Google… You’re Not The Boss of Me!
Posted by Aaron R Stewart on January 19th, 2007
I ran into a buddy of mine the other day, and during our “catching up” conversation, the topic eventually turned to his manufacturing business, and I asked him if he felt his site contributed positively to his company’s strategic vision. He quickly began complaining about how they couldn’t figure out how to be ranked organically in Google, that Google requires them to pay to get on the first results page for their chosen keywords, and who does Google think they are anyway, etc. It was quite the emotional rant, and one I am afraid I hear and read quite often. These rants usually remind me of my niece who frequently tell her aunts and uncles “you’re not the boss of me!”
Unfortunately I didn’t have much time to discuss my view of my buddy’s Google opinion that day, so I thought I would take some time to address it here.
Fact is this; Google is the boss of us… if we want to rank high on their site. I frankly don’t have a problem with it, but many do. Google suggests how our sites should be optimized so they can best provide their clients (all those that come to Google to search) the most relevant search results. Google’s power to make these suggestions is provided by those of us that use Google to find what we are looking for, nothing more. Google did not put something in the water, nor are they blackmailing the president, the public simply liked the results obtained in the past, and continue to trust Google to deliver appropriate search results now. Google’s ability to guide our optimization efforts has been earned through the years and is presently sustained by a primarily satisfied public.
The ire aimed at Google for these optimization requirements/rules can be quite humorous at times, but it is hardly justifiable. Most (and hopefully none) of us would ever consider walking into Walmart and setting up a table in the front of the store to sell our products to Walmart customers as they pass by, and we wouldn’t expect Walmart to allow us this access to their customers. And even though most of us have no idea what is required to get a product approved for sale in Walmart, most of us would assume Walmart has a very systematic methodology in place to properly consider and approve new products. Additionally we would also assume Walmart is predictably careful when they determine where in a store a product will be physically positioned, as they want the product easily found by as many customers as possible. I have personally been through this Walmart process, it is quite an ordeal. I didn’t find it enjoyable, but we did it anyway to hopefully get a chance at Walmart’s clientele. Despite our best efforts, Walmart chose not to take on our product, and while we were disappointed, we didn’t then decide to circumvent the new product evaluation process and somehow sneak our product into their stores anyway, I doubt anyone would.
So, I say “so what” if Google asks us to jump through a few hoops? If we want the opportunity to sell to THEIR clients, much like Walmart, we should expect Google to require our sites to comply to their suggestions, so they can more easily position our sites properly, and facilitate the client/seller introduction. It is in our best interest to do so.
Now I will admit, if Google was the only game in town, then I would probably be on the ire gang band wagon, and suspicious of Google’s monopoly power over us, but with Yahoo, MSN and others also in the search game, each of the SEs are motivated to make their search results as relevant as possible, to rank our sites as high (or low) as they deserve, or run the risk of losing market share, or being forced out of the market completely. The requirements SEs place on our sites are simply the hoops SEO tools help us jump through, and as long as we are willing to do the work, then we can expect to see a trend of positive results in our rankings. No tricks, no shortcuts, just honest optimization, earning our position.
Those that don’t like what the SEs requests are probably going to be upset to discover you actually have to complete homework assignments to graduate from school, you have to register to vote, you have to file articles of organization to start a company, you have to use an iPod to listen to your iTunes library, and you have to put a postage stamp on a letter to get it to go anywhere, but that is unfortunately the tough world we find ourselves in… what an insufferable drag.
Visited 1807 times January 19th, 2007 Aaron R Stewart
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Entry Filed under: Advertising, Branding, Business, Content and SEO, Marketing, SEO, Tools, Traffic
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5 Comments Add your own
1. Kevin O'Brien | January 19th, 2007 at 4:39 pm
You have your head under a rose colored rock. Here is a clear example of current, as in today, SE manipulation. Go to Google news and type “walmart chelan”. You will receive 0, count them, 0 records. Go to any other, I repeat, any other SE and find pages of returns. Spare me the “aw shucks, jeez, aren’t we all just nice people” routine and educate yourself about the conscious choices that are being made daily all around to not play by the rules, especially by those who are in strong positions to set those same rules up. Please learn to follow the money, develop some healthy skepticism, and remember that most businesses operate under the golden rule; he with the gold rules. With that said, my point is not either a for nor against the Walmart. I am against, and from my reading on the issue, I would think it an injustice if they can force the opening of the Chelan store, see here for beginners. But the point is that Google is known (heading towards “used to be known”) for being more exhaustively thorough than any other SE. It’s definitely a new day for SE’s and Google is beginning to feel the strain, but still feels untouchable enough to accept a buy off, at least regionally (like in western WA), and prevent returns. The Seattle area is a pretty strong people vs company sort of place, but it is hard for out-of-town support to be drummed up if nobody knows. It is not conceivable that every article that returns on Yahoo (or MSN, etc.) for this topic just has no bearing within the Google algorithm.
