Google breaks keyword tracking tools with a code redesign and the beginning of the Google SEO slapdown 2008 begins
For the last week, my favorite tracking tools have not worked in Google so I turned to my latest joint venture partner, Jennifer Horowitz, Director of Marketing at eComBuffet.
Jeniffer replied,
“It seems like Google implemented a feature (which is transparent to searchers) but really messes up tools that are used to check your rankings in Google.
WebPosition Gold, as well as other ranking report tools (scraper based tools – including the SEO Firefox plugin) have been impacted.
Some are predicting the end of reporting on Google rankings is near!”
Sounds like the beginning of the yearly Q3 Google Just in Time for Christmas Slapdown to me!
Why would Google be doing this besides the obvious?
Stay with me here, this is the future and it is now….
- This I believe is the start of Google’s roll out of it’s full social features very, very, VERY soon.
- Google does not want us to know HOW their social features affect search rankings.
- Why? Because they WILL be the basis for their new search algorithms.
- Google is already integrating your Google profile with local search.
- Google is already integrating YouTube with your Google profile.
- We already know that Google has integrated your Google Reader, Gmail, a Friends list and your profile.
- Google will know everything about us, what we like and be able to deliver bullseye advertising everytime.
- What is in this for you and me?
- The greatest viral marketing engine on the planet and just by using it you will build advantage on your competition.
We have been walking down this road for a long time, wouldn’t you like to know what Google is doing?
15 Comments
The only thing we can count on being consistent in this business is the INconsistency of this business!
Another great post!
Jennifer
~PotPieGirl
Looks like we have to keep aware of what the bog “G” is doing. It helps to have you hot on the trail. Thanks…
Thanks Mike and PotPie, great description, hot on their trail. I love it.
Does it make sense to continue to build considering the changes being made I would guess it even more valuable then before…Love your blog, one of thetips you gave recently changed my rankings almost over night. Thanks
Sorry Chris, call me stupid but I have never been able to make sense of all the SEO talk. Seems like I would rather concentrate on running my business and leave this SEO stuff to my webmaster or expert.
Hmm… interestingly, Google have also been releasing more data at the same time, like domain traffic in Trends and search volumes for keywords in AdWords. I wonder what their game is…
@thefluffanutta,
Google’s game is the same thing they do every day, try to take over the world.
They allow us more information but then we pay them to advertise on their pages.
Did you notice that at the same time they rolled out full access to AdSense in feeds?
The new SEO will be using Google social to get as many subscribers following us in as many forms of Google as possible, rating our different forms of media highly and recommending it to others.
Google buying Digg? Misdirection, made us think one way and then have to work even harder to figure out Google social which was already there all along.
Chris – your email to me was very timely. We are cranking out reports for all of our clients today and we have definitely seen some anomalies. We happen to use IBP so this is not just affecting Web Position.
- Arnie
There’s another reason Google is messing with the scraping tools: They don’t get revenue for pages served to the tools, since no one is seeing the ads. They released an API a few years ago, and then proceeded to make it completely useless and limit access to API keys for the seem reason.
Google isn’t about making the rest of us money. It’s like having an elephant walk through your garden.
It is impossible to keep up. I am not even sure what all this is going to mean in the big picture. How is this going to effect the affiliate marketer? Is this good or bad for the little people who are looking for ways to break into the social maketing scene?
I will continue to write no matter what, but just where to publish it is the question.
Thanks for keeping us posted, Chris.
Now, should I Digg this article? :o)
DO NOT DIGG KEYWEBDATA! This domain was banned by Digg mafia falsely accusing me of spam.
Love that observation by Don Draper… “Google isn’t about making the rest of us money. It’s like having an elephant walk through your garden.”
That is about how it feels… every time Google drops another bomb!
Dave Perkins (aka: TrafficMechanic)
Chris,
Email me an update on what’s going on with your domain and Digg.
Happy Birthday! I’ve sent you bday messages on FB, email and now here – you have lots of well wishes.
The key here is to be aware but not freak out. Google makes so many changes and have also been known to revert back and undo changes – so people shouldn’t freak out too much. Just stay current, participate in social media (its clear that is the future so get going now), and build great content.
Just my quick two cents. – Jenn
Hmm, I ran a ranking report for a client last night and it ran fine. Now I do have a Google API key from years ago, so I guess that’s why, but I had no problems. It would be a real shame if it stopped working… I just bought the program a few months ago! :^)
People are reporting that some programs when used with their API are still working. Others are having no luck. Seems to be a little in flux right now. Having the API is your best chance but even that may stop working. We’ll see!
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