What is Sooooooo important about Google?

[rptasiuk]

I am getting tired of this "SEO for Google" focus that prevails amongst all the forums. I have spent uncountless hours every week working my site to rank well in Google. The results were worth it; rank in first 3 pages for a few dozen search phrases, no1 in a few. The problem is this has not increased the the number of visitors converted to customers nor has it made a big impression on the number of visitors through the listing. Now THAT IS the bottom line. I get more customers from being on the 15th page in Yahoo or MSN. On that note, as an Internet user (and searcher) I personally no longer use Google. Their results lately are a far cry from what I am actually searching for. I have found Ask.com to be far superior in realative search results, but I digress...

The point I wish to make is this. Who cares about Google, MSN, Yahoo, whichever. My only concern is will my effort produce sales. If I can derive more sales from being 15th page in Yahoo over "pole position" in Google; give me the Yahoo 15th page placement and screw Google.

On a side note, for those that have read this far. Don't forget that the major high-speed ISP's are partnering with the SE guys, at least they are in Canada. That makes newbie Sympatico users linked immediately with MSN, Rogers newbies with Yahoo. In my neck of the woods in Canada there are no other providers to speak of for high-speed Internet and none that I know of partner with Google. As a business centered in Canada my focus is obviously with the others and screw-you Google and your games.

[nerdbyte]

I feel the exact same way! I'm glad others are starting to realize this. It's the bottom line that matters, not the amount of visitors.

[SEOforGoogle]

The key when starting your sem effort is to make sure you target the converting keywords. Sure, you could have a #1 ranking for "shoes" and get tons of traffic, but having a top ranking for "Women's athletic running shoes" will bring you a more targeted vistor and possibly, the buyer.

It can seem frustrating at times, but the key is to analyze and tweak your site once it gets those rankings.

[incrediblehelp]

What is Sooooooo important about Google?

nothing!

You can make money anywhere online.

[kcire]

I think by now Google can be considered that book that you've read a few times because it was very good and entertaining but now is just one between the others on the bookshelf that sometimes can be used for some nostalgic reference...

What frustrates me most is that my website Linkage was going steadily towards the top of the first searchresults page (when searched for 'Linkage', like everybody once does :wink:) but now suddenly it's moved down 2 or 3 places beacuse of for example this page: linkage.org.uk

A 'under construction page' that in my opinion hasn't got any outbound links and all that crap...Oh...And ofcourse it will not validate...

But that's Google...A mess!

[chrisJumbo]

Stressing too much about one search engine over isn't worth it. If your vistitors are buying and you are happy then stick with it.

That doesn't mean that what is good for one, won't be good for your site. For instance, links. Google likes links and regardless of whether or not it helps your Google rankings, it will bring customers to your site. So look for good links.

Content. Everyone likes good content. And it helps search engines when it is well optimized. So make your content flow around your the key words you are targeting.

Press Releases and Articles. This is a hot topic of late and even if the links that come from it become less important to rankings, it is another avenue for your site to be found. Go for it. If you don't have time to write them, there are folks that will and for reasonable fees.

[noel_x99]

A lot of people obsess about being found in Google because lots of people search in Google. Search Engine Watch lists a November 5 Neilsens' Report that Google is 46.3% compared to Yahoo's 23.4% and MSN's 11.4% of searches.

Makes sense to me that most people want to be found Google...it's where most people are looking.

That said, I don't think it's critical for the success of your site - especially depending on the audience. I'd prefer to be found in MSN and AOL if I want to attract senior citizens or a less computer literate audience. They are more likely to search there than Google.

[rms7design]

well.... I agree on the relevancy with Google...... they are often not as relevant as others, slow to list new websites (therefore not up-to-date with information dispalyed which is really a joke when it comes to the internet where everything is instantly at your disposal or should). Personally I target all search engines even the smallest ones. But Google still drain the majority of searchers.... so we have to deal with it.... and as for turning visitors into customers... this is an other question. SEO, in my mind, is also optimizing a website for your visitors, not only search engines.... even if it means search engine optimization.....

[dburdon]

RPTA,

Google continues to gobble market share regardless of its shortcomings. A quick glance at April data shows it taking 75% of the site traffic for the 4 or 5 sites I've got data for. Sadly, although my personal preference is for Yahoo, Google seems unstoppable.

[duker665]

I read the same data, most people use Google. Buy why? I use excite and yahoo and can never find what I need on Google? What am I missing?

[webmaker]

Google is easy. That is the bottom line on why it is so popular. That is also why most searchers never look past the third page of google. Which in turn is the reason that all of you are wanting search results that rank so high.
Real good results will only be available when filtering and sorting are available. Right now people are force fead information. People need to be in more control of the information that they get while conducting a search. This will increase sales and customer traffic. Why do you think that ad words gets better prospects to sites than just the plain search? Just a thought.

[Inspector]

Originally Posted by dburdon

RPTA,

Google continues to gobble market share regardless of its shortcomings. A quick glance at April data shows it taking 75% of the site traffic for the 4 or 5 sites I've got data for. Sadly, although my personal preference is for Yahoo, Google seems unstoppable.

That's very true. I think it's a self feeding phenom.

If Yahoo would just come out with a good advertising scheme - emphasis on good. They could take over. Take Ask's latest ads. They have increased their traffic significantly.

Do this search in yahoo and Google. "Naples Home Inspection"

In google you get crap. Paid inclusion directories and such.

Yahoo you get good, relavent returns.

I'm hoping everyone will eventually figure it out.

[ryanforbes]

its the same with pretty much everything on google msn and yahoo results are usually always relevant and googles are ****

Google is full of spam and directories of nothing

[chadhaajay]

Originally Posted by ryanforbes

Google is full of spam and directories of nothing

Hello rptasiuk,

ryanforbes is right to some extent. Its not a big deal to trick google. SEO experts are plying with google the way they want to play. Google guys are busy in development of new search algorithms.

Have you thought of contextual marketing for your products. There are plenty of options avilable on net. Its hard to know which is fake and which is genuine.

I'd suggest you to focus on making your website more valuble to the visitors. Rankings and SERPs are worthless until you have some sales in your pocket at the end of the day.

Regrds,

Ajay Chadha

[weslinda]

It's really quite simple, people are taking the generalities of the volume and working towards the one with the biggest market, but yet, that's where we face the most competition for those 1st page results. Google has almost twice the market share as any other engine. Therefore, it offers the best opportunity to market your company.

Now, one thing, and while search engines are great. For a current client of mine, we're noticing that marketing in Forums that are on topic, are much better options, and offer much better opportunity for exposure to the right audience for less money, or free, if they are talking our product up.

Basically it's like this, if there were three malls in your town, and one got 45% of the towns traffic, the next mall only got 25% of the towns traffic, which mall do you want your store in?

It all comes down to volume, and I'm not sure why people don't get that.

Finally, in the end, you shouldn't "optimize" for one search engine. You should build a high quality site, with well written appropriate titles and meta tags, that includes great content for your prospective customers. That's what it's really about, and Google is simply a way to get those potential customers to your site.

I think that us "SEO" types should focus more on true results, versus great rankings in the engines.

[incrediblehelp]

Originally Posted by chadhaajay

I'd suggest you to focus on making your website more valuble to the visitors. Rankings and SERPs are worthless until you have some sales in your pocket at the end of the day.

YES

Originally Posted by weslinda

Finally, in the end, you shouldn't "optimize" for one search engine. You should build a high quality site, with well written appropriate titles and meta tags, that includes great content for your prospective customers. That's what it's really about, and Google is simply a way to get those potential customers to your site.

YES, YES