who will google smack next?
As I was in bed last night, trying to drift off to sleep, I started thinking about the big Google smackdown on bloggers who have accepted money for paid posts. Since Google frowns on that practice, it bears to reason that they would have smacked down likes like PayPerPost.com and Text-Link-Ads.com, right? Why not punish all involve?
Google has punished Text Link Ads in the SERP’s. Go ahead - search for “text link ads” on Google. The site doesn’t appear until page 2, with sites like Matt Cutt’s personal blog appearing before them in the results!) They haven’t done the same to PayPerPost though, as the site still appears first when you search “pay per post” at Google. They have struck down blogs by PayPerPost staffers though, who haven’t sold any PR juice links. Text Link Ads has a PR 7, and PayPerPost has a PR 6.
Now, if you’re with me so far, the reason that PayPerPost has such a huge pagerank is in part to the viral marketing the company has paid most of us to do. In essence, PayPerPost is one of their own biggest customers. If they’re not smacked down as the ball that got all of this rolling, will they be smacked down for buying PR juice links, or is Google only going to screw the little guys on that too, like the advertisers who ran a small, $500 campaign to give a brand new internet business a boost? Or will they go after the big movie companies who have paid us to blog about new releases?
Don’t get me wrong - I love PayPerPost. I’d prefer for Google to leave them alone, but at the very least, I’d like to know how Google is picking their victims in this mess. The only victims in this so far seem to be the bloggers, and we’re the people who support Google each day, by clicking on AdSense ads, by publishing blogs on Blogspot.com, by using their search engine…
I’d just like to know the method to the Google madness.
Great post colleen. You sure have started me wondering. I hope ppp doesn’t get smacked either, but I would like to know the rhyme and reason behind googles madness.
They are pushing away the blogspot users now too, they took away the ability to leave a url in the comment section. It’s seriously annoying!!!
The whole thing really makes no sense and all this google smacking (ha new internet term for stupid marketing decisions) is going to turn Google’s search engine product into crap if they continue to punish companies in the serps.
And if that happens … well we probably won’t worry about google thinks anymore. I know they are trying to make their products better for all the advertisers, search engine users, and website owners … but they truth is they are just making a big pukey mess.
Very good points, indeed, Colleen! Slap the little guy - that’ll show the world how tough you really are, G-Man!
Loretta - that’s exactly what I was going to bring to the table next! It’s just crazy for them to do that - especially now!
I’ve been wondering the same thing but didn’t want to raise that flag… you flag-raiser, you…
The only reason why Google is going after PayPerPost is that companies have found it cheaper to do viral marketing to increase their SERPs than to use Google Adwords. It’s a way to force them to give the money to Google rather than give it to the blog owner.
I have ceased using Google for search and I suggest others to do the same. If PPP bloggers all came out and made a big push to use Yahoo or Live then a serious dent could be made.
And yet, the URL you left is for blogspot…owned by Google. You’re supporting their overall business by running a blog on their site, aren’t you?
I was wondering the exact same thing the other day when I noted that PPP still had a PR 6 on their site. However, I was rather incensed to read on Smorty’s website after logging in that they have basically laid blame for the PR smackdown on PPP when they are doing the same kind of business as PPP.
Colleen,
This topic will continue to heat up as Google continues to target the blog masses. I have seen and heard from various friends and they have taken a beating with PR, but this is not the end all. Is the reason specifically PPP and TLA? I am going to say yes for most cases. I have several blogs and those that had the PPP code got whacked, and those that didn’t actually stayed the same or went up a bit. I can say that the PR rankings are happening more frequently since we just had a site go from a PR5 to a PR3 shortly after adding PPP code?? HMMM? Maybe PPP Realrank has ruffled the fur of the 800 lb. gorilla and they are trying to make sure that those in the blogging world stand up and take notice who to side with. Thanks for listening and maybe Google will let up and let us fun again on the internet.
Lucky you, you still have a PR ranking. Any tips to share? Thanks in advance.