He’s baaaaack. And Google’s Search Spam God Matt Cutts is NOT messing around.
Last week, Google rolled out yet another change to the way it sees web sites and the content on them. This wouldn’t be worth discussing at all, since Google alters their search optimization algorithm all the time, except that this particular change was big enough to measure. According to Google their latest change should impact what comes back on approximately 2.3% of all searches.
Influency takes a lot of work. And sometimes what was influence-y yesterday is less so today. This is why, even though there’s nothing about Influency that you couldn’t make happen yourself if you had the time, you hire The Answer Guy.
Here’s a new example of why.
This morning, both in my newsfeed and on Google+, I came across a story by Barry Schwartz. I’ve mentioned Barry here once before, referring to his site Search Engine Roundtable as a great resource for Optimization (and of course, therefore, Influency). I still read Barry, but that might change soon; I’m starting to think that Influency is in the process of passing him by.
It’s occurred to me that there are three big driving-the-way-the-Internet-works companies left (for now) to talk about. Maybe four if you count Facebook. Who are these companies? You’ve guessed it; Google, Amazon, and Apple control the world.
And honestly, Apple is slipping; let’s limit the influency-moving-forward conversation to Google and Amazon.
There’s a lot to dislike about the way Google is doing business, lately. While it would be naïve to think Google was going to keep giving away everything they make forever and ‘subsist’ on the revenue they derive as the world’s largest-and-there-is-no-second-place advertising agency, acts like the killing of Google Reader are unsettling—and driving most discussions about the delivered-right-after-Google-Reader-was-axed Google Keep.
Are you one of the people who are still actually using Facebook? You’re not alone, of course, but Zuck & Co. see their pending irrelevance coming. That’s why they created Facebook Graph, a new way of searching Facebook that, when it works right, is a pretty neat tool.
I’ve been using Facebook Graph for a few weeks. I can confirm that it does a better job of finding quasi-useful stuff than any other method of getting around everyone’s favorite (and least favorite) social network. And this morning, this piece at Wired illustrated a bit about why.
It’s the end of the world as we know it … and I’m going to have to feel fine.
Yesterday, Google dropped a bombshell on The Internet. They’re hoping you don’t notice, and the truth is you probably won’t unless you’re been using the Internet long enough to remember what it’s like to go searching for the content you need instead of it getting pushed to you.
On July 1, Google will turn off Google Reader. In and of itself, this doesn’t sound like it means very much, because there are many, many ways to read news and other information on the Internet, whether you do so from your desktop computer, tablet, or SmartPhone.
Wouldn’t it be great if Google shared some insight into how they actually work?
We’ve been sharing information about Google’s Secret Sauce for years.The recipe keeps changing and Google doesn’t want mere mortals to be able to replicate it, but spend enough time with us, and let us teach you search engine optimization, and you’ll understand enough to cook up a pot or two of Google-y goodness.
The other day, one real-life Google Bot posted a video purporting to teach you how to how to get more out of information in Google Webmaster Tools. And I learned something new: Google’s Rankings Don’t Mean What You Think They Do.
Cute Tee Shirt, Dude. Google does kind of own your identity.
Or as I told you a few months ago, before it became a matter of Influency*, and before Influency became of dominant and imminent importance, Google Owns Everything.
We’re getting ready to drop the big Influency bomb of 2013, and in the course of our ongoing research I noticed today that somehow we’d become Google fourth-most important web site for the phrase “Google Owns Everything”. Search Engine Optimization? Sure, but the phrase Google Owns Everything isn’t one we’ve exactly “gone after” here. Nevertheless, there you have it. As of this writing, the broad and seemingly obvious statement “Google Owns Everything” is sending traffic to Answer Guy Central—and at a time when rankings are getting harder to come by!
Three days ago, the visitor you see represented above came to Answer Guy Central for the very first time, and went directly to that day’s story on Influency, Google Now, and there being too much information floating around.
Except: he came “directly, or via local bookmark”. Stop and think about that for a moment.
It doesn’t seem possible that someone who’s never been to Answer Guy Central went out of their way to type “http://answerguy.com/2012/12/18/influency-google-now-expand-to-stock-prices/“; realistically, it doesn’t seem possible that anyone would type out that string. And because the visitor viewed only that one page, we know that he didn’t just type http://answerguy.com and then find the day’s story, or get referred to the story from another page.
Can You Google Yourself Too Much? When you’re me, even watching 2012 come to a close and thinking about Answer Guy Central’s almost-here Influency* re-branding comes in a distant second to questions like that one. Yeah, I know how weird that makes me.
Nevertheless, when a couple of people landed at Answer Guy Central yesterday by Googling the phrase “yeah I know I google myself too often“, it caught my attention.
I was surprised. I don’t feel as though I Google myself very often, and prior to today, the only time the phrase “google myself” had ever been published at Answer Guy Central was here, over three years ago.
In Google, we trust. A few days ago, though, Google did something that has to call into question whether the search and advertising behemoth is trustworthy. Trust Google? That’s getting harder.
Let me be clear that I’m talking about some very specific stuff here. I still think my decision to start using a Chromebook was a good one, and I feel the same way about my Nexus 7 tablet. And despite Google’s continued tweaking of the way they do search and what it means to your privacy, I’m OK letting the Google pipe stay open all the time in all my devices.
Nothing is Free. Nothing. Is. Free. NOTHING IS EVER FREE.
You knew that, right?
I’ve been sharing my ideas about business change with you for years, and one of the themes that’s recurred over and over is that Google—even if somewhere deep in their bowels they still believe in their old corporate ‘Don’t Be Evil‘ credo—has become and will continue to become more and more evil.
Of course, business is business; ‘evil’ no more belongs in a business lexicon than ‘justice’ belongs in a discussion about law.
I’d like to introduce you to Reggy. She is, as you can see, very likely the cutest dog ever. And it’s a good thing she is, because Reggy is the desktop on my shiny new Google Chromebook computer, and I can’t cover her up with icons.
Little computer. Small, but in no way “little” chip running it. Look! Up in the sky! It’s a Bird! It’s a Plane! It’s . . .
Google wants you to think the Samsung Exynos 5-powered Google Chromebook is “Ready When You Are“. The question is: ready for what?
A couple of years back, I started carrying a Netbook-style portable computer. I paid all of $250 for it. Aside from when my little purple Acer Netbook died, it’s served me well; a full day’s battery, and it runs Microsoft Windows, albeit slowly (and Ubuntu, faster, although less capably).
It’s almost time for the Presidential Election here in the USA. I supported Barack Obama four years ago, but this time around I find myself—despite still hoping President Obama gets four more years to do the job—disappointed in the options. Political statement complete. Now, let’s talk Search Engine Optimization.
Answer Guy Central Influency and Integrated Marketing, New York NY 10128
Copyright © 2004-2013, PC-VIP Inc