Comments on: Answers.com raises questions about Google’s power http://gigaom.com/2007/08/02/answerscom-raises-questions-about-googles-power/ Trusted Insights and Conversations on the Next Wave of Technology Thu, 26 Nov 2009 01:34:40 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: Wikia Search, Knol, an API for Wikipedia, and Decentralization http://gigaom.com/2007/08/02/answerscom-raises-questions-about-googles-power/#comment-841426 Wikia Search, Knol, an API for Wikipedia, and Decentralization Thu, 10 Jan 2008 05:54:25 +0000 http://gigaom.com/2007/08/02/answerscom-raises-questions-about-googles-power/#comment-841426 <p>[...] caused many to raise questions about Google’s power, including usually calming folks like Om Malik. Google’s move sent a clear signal: you may have the information, but we have the gateway to [...]</p> [...] caused many to raise questions about Google’s power, including usually calming folks like Om Malik. Google’s move sent a clear signal: you may have the information, but we have the gateway to [...]

]]> By: JackuB.name > Blog > Spock.com, nový hráč na poli vyhledávačů? http://gigaom.com/2007/08/02/answerscom-raises-questions-about-googles-power/#comment-438587 JackuB.name > Blog > Spock.com, nový hráč na poli vyhledávačů? Sat, 11 Aug 2007 11:55:02 +0000 http://gigaom.com/2007/08/02/answerscom-raises-questions-about-googles-power/#comment-438587 <p>[...] přišel odnikud a smetl Yahoo. Nyní má Google velkou moc. Může být i zlý. Proč by se ale to samé nemohlo stát i [...]</p> [...] přišel odnikud a smetl Yahoo. Nyní má Google velkou moc. Může být i zlý. Proč by se ale to samé nemohlo stát i [...]

]]> By: Yikes, I’ve angered the Google gods - Justinsomnia http://gigaom.com/2007/08/02/answerscom-raises-questions-about-googles-power/#comment-434121 Yikes, I’ve angered the Google gods - Justinsomnia Fri, 10 Aug 2007 06:11:18 +0000 http://gigaom.com/2007/08/02/answerscom-raises-questions-about-googles-power/#comment-434121 <p>[...] felt vulnerable as a result of my dependence on Google for retrieving my own information. I’m no Answers.com, but I’m no splog either. Trackback Wednesday, August 8, 2007 [...]</p> [...] felt vulnerable as a result of my dependence on Google for retrieving my own information. I’m no Answers.com, but I’m no splog either. Trackback Wednesday, August 8, 2007 [...]

]]> By: Greg Linden http://gigaom.com/2007/08/02/answerscom-raises-questions-about-googles-power/#comment-426455 Greg Linden Tue, 07 Aug 2007 17:37:08 +0000 http://gigaom.com/2007/08/02/answerscom-raises-questions-about-googles-power/#comment-426455 <p>Findory had a similar problem about a year ago, losing about 1/4 of its traffic mostly because of a change in Google's ranking.</p> <p>It is not entirely clear, but what may have happened is that Findory was no longer considered the authoritative source for the news and blog excerpts shown on the site.</p> <p>As bad as it was for Findory, it is hard to complain about that. The original news source or blog should be considered the authoritative source.</p> <p>I suspect something similar might have happened to Answers.com. Answers.com often has mostly content from Wikipedia for its page.</p> <p>Perhaps Google now considers Wikipedia, the original source, to be the authoritative source and is sending traffic that used to go to Answers.com directly to Wikipedia.</p> Findory had a similar problem about a year ago, losing about 1/4 of its traffic mostly because of a change in Google’s ranking.

It is not entirely clear, but what may have happened is that Findory was no longer considered the authoritative source for the news and blog excerpts shown on the site.

As bad as it was for Findory, it is hard to complain about that. The original news source or blog should be considered the authoritative source.

I suspect something similar might have happened to Answers.com. Answers.com often has mostly content from Wikipedia for its page.

Perhaps Google now considers Wikipedia, the original source, to be the authoritative source and is sending traffic that used to go to Answers.com directly to Wikipedia.