2. Aaron R Stewart | January 20th, 2007 at 3:53 pm
Kevin:
Thanks for your comments.
First off, you assume Google is doing something purposefully wrong with results returned on your “walmart chelan” search, I don’t, I either would assume there is no occasions where “walmart chelan” actually occur together, and I would then try searching for Walmart Chelan, without the quotes. When Walmart Chelan is searched without the quotes, there are 44,900 results returned, so I don’t think there is a sinister problem here, as Google would have been smart enough to block this query as well. I also have problems with our own servers doing queries in our MySQL databases. I know the info is there, I just have to go about it a different way sometimes, but I never think the servers are conspiring against me or are purposefully blocking my queries.
In your comment you write:
I believe skepticism should be influenced by experience, not just random and absolute, as that is an ugly way to live. In my past I have seen my share of unscrupulous people and dishonest companies, I have personally sat in an office “negotiating” with a “client” who asked me for a 50% discount on his future orders while his armed guard had his sub-machine gun in my back. I told him I would be happy to honor his request, shook his hand with a smile, took a cab back to my hotel, packed up and left Peshawar, Pakistan on the next flight, which was to Dubai, and then I cancelled all future orders to this madman. I have done business in over 50 countries and seen quite a bit, as an independent consultant I have helped clients expand their businesses into 26 different countries, and also seen quite alot of stuff. And in the last five years I have founded or co-founded 12 different companies, and 2 of them now service Fortune 500 clients. I believe my skepticism is an appropriate amount for this present discussion, and it is based on past practical business experience, not haphazardly with a broad brush.
Frankly, I can see no competitive motivation for Google to restrict search results, and as you aptly put it, Google has a reputation as “being more exhaustively thorough than any other SE,” then earned this reputation. Nor can I figure out why Google would even care about a Walmart in Chelan. However, if what you say is true, and Google is now blatantly restricting searches, they will quickly upset the public when other searches do not return the applicable results, and the public will begin using Yahoo, or some other SE, which provides better search results, and Google will fall from grace. It is a simple economic and proven principle working here. As long as Google returns the results we need to make our life easier, then the public will remain happy, and Google will remain on top. And if Google remains, then we must adjust our sites to do well in their search algorithm, so our companies can get to potential online clients. That was the only point of my post. I assure you, our companies will adjust to all the search engines, to make our sites more visible via search, it is an important part of doing business in this day and age. We don’t do so because it makes us happy, frankly properly SEOing a site is a long and arduous process, but we do it because we want potential clients to find us as easily as possible, nothing more.
Finally… and way off the point. Walmart gets the same response from most communities when they announce a new store, as some will always attempt to “protect the community.” I personally think you can’t generate support outside of your community, because the protests haven’t worked elsewhere, the general public is directly to blame. I personally think Walmart should follow all ordinances, and play fair, but ultimately if they do, they have earned the right to do business anywhere, whether we like it or not. Chelan isn’t the first, nor will it be the last to make “national news” in going up again Walmart, news about the big guys just sells papers. (Now there’s some skepticism for you)
If we don’t want Walmarts then we should all put our money together and buy up all the land, so Walmart has no place to build. But if we don’t have the money, and Walmart has purchased land, obtained permits, purchased the land, built to spec, and has been approved by our elected officials, then we are out of luck to stop them from building. So it is probably time to start drumming up support for the Boycott Walmart campaign, to see if we can force Walmart to close their doors, due to lack of revenue.
This is the same point as the Google argument above, Walmart is where they are because the public put them there. The Jones’ sat around their home, looked at their bank account, and decided the lower prices at Walmart made good economic sense for their family. The Corner Market’s, although lovely, and with a good deal of history, just couldn’t complete on low price, and loyalty to the Corner Market wasn’t going to help get the Jones’ kids through college, so… I would guess the same will happen in Chelan, the doors will eventually open, the public will want to save money, and will enjoy the convenience, and Walmart will do just fine.
Just between you and me, I don’t shop at Walmart either, it is way too crowded in there.
Thanks again for the comments.
3. Michael D Jensen | January 20th, 2007 at 6:13 pm
Just an update, there are results with “walmart chelan” and “wal-mart chelan” now, albeit very few. And for everyone to know, I shop at Wal-Mart. Hard to beat those prices. I just go when it’s not crowded.
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