Google bite back at "review for backlink" gamers
Sounds like Google are biting the butts of a certain genre of blogger , the ones who run backlink for review features that resemble Googlebombs. This term, according to Google
In a new angle on reviews, reviewers had to include links to a site using specific meaningful phrases (proscribed anchor text). Overnight, these terms, like make Money Online became new world googlebombs. The gamers would have got away with it, if they hadn't milked the idea to death to get top of the SERP.
This new algorithm isn't so harsh that it treats every review for links feature as undesirable. Good reviews with content and keywords of value to readers / searchers are what Google encourage. However, the gamers took a decent idea and turned it into a shady content-poor idea - and ultimately wasted the reviewers' time. With no desire to add any content of their own to the conversation, except make a link and ask for more submissions, the gamers banged away at the feature for months, building link networks and adding not a lot else to the value of the internet.
Google has taken a look at their contribution to content and decided enough is enough. The gamers have been knocked down a peg or two and to get back to the top of the search results they are now going to have to add valuable content again. How harsh is that!?
Surely experts know that Google search algorithms are nebulous and constantly in flux. The secrecy surrounding the content of algorithms is tantalizing, but one thing that is no secret is that Google are striving to make sure that when you search for a term, you damn well get a relevant and authoritative set of results. How hard can it be to follow that ethos?
As long as you blog fairly and expansively and don't try to manipulate scenarios (that are only ever going to be temporary flaws due to the ongoing development work of the Googloids), how wrong can most people go on their path to higher SERP and PR?
I suppose it is human nature to game, to cut corners? Certain people have that arrogance that somehow they are cleverer than a multi billion dollar gang of search engine geniuses who have forgotten more than most people ever know about search.
No doubt these gaming characters now languishing on lower pages will be back, but who is going to follow them up another garden path. Not me, at least not till I see evidence that content is king in their plan, and the best content rises to the top.
As my grandfather said, Some people are so clever they are stupid! I don't aim to be stupid, I don't want to shoot myself in the foot. I am going to keep Google happy and keep posting original content and link to relevant sites regularly but in moderation. And choose who I review for carefully. Ades was a good choice, he actually has something real to offer, and doesn't take the piss.
Do you think the new algorithm solves a problem, or opens different doors of abuse?
Googlebombs projected a certain politician to the top of searches for miserable failure, but it looks like they have evolved into causing failure for smart ass bloggers.refers to a prank where people attempt to cause someone else's site to rank for an obscure or meaningless query
In a new angle on reviews, reviewers had to include links to a site using specific meaningful phrases (proscribed anchor text). Overnight, these terms, like make Money Online became new world googlebombs. The gamers would have got away with it, if they hadn't milked the idea to death to get top of the SERP.
This new algorithm isn't so harsh that it treats every review for links feature as undesirable. Good reviews with content and keywords of value to readers / searchers are what Google encourage. However, the gamers took a decent idea and turned it into a shady content-poor idea - and ultimately wasted the reviewers' time. With no desire to add any content of their own to the conversation, except make a link and ask for more submissions, the gamers banged away at the feature for months, building link networks and adding not a lot else to the value of the internet.
Google has taken a look at their contribution to content and decided enough is enough. The gamers have been knocked down a peg or two and to get back to the top of the search results they are now going to have to add valuable content again. How harsh is that!?
Surely experts know that Google search algorithms are nebulous and constantly in flux. The secrecy surrounding the content of algorithms is tantalizing, but one thing that is no secret is that Google are striving to make sure that when you search for a term, you damn well get a relevant and authoritative set of results. How hard can it be to follow that ethos?
As long as you blog fairly and expansively and don't try to manipulate scenarios (that are only ever going to be temporary flaws due to the ongoing development work of the Googloids), how wrong can most people go on their path to higher SERP and PR?
I suppose it is human nature to game, to cut corners? Certain people have that arrogance that somehow they are cleverer than a multi billion dollar gang of search engine geniuses who have forgotten more than most people ever know about search.
No doubt these gaming characters now languishing on lower pages will be back, but who is going to follow them up another garden path. Not me, at least not till I see evidence that content is king in their plan, and the best content rises to the top.
As my grandfather said, Some people are so clever they are stupid! I don't aim to be stupid, I don't want to shoot myself in the foot. I am going to keep Google happy and keep posting original content and link to relevant sites regularly but in moderation. And choose who I review for carefully. Ades was a good choice, he actually has something real to offer, and doesn't take the piss.
Do you think the new algorithm solves a problem, or opens different doors of abuse?
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Adesclrpicker
So, the burning question today on the Web Tech section of the Pisstakers blog is: Windows users, do you still use Photoshop to capture colors?
The correct answer is AdesClrPickr
He knows that the answer for a resounding number of folks tweaking colors on websites is going to be "YES, I am a photoshop junky." But the correct answer should be, "No, I am cool and productive and use a color picker from Ades called AdesClrPicker."
What is AdesClrPicker?
In contrast to his other cool app, the Ades Nose Pickr, a web 2.0 Identikit droplet, the color picker is very easy to use. With a single click of the mouse you will be told the exact hue and tint of a pixel on a screen in either HTML, RGB, C++, VB and Delphi color codes.
You would expect Ades to play up the benefits of such a tiny app, making it out to be better than it actually is, but the color picker has plenty of mini features, proving that good things do come in small packages, all 1MB and change of it.
Color Library
If, like me, you have a terrible memory for 6 digit hexadecimal numbers and you are forever tweaking your site (especially when styling widgets), the Color Library is a useful feature, acting as a store, enabling quick reference to the color codes you use on a regular basis. The Color Library feature also allows you to change your colors and convert from one color to another. See, it isn't just a one-click pony.
A couple of drawbacks
Although I have to concur that this color picker really is a time-saving godsend for site owners and designers, it can't cater for a couple of mini segments of society. For instance:
Not all widgets need styling. MyBlogLog's visitor widget, for instance, is a bit of a fiddle to style, but some designers are so far ahead of the game (did I say Bonsai Studio?) that they code their widgets (did I say Funny Quotes widget?) to auto adapt to any theme, thus making AdesclrPicker obsolete. However, as most of us are left to figure stuff out for ourselves, make sure you have Adesclrpickr to hand for general use.
Windows only. Pah, Ades droplet only caters for 98% of the world. How elitist is that!! But if you have a Mac, don't despair, you have your equivalent StevesMacOSXColorPicker built into the Operating System.
Discloure: I am writing this