]]> By: David Mackey http://gigaom.com/2007/08/02/answerscom-raises-questions-about-googles-power/#comment-417721 David Mackey Sun, 05 Aug 2007 01:23:15 +0000 http://gigaom.com/2007/08/02/answerscom-raises-questions-about-googles-power/#comment-417721 <p>I'm not a big fan of Answers.Com, so I'm not disappointed that Google has revised their algorithm to place answers results lower.</p> I’m not a big fan of Answers.Com, so I’m not disappointed that Google has revised their algorithm to place answers results lower.

]]> By: Daily Connect | Outside Connect II: Saturday reading http://gigaom.com/2007/08/02/answerscom-raises-questions-about-googles-power/#comment-414852 Daily Connect | Outside Connect II: Saturday reading Sat, 04 Aug 2007 05:02:36 +0000 http://gigaom.com/2007/08/02/answerscom-raises-questions-about-googles-power/#comment-414852 <p>[...] power over the search world has to be relooked at, says Om Malik. He cites the recent incidents at Answers.com to base his argument. Worth a read, I [...]</p> [...] power over the search world has to be relooked at, says Om Malik. He cites the recent incidents at Answers.com to base his argument. Worth a read, I [...]

]]> By: chris http://gigaom.com/2007/08/02/answerscom-raises-questions-about-googles-power/#comment-413018 chris Fri, 03 Aug 2007 18:27:17 +0000 http://gigaom.com/2007/08/02/answerscom-raises-questions-about-googles-power/#comment-413018 <p>Google can do what ever they want. They are not a communist organization formed for the good of companies trying to serve more pages. They only have to answer to their stockholders and their users, both of which are pleased.</p> <p>That being said, they do concentrate on making the webmasters happy as they have the best set of tools and reporting for webmasters, they are responsive and have a good open dialog on all the topics.</p> Google can do what ever they want. They are not a communist organization formed for the good of companies trying to serve more pages. They only have to answer to their stockholders and their users, both of which are pleased.

That being said, they do concentrate on making the webmasters happy as they have the best set of tools and reporting for webmasters, they are responsive and have a good open dialog on all the topics.

]]> By: Damon Billian http://gigaom.com/2007/08/02/answerscom-raises-questions-about-googles-power/#comment-412563 Damon Billian Fri, 03 Aug 2007 14:56:15 +0000 http://gigaom.com/2007/08/02/answerscom-raises-questions-about-googles-power/#comment-412563 <p>Disclaimer: I like Google. I still think they provide the best results out there. I am just putting on the hat of a skeptic..</p> <p>I think the questions here are:</p> <ol> <li><p>How does Google decide to rank one company higher & another company not? (yes, links are one factor; but what do you do when you know SEO folks are attempting to game the system?).</p></li> <li><p>Does Google give companies the right to contest how their results are showing? I believe that the answer is, "No." If I fall from 1st to 30th in the results, would I have the ability to at least question the "why"? No.</p></li> <li><p><em>Who</em> at Google makes these decisions? A lot of people would probably be somewhat skeptical about it entirely being something tied to an algorithm.</p></li> <li><p><em>How</em> is content quality rated? I would personally think that this is something that only a human being could do (which is why you have the del.icio.us/stumbleupon crowd). How would computers figure this out?</p></li> </ol> Disclaimer: I like Google. I still think they provide the best results out there. I am just putting on the hat of a skeptic..

I think the questions here are:

  1. How does Google decide to rank one company higher & another company not? (yes, links are one factor; but what do you do when you know SEO folks are attempting to game the system?).

  2. Does Google give companies the right to contest how their results are showing? I believe that the answer is, “No.” If I fall from 1st to 30th in the results, would I have the ability to at least question the “why”? No.

  3. Who at Google makes these decisions? A lot of people would probably be somewhat skeptical about it entirely being something tied to an algorithm.

  4. How is content quality rated? I would personally think that this is something that only a human being could do (which is why you have the del.icio.us/stumbleupon crowd). How would computers figure this out?

]]> By: Erik Kalviainen http://gigaom.com/2007/08/02/answerscom-raises-questions-about-googles-power/#comment-412553 Erik Kalviainen Fri, 03 Aug 2007 14:52:40 +0000 http://gigaom.com/2007/08/02/answerscom-raises-questions-about-googles-power/#comment-412553 <p>The math doesn't seem to add up. If a Google algo change results in a 28% drop in total traffic, it doesn't make sense that 70% of their traffic is direct, unless they lost all of their Google traffic.</p> The math doesn’t seem to add up. If a Google algo change results in a 28% drop in total traffic, it doesn’t make sense that 70% of their traffic is direct, unless they lost all of their Google traffic.

