Calendar
Network
Feeds
BogglesMyMind
I think everyone is missing the point here. Blogs and forums are places to share theories but not necessarily the secret recipe. If you are so concerned about whether or not something works, then try it yourself. I think overall, 90% of blog posts about SEO are valuable in that they stimulate the mind and help foster research and tactical ideas.
Perhaps you should lead by example, Skitzzo, if you are so concerned with what others are writing? I don't see many blog posts at Refugee that fit your rigid requirements. Not trying to be an ahole here (if I was I would have de-sphunn) but let's not call the kettle black...
perhaps if you mentioned the actual posts you are refering to it would also go towards providing facts instead of just inuendo?
Skitzzo I thought you may get a kick out of that. IMO the problem with your issue is that like you said everyone is likely guilty of it sometimes. But like I said originally, most people do not want to give the sauce away. I personally don't read blogs too often unless they are well established (one of the reasons I love the Sphinn format is because I do get exposure to newer blogs), and in many cases I prefer hearing the high level theory behind something without requiring "proof." Why would it be in someone's interest to fake it, unless they are BS artists? These people will typically be flushed out eventually or simply ignored.
OK let the negative votes begin anew. :)
pageone may be right to play the karma card, from many perspectives. When a competitor does it it's one thing...
However, if we really want to make the Internet and specifically search engines a better place, shouldn't we be calling out people for this kind of stuff? Couldn't you build up karma credits by helping get rid of spam?
Also really do you think G is even going to do anything about it? Would this blog post have been a tree in the forest without Sphinn? Will it be noticed/acted on even with Sphinn?
I can tell you from looking at my favorite definition of spam (Sites Positioned Above Mine) that this stuff hurts some of our clients for very competitive terms. I have no qualms about reporting them via the proper channels, with client approval. Does this make any difference? We have seen results of one site getting busted for a very high visibility term, and two others from the same server ranking within weeks.
I personally am still undecided about "red-lettering" spammers by name. I may occasionally complain in public about specific keywords that are at the mercy of black hats, probably because it is easier to call out a whole serp when 6 results are using unapproved tactics. :p
A couple things that I pause to think about each time is "does the site deserve to rank just as much as mine? Does it satisfy the searchers results?" This usually gets me back to the job at hand which is to use accepted techniques to try to beat them.
funny Jill finally we agree on something in this whole subject. I gave you a positive vote for that one when I saw the -4 and then scrolled further down reading and found your surprise.
I agree it is the client's "fault" for posting the content, even though it was manufactured by Lyndon. However maybe people feel that if the apple had not been offered to them...
I still stand by my original feeling that this was a great piece of marketing, no matter what people may think of my morals. No one got hurt by this story, and it came out as being a fake at the end. happens in marketing all the time... http://www.kansascity.com/105/story/655404.html
Story: Google Logo Meets Hooters
yep I have to agree with the others. of course in 10 years you won't remember that you took her to sex in the city but she will still remember transformers. :p
apparently Jill's "Internet" defines everyone else's.
"A few weeks ago I learned that linkbait is not in fact like viral marketing, although there are some similarities. Linkbait, like fish bait, is just a trick."
(more yawn)
great article Loren. The majority of strong link dev work should be completed after the site structure and content is optimized, IMO, in order to get the best value from the anchor text rich link. Of course, you can begin with some basic links to the home page.
Nice tie-in with Jim's B's article, hugo. All the deep links that Jim advocates will not work as well without the basics already established.
To your other point hugo you are right that there are sites that beat the algo with linking only. That is IMO the achiles heel of Google, since I am sure in a perfect world for their algo it would take true balance to rank.
"The latest SEO scam is companies who instead of working hard to help you create something worth linking to, make up entertaining but fake news,..."
(yawn)
ok but with the number of other random logos (was it Mt Everest or something last week?) I think perhaps both Memorial Day and Veteran's Day could maybe deserve one. still BS IMO.
did you see the finalists for the recent doodle competition for kids? about 85% of them were promoting peace. I have nothing wrong with peace but this shows a pattern I think, and I agree that Google should step up and respect our veterans.
webprof not all kids are cute. :p there were some good alien/robot/destroying doodles in the mix, and I would bet that a far greater percentage of overall non-peace themes were submitted than were represented in the finalists.
lol looks like some peace-lovers (or boggles-haters) have chosen to negative vote my first comment. FYI, I am a veteran and I do take it as a snub that Google chose not to honor Memorial Day.
I do not see why else they would not honor Memorial Day other than they would possibly appear to support troops/veterans which maybe something they may not like doing.
far from the world's first twittering of a baby birth, but congrats to the Audettes!
jeez enough with the whinning already. marketing, like any other industry, moves forward. No reason to read it if you don't like it. Funny all the negative votes for onreact, who probably has the most valid point in this discussion. One could argue that this is pretty "low" smene linkbait, and in fact there are probably better things to point out about search in a positive light than focusing on the negative.
Gag @skinner. Other than the holier than thou white hat stuff that already makes me puke every time I hear it (btw we do follow guidelines you will not find paid links in any of our client footprints - for the record), comparing this subject to white/black hat is ludacris (sic)
Lol first black hat now fraud I say OFF WITH THEIR HEADS!
Jeez Jill c'mon are you trying to coin a phrase here? Your post must be driving some good traffic (and links) to the blog. I would say this is starting to vere into a tabloid-esque way to market an article, possibly... is there irony there c'mon tell me honestly? I respect your strong feelings about the subject but really feel you are starting to take this too far.
Story: SEO Bullshit Bingo
Thanks Northrock! Don't worry I will continue to report Spam in here too. :p
thanks everyone for the sphinn. glad to see that the search world's coepetition is continuing! not many other industries would have such great support within one community for a technically competing community. That is why I will continue to participate as many places as possible within our virtual world. :) I am proud to be able to claim so many great friends.
The way I read the article was that Frank thinks that it is inconsistent that Google wouldn't allow one thing in AdWords that they do allow in the product listings. As Danny said, there is inconsistency here and that is the argument. I do not think Frank ever suggested that these were AdWords ads, but rather that the rules should be consistent. Make no mistake about it, the listings generated here are from Google Products (formerly Google base).
What irks me is people are turning this into a "right and wrong" about the listings being AdWords. That was not the intention. The intention was to focus on the inconsistency. Everyone agrees, Ciaran, that these are product results, so you are both "with Danny" and with Frank.
Story: The 2,000th SEO Scoop Post
tried to leave a comment there but issues...congrats to Donna way to go with 2K!
Story: An Open Letter to SEO Bloggers: Back up Your Statements!