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Removing a label
Google is removing the “supplemental” label from it’s search results and will even be querying the low pagerank area (supplementals) when they can’t find any useful information in the main index. How will this hurt those in the game of SEO? Supplemental pages do not pass pagerank, like for instance, I notice that my “about page” on my home and garden site has gone supplemental. If I was a smart SEO I would get some pagerank to that page or make a new one to pass some much needed Google fuel to my links. Does Google like allowing me to control my pagerank distribution in this way? You see, it is not in Google’s interest to keep the PR obsession going because it only benefits those who game their main index.
Paying attention to webmasters:
I always pay most attention to ordinary webmasters complaints to see how Google is doing, Teri Fritts from AliceAccents.com says the following in response to Supplemental goes mainstream:
I am confused. The blog post states that pages in the supplemental index are “often pages with lower PageRank and complex URLs”. My site don’t use complex urls so I’m focusing on PageRank. OK, the way to increase PageRank is for other webmasters to link to your site. Of course, we all know that buying links is a no-no. OK, I’ll wait for webmasters to stumble upon my site, see how wonderful it is and provide a natural link. But wait. 90% of my site is in the now-invisible supplemental index so the chances of people stumbling upon those pages are slim. So I may never gain more PageRank on those pages, especially if I do not even know which pages are supplemental. For webmasters in my position, this is a frustrating, never-ending circle.
Doesn’t that say it all? :)
Dipping into supplementals for the better document:
As we all know a document that appears at the top of the SERPS is not always the better media for a query. In other words, if someone can manipulate people into linking to their media it doesn’t always mean that it the best, follow me? Google still relies on noisy signals (links) as they perfect their algorithms so that annoying dude (who appears above you in the SERPS for your valued “phrases”) is not going away soon!
Enter the querying of quality pages in supplementals that have been excluded from the main index simply because the do not have enough pagerank. It’s true, there are more good ducuments in there than out so go get um’ Google!
I believe that answers Teri’s question, hope to not confuse anyone or make my wish too evident, can I get a friggin’ hoorah? ;)
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August 1st, 2007 at 2:13 pm
I believe that Google recently began parsing and indexing all or nearly all of the text on Supplemental Pages, although I cannot be sure that those pages pass anchor text.
I have no way, at this time, to test for whether a page passes PageRank (and none of the SEO PageRank tools are worth using so no one else has any valid tests, either).
The real issue here is not PageRank but page visibility. If the Supplemental Results pages now have the same chance to rank for queries as non-Supplemental pages, then everything should be okay. If not, then everyone should continue to complain and pressure Google to do the right thing.
August 1st, 2007 at 2:34 pm
The way I understand it Michael is that supplementals are a second choice, so if Google looks in it’s main index and nothing looks good they will look for pages in the supplemental index. This gives those with content (but no real pagerank) a chance to obtain a little fuel via natural linking. It is actually brilliant if they are planning to throw the lifeline to the meek, who in the end will inherit the index and maybe even the earth. ;)
With all joking aside it does make perfect sense, they are removing a label that annoys webmasters and promising those who have gone supplemental that they have not forgotten about them. We will just have to see.
August 4th, 2007 at 1:56 pm
Thank you for the nice tip. I am trying to learn about SEO, there isn´t much about SEO in portuguese, so, i am glad i find your blog.
Have a great weekend!
August 10th, 2007 at 5:09 am
Woo hoo, I’m famous! It’s nice to know that someone was listening. The supplemental index is a self-fulfilling prophecy. Google deems a site to be of lower quality due to low PageRank, therefore it does not reward it with traffic, resulting in a lower chance of gaining natural backlinks which decreases the chance of gaining PageRank. And round and round she goes.
An ordinary webmaster should not be required to compete with or hire professional SEOs and backlink marketers who know all of the tricks (black and white) in order to raise Google PageRank and thus to avoid the supplemental index. Yes, webmasters should do their homework and ensure that their site complies with the Google Webmaster Guidelines. In the perfect Google world, Google would reward and rank those compliant sites according to content and keyword relevance with PR being just a smidgeon in the ranking formula.
If they insist on using a Supplemental Index, how about putting non-compliant sites in there, not the low PR sites? I feel much better now. :) Thanks for listening again.
Teri Fritts
AliceAccents.com
August 10th, 2007 at 11:16 pm
Nah, Google is still not returning a supplemental result for long quotes, as far as one of my clients is concerned.
Anchor text isn’t easy to test because first you have to wait for a supplemental result to be recrawled and that can take months.
“But wait. 90% of my site is in the now-invisible supplemental index so the chances of people stumbling upon those pages are slim.”
She is wrong to depend on Google to gain visibility. Google reflects your visibility on the web; Google isn’t the way to gain visibility. All you need to do is write a blog post - people will read your page in a matter of minutes.
Aaron, PageRank distribution is not evil. If you’re building a rocket (not saying SEO is rocket science), there’s some technical stuff you gotta work out; you can’t just make the rocket look good. You’re not trying to manipulate results; you’re trying to make sure your house doesn’t collapse every time rain falls.
August 14th, 2007 at 9:15 pm
Nice seo tips! I’m still new in seo world. Your blog is great for newbie like me. Keep up those good work!
August 19th, 2007 at 8:34 pm
The only chance one has to get out of the supplemental index is with new pages, if you notice less deep (new) pages still can rank using limited PR so you have another chance to draw attention in the form of links before the pages drop out of sight into supplemental hell.
I know exactly how it works Halfdeck and dream of the day when content can be judged on it’s quality and accuracy, today the best car salesman wins, and that is extremely depressing and wrong. There are all kinds of good people being ignored.
Teri makes some VERY good points, it shows how weak current algorithms are, Google simply is a brand, there is no wizard behind the curtain. I am coming to terms with Google not being “all that”, that’s all…
August 19th, 2007 at 9:31 pm
You’re starting to sound like a democrat that’s been mugged, and depressing the hell outta me :D
August 20th, 2007 at 3:36 am
Supplementals ARE depressing and removing the “label” makes it even harder to gauge where you stand. Me a democrat? Removing labels is a liberal thing, point your finger at Google!
So now people will just continue to waste their time writing new content not realizing that it is being put in the trash bin simply because it does not have enough pagerank AKA votes…links.
It is depressing.
August 20th, 2007 at 9:05 pm
“Me a democrat?”
See, some say that’s how republicans are born - by being too idealistic and then becoming disillusioned after getting “mugged.” Not that being a republican is a bad thing. Democrats have a long road ahead of them in the next presidential election.
August 21st, 2007 at 3:45 am
Go republicans!
(now if we can just get the republican party to take environmental issues seriously we are good.)
Yes, what you say makes perfect sense Halfdeck.