouth. The Economist has a strong brand and a reputation for excellent journalism and analysis. That is all they need. Google can take a hike.

I wrote a post about this a few months ago.

doctorvees last blog post..In lieu of proper blogging, a meme

]]> By: Gavin Whenman http://www.mattwardman.com/blog/2008/04/27/has-google-canned-the-economist-in-search-rankings-blog-platform/#comment-8119 Gavin Whenman Sun, 27 Apr 2008 15:07:34 +0000 http://www.mattwardman.com/blog/2008/04/27/has-google-canned-the-economist-in-search-rankings-blog-platform/#comment-8119 With a print circulation of 1.2 million a week, I don't think The Economist is going to be losing much sleep over this. With a print circulation of 1.2 million a week, I don’t think The Economist is going to be losing much sleep over this.

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