Subscribe in a reader
HOME
The Universal Search Nightmare
So you are Google and you want to own all that is search. You realize from Microsoft’s failure that if you get too pushy in your attempt to take over an entire search industry people will revolt. You must find another way. Ah yes, if you build on cool ideas, develop or buy interesting things like video search and offer them for free, people will fall into place. This way when you introduce Universal Search and combine all of your technology the minions will already have been assimilated.
Will Google’s Universal Search Spell the End of Search Engine Marketing?
Will Universal Search Crush Mom and Pop?
I sell a product and am found in Google’s for a couple important phrases. I am in the top 5 for these phrases in Google’s organic search and without these positions would not sell enough products to make it worth it. Clutter this area with Wikipedia, PDF files, Video and “How To” information and I am out of business. Example: The other day a “how to” file appeared above my entire site (dedicated to this product) and I noticed an immediate drop in traffic. Add a combined “universal” pile of information and it will be game over for many small business owners that have been blessed with organic (yes vertical) Google search traffic for years. We all know what happens when there are too many choices of ice cream. This is just one example of how universal search will hurt, not help.
Similar Post:
May 18th, 2007 at 8:08 pm
This is probably a misstep, they will soon revert back to the old interface.
May 18th, 2007 at 11:21 pm
I have been saying it for years. All of those first page organic positions are taking revenue away from Google. Why should these guys take prime traffic away from the mighty Google when they have the power to take that first page back.
Sounded crazy a few years back. Looks like reality now.
May 19th, 2007 at 11:05 am
If it is ok for Google to create a portal out of multiple widgets and trap users we should be able to do the same. If we are not allowed to do so algorithmically, Google is trully abusing it’s power.
May 23rd, 2007 at 1:13 am
Am I the only person here thinking this is a good development for both the users and the builders? This gives US more opportunities and tools to use in order to rank. If a how to guide can outrank you now, why are you not building a how to guide? or a video? or anything else..
May 23rd, 2007 at 3:28 am
menton - if i show people how to make my product they do not buy my product. i guess i could offer information from another of my sites to not confuse people with too many choices.
the guy who owns the top position for “rain barrel” has 4 of his sites in the top 10 results. THAT is universal search, it allows clever marketers to own an entire niche via multiple sites and media.
i have always played fair, looks like it was a foolish belief that Google was looking out for me.
May 23rd, 2007 at 3:58 am
I understand your point, but would you not rather have people reading your ‘How to Guide’ than his? Then you might own two results in the top 10 and reduce the competition. There must also be ways of building your guide that will push people towards buying your product…
May 23rd, 2007 at 4:48 am
menton - you are correct sir, I am working on “parts kit” and instructions to fill this need, people who want to “make” would never buy anyhow, they are cheap-arses like myself. :)
I believe that google will clamp down on people who own too many positions for the exact same product so I shy away from that type of thing. Currently though, one man with many sites owns all the key positions for multiple products (home and garden supplies) using MULTIPLE domains, he hired a college kid to write landing sites (rain barrel guide) that people blindly link to, when they rank in Google he links them over to his store. I call it greed and it is the perfect example of how universal search WILL be gamed.
May 23rd, 2007 at 4:53 am
Aaron - this universal search means images can rank, surely something that you could use to sell your rain barrels. There is an excellent post on bluehatseo.com about optimizing for images…
May 23rd, 2007 at 4:56 am
Thanks, I will check it out…
May 25th, 2007 at 7:22 pm
Hi Guys, have read all this and am quite sure that you guys know this:
(a) Google will be making many changes to tune this universal things. That is expected in the next 3-4 weeks.
(b) Not many people who want to buy a wedding ring are really interested in knowing, the history of a wedding ring, why the egyptians wore 7 wedding rings and that a wedding band is not an orchestra that plays at a wedding party.
(c) Google earlier worshipped wikipedia and links on wikipedia were considered the ultimate thing. They have not mentioned that no credit will be given to links on wikipedia.
(d) Buyers will get sick of this academic search results, cluttered with videos, PDFs, history lessons etc and move to other search engines.
Scenario:
(1) Sellers will make long videos pushing their own merchandise. Google can never detect this through algorithms as audio and video files will need to be scanned manually to trap spam. How do these google masters expect to handle this?
(2) With free content available for peanuts, all of us would make these front end sites and then make a subtle link to our merchandise website. Much like the junk sites that were set up to make Adsense money until recently.
Let’s stop worrying, we will all be in business.
Thanks
Knew It All
June 9th, 2007 at 6:41 am
Google’s always testing things out… I wonder how things will shape out in the end.