]]> By: stone http://gigaom.com/2007/08/02/answerscom-raises-questions-about-googles-power/#comment-412060 stone Fri, 03 Aug 2007 11:52:49 +0000 http://gigaom.com/2007/08/02/answerscom-raises-questions-about-googles-power/#comment-412060 <p>Answers.com is barely a real company and the algo changes at Google effect nearly any/all companies that have lots of pages. it's part of the game.</p> Answers.com is barely a real company and the algo changes at Google effect nearly any/all companies that have lots of pages. it’s part of the game.

]]> By: danny http://gigaom.com/2007/08/02/answerscom-raises-questions-about-googles-power/#comment-411858 danny Fri, 03 Aug 2007 10:03:14 +0000 http://gigaom.com/2007/08/02/answerscom-raises-questions-about-googles-power/#comment-411858 <p>Om,</p> <p>I think the 70% stat refers to traffic heading to all Answers Corp sites including Dictionary.com (which they are in the process of acquiring). The Answers.com domain itself still gets a very large portion of its traffic from search.</p> Om,

I think the 70% stat refers to traffic heading to all Answers Corp sites including Dictionary.com (which they are in the process of acquiring). The Answers.com domain itself still gets a very large portion of its traffic from search.

]]> By: Rishi http://gigaom.com/2007/08/02/answerscom-raises-questions-about-googles-power/#comment-410820 Rishi Fri, 03 Aug 2007 02:38:59 +0000 http://gigaom.com/2007/08/02/answerscom-raises-questions-about-googles-power/#comment-410820 <p>No. I believe that less than 5% of internet users use feeds.</p> No. I believe that less than 5% of internet users use feeds.

]]> By: Chetan http://gigaom.com/2007/08/02/answerscom-raises-questions-about-googles-power/#comment-410810 Chetan Fri, 03 Aug 2007 02:34:09 +0000 http://gigaom.com/2007/08/02/answerscom-raises-questions-about-googles-power/#comment-410810 <p>I thought most bloggers had their readers on feed rather than search engine.</p> I thought most bloggers had their readers on feed rather than search engine.

]]> By: Om Malik http://gigaom.com/2007/08/02/answerscom-raises-questions-about-googles-power/#comment-410259 Om Malik Thu, 02 Aug 2007 23:13:53 +0000 http://gigaom.com/2007/08/02/answerscom-raises-questions-about-googles-power/#comment-410259 <p>From Live.com, very little, but spaces.live.com is pretty good. we are seeing new referrals which means they are beginning to gain some traction.</p> From Live.com, very little, but spaces.live.com is pretty good. we are seeing new referrals which means they are beginning to gain some traction.

]]> By: JoeShmoe http://gigaom.com/2007/08/02/answerscom-raises-questions-about-googles-power/#comment-410228 JoeShmoe Thu, 02 Aug 2007 22:56:11 +0000 http://gigaom.com/2007/08/02/answerscom-raises-questions-about-googles-power/#comment-410228 <p>Om, it'd be interesting to know if you are seeing any bump, even if a teeny bit non-negligible one, in the traffic you get from LIVE?</p> Om, it’d be interesting to know if you are seeing any bump, even if a teeny bit non-negligible one, in the traffic you get from LIVE?

]]> By: David http://gigaom.com/2007/08/02/answerscom-raises-questions-about-googles-power/#comment-410122 David Thu, 02 Aug 2007 21:47:49 +0000 http://gigaom.com/2007/08/02/answerscom-raises-questions-about-googles-power/#comment-410122 <p>I don't think you have anything to worry about Om, you have great content. Google is trying to deliver the best content out there and answers.com certainly isn't that. Most of their articles, while informative, border on splog content; they are so heavily in filled with ads that you can barely decipher what's content. If anything they deserve this demotion in rankings.</p> I don’t think you have anything to worry about Om, you have great content. Google is trying to deliver the best content out there and answers.com certainly isn’t that. Most of their articles, while informative, border on splog content; they are so heavily in filled with ads that you can barely decipher what’s content. If anything they deserve this demotion in rankings.

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