Google SideWiki - interesting article

[Doc]

This morning's edition of WebProNews had an interesting article by Chris Crum, about a new Google offering, called SideWiki.

Google Turning the Web Into an Exclusive Social Network? | WebProNews

Apparently, it's going to be heavily moderated, and contributors will be "ranked", much like our webpages, to determine whether or not our comments are worthy of publishing.

Comments? Opinions?

[Tubby]

There is one thing we should all learn from Google, that is 'never be afraid to give it a go'

Every day we hear someone telling us that they have a great idea. every week we bump into someone who never did something because someone told them it would never work. I think this is a silly idea, but go for it Google, get on with it. Let us see if it works - the old saying went something like 'never a faint heart won a fair maiden'

Sometimes I think that google is stuffed full of teenagers, all wanting to build new stuff. . They keep coming up with ideas . . some of these ideas will work and go on to become industry standards. . Google does not mind testing things with the public. We should learn from this.

But If I find some unwanted comments by some idiot attached to one of my webpages I will not be pleased.

[Doc]

Originally Posted by Tubby

There is one thing we should all learn from Google, that is 'never be afraid to give it a go'

Every day we hear someone telling us that they have a great idea. every week we bump into someone who never did something because someone told them it would never work. I think this is a silly idea, but go for it Google, get on with it. Let us see if it works - the old saying went something like 'never a faint heart won a fair maiden'

Sometimes I think that google is stuffed full of teenagers, all wanting to build new stuff. . They keep coming up with ideas . . some of these ideas will work and go on to become industry standards. . Google does not mind testing things with the public. We should learn from this.

But If I find some unwanted comments by some idiot attached to one of my webpages I will not be pleased.

True, Tubby. If they try ten new things, and only one turns out to be as popular as something like Facebook, MySpace, or Wikipedia, it'd all be worthwhile for them.

It puts me in mind of WOT (Web Of Trust). Are you familiar with that? Anybody can install the FF add-on for it, and rate webpages in terms of things like security, reliability, safe for children, etc., and others can see the rating by others. You can also leave comments, negative or positive, and others can respond to those comments, as well.
Kind of similar to our Rep Rank system here.

Somewhere along the line, for instance, WPW got a poor rating built-up on WOT...my guess would be one or more disgruntled members, trying to "get even", judging by the comments. CFO, on the other hand, has an excellent rating.

[povidiu]

Hello, I have submit this morning for this Google SideWiki, I have upgrade my toolbar. It's an interesting concept but we are still in the early period of this.

[Doc]

I'm not a great fan of the Google toolbar. I had it installed, but disabled on my FF. I enabled it again, and upgraded to include SideWiki, in order to check it out. It's so new still, that I've yet to find much to look at, but it'll be interesting to see how it develops.

[Doc]

Here's a piece by Gab Goldenberg in Search Engine Journal, that doesn't shine a very flattering light on SideWiki.

Google SideWiki Extorts Google Network Participation | Search Engine Journal

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One comment on Search Engine Journal indicates that the writer thinks it's possible for site owners to block all Google Toolbar users by implementing a "notoolbar.php", pointing to a file explaining Google's bad behavior and instructing the visitor to uninstall Google Toolbar in order to proceed.
Google Rolls out Sidewiki, Wikipedia for Websites? | Search Engine Journal

I wonder what THAT would do to your PR?

[Feydakin]

There are already huge discussions about how to game this system and use it to a competitive advantage.. As with most things from Google, they seem to not think the process all the way through and then when their latest project hits the wild they are shocked at how badly it is abused..

[Webnauts]

Originally Posted by Feydakin

There are already huge discussions about how to game this system and use it to a competitive advantage.. As with most things from Google, they seem to not think the process all the way through and then when their latest project hits the wild they are shocked at how badly it is abused..

Steve I agree that this system can be heavily abused. But I used it adding my articles and tutorials as an owner, before it would happen to get too abused.

[Ace]

But I am thinking will Google Side Wiki comments affects the rankings of web-page or website ?

[povidiu]

I personally do not think that Google SideWiki will have any influence in the ranking or SEO. I cannot see a connection on it.

[Feydakin]

The Sidewiki abuse of UK newspapers begins malcolm coles

That didn't take very long..



povi, its not about serps, but about reputation management..

[Tubby]

Lol. I think I said earlier.

"Sometimes I think that google is stuffed full of teenagers, all wanting to build new stuff. . "

Somebody tell me that a mature mind came up with 'Sidewiki'. . .

[Webnauts]

Originally Posted by povidiu

I personally do not think that Google SideWiki will have any influence in the ranking or SEO. I cannot see a connection on it.

There might be a connection. Who knows: Ramblings About SEO Blog Archive Obscuring the Algorithm

[povidiu]

Maybe if all this comments will be listed somewhere on Google, displaying links to the wiki writer will can have a sense, otherwise...

[Doc]

I thought I'd revive this thread, just to see if anyone has been using SideWiki, and has any further comments. I've noticed more and more sites that have received comments, with only a few that seem to be plagued by abusive comments.

Whether that means I underestimated my fellow man, or that Google is moderating comments well, remains to be seen.