CNN discussed the real buzz at the Google Dance party held during SES 2005, and learned the truth is out there.
In an online article, the news network ran a story about the real action at the Google Dance party. It had nothing to do with beer kegs or one more horrifying karaoke rendition of “Margaritaville.
“Everything you ever wanted to know about Google is right there on the forums that the webmasters run,” said Peter Norvig, Google’s director of search quality, in the article. “There is a lot of truth in there, but there’s also a lot of crazy stuff. We just don’t tell them which is which.”
A lot of firms would love to know for certain which is which. Many SEO companies contend they have it figured out. Retailers and advertisers that choose a firm without looking at some of its existing clients and their SERPs run the risk of wasting money.
Google has very much helped breed the SEO industry, and that includes the “black hats” it despises. That’s another way a retailer can tell if they’ve hired a dodgy SEO firm: their site plummets in Google search result pages, a likely indication they’ve run afoul of Google’s algorithm.
Many promise quick fixes to search engine ranking, but as people like Mr. Norvig and Matt Cutts make changes over time, those quick fixes diminish in effectiveness. Better to take Shari Thurow’s advice mentioned in the article, and develop a site with valuable content and products instead.
David Utter is a staff writer for Murdok covering technology and business. Email him here.
