Some Links Shouldn’t Matter – But Do
Links and linking are undeniably a significant factor in search engine ranking algorithms. On the surface that even makes sense. The more valuable a site is, the more sites will link to it. The more sites that link to it, the more search engines trust it. This is the Kool-Aid the SEO industry has been drinking for the past several years. Read more…
Privacy For Sale?
On October 18th, Google made the announcement that they would begin encrypting search queries for users that were signed-in or chose to use the https url to initiate searches. Their reasoning for this change was to enhance the default search experience and protect the personalized search results they deliver.
What is encrypting?
In this instance, encryption refers to utilizing a secure sockets layer, or SSL connection. An SSL connection allows the information you enter on a web page and submit to be encrypted, or protected, from unauthorized, prying eyes. Most browsers recognize SSL connections, or secure forms, by displaying an https url instead of the standard http version. For example, Google’s standard url – http://www.google.com is the unencrypted url and the newer https://www.google.com is the encrypted page. Read more…
Google Webmasters Blog Hacked?
Around 10:30 PM Central time last night (April 2), Google’s Webmaster Central Blog feed seems to have been hacked, albeit not maliciously. Take a look at the screen shot below. Many entries of various photos from what seems to be a photographer’s website.
Proof of Google's Webmaster Central Blog Being Hacked?
Clicking the user link on the posts takes you to mismo334′s (Joe Hewes) Flickr page.
Seeing as how it’s not April 1st, I doubt it’s a joke on Google’s part. I also can’t see how it could be intentional. No Google representatives have publically addressed what happened as of yet. So what’s up?
Share ideas below. We’ll update the post as more information becomes available.
Why Does Google Contradict Itself?
This post is a bit on the geek-centric side of SEO. You’ve been warned. Also, this is strictly an opinion rant. I still love Google and believe every client should optimize their site for the best rankings in Google. <hugs></hugs>
Ever wonder why the number of pages indexed in Google (as shown in the Sitemaps section of Webmaster Tools) is different from the number of pages indexed in Google (as shown in a site: search of Google itself)?
<rant>Google forums and blogs, as well as other industry sources say that it could be because of the way Google stores data. You see, Google utilizes what are called data centers. According to the Webmaster Central Blog, “Occasionally, fluctuation in search results is the result of differences in our data centers. When you perform a Google search, your query is sent to a Google data center in order to retrieve search results. There are numerous data centers, and many factors (such as geographic location and search traffic) determine where a query is sent. Because not all of our data centers are updated simultaneously, it’s possible to see slightly different search results depending on which data center handles your query.” Read more…
Online Negativity – Embrace the Dark Side
As Michael Fauscette describes in his post How to Deal with Negativity Online, there are a few different types of online negativity you may be required to deal with (Real Issue, Constructive Criticism, and Unwarranted Attack)- regardless of whether or not your company has an online presence. This post focuses mainly on the third type. You’ll need to be honest with yourself or get an unbiased third party opinion to decide which of these types applies to your situation.
Regardless of what’s been said about you or your company, there are 5 rules of the road that will keep you from escalating the situation and making it a total disaster. Read more…