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HHI Golf Guy
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« on: December 14, 2009, 01:45:31 PM » |
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I'm still trying to decide whether personalized search is good or evil. From a privacy standpoint, I do think it's evil. But beyond that, is it good for the masses?
Before we get into deeper discussions, I think we need to make a few observations:
1. Those of us in web development and/or SEO are in the extreme minority of web users. Most web users are lemmings.
2. The folks at Google are the smartest guys in the room. We can only speculate as to why they do the things they do. They have a plan.
With that being said, I still believe that 99% of what Google does is designed to drive more people to Adwords. After all, ad revenues account for 100% of their income.
As I see it, Google dominates search market share and the lemmings know that is the case. The lemming business owners know that as well. In the past the lemming business owners generally decide if they will embark upon a PPC campaign or SEO campaign to get to the top of the rankings.
It's my thinking that personalized search will cast some doubt as to the benefits of SEO and drive additional business owners to Adwords, and that in turn will help Google revenues. If you think about it, they don't even have to drive large numbers of people from SEO to PPC. Even if they drive a small percentage it not only increases the number of people bidding for KW's, but will also drive up the cost of existing clicks.
I don't think that this kills off SEO, but it may certainly diminish it - at least for Google. I have seen some people post that they think that personalized search will drive people to use Bing and Yahoo. I doubt that. Remember, these are lemmings we're talking about. It would take a monumental disaster for Google to lose any appreciable market share.
What do you think?
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Seo'ers - UK SEO, Internet Marketing and Webmaster Forums
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« on: December 14, 2009, 01:45:31 PM » |
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Nobby
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« Reply #1 on: December 14, 2009, 02:25:56 PM » |
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I am possibly in the mnority amongst the regular posters here, as i am not strictly an SEO. I do of course have interests in SEO, hence i am here, but i do not rely on SEO personally to earn a living.
My take on it is simple, as a "lemming" i want the best results for each unique search i perform, i would much rather not have potentially good results removed or tainted due to other sites i may or may not have visited or previous searches i, or others had made. What on earth would happen in households where multiple users have access to the same PC's?
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Boogaloodude
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« Reply #2 on: December 14, 2009, 05:01:18 PM » |
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I have no problem with personalised search, as always, Google are just doing what's best for themselves which is the same as what's best for their users, since without users, there is no Google. What's best for their users is what's best for me, it's all peachy. I have no interest in getting one of my clients pages in front of someone who isn't likely to use their service so why would I object to personalised search? My approach to SEO, as described in this thread, won't be affected at all by PS, another one of it's benefits. As for the privacy angle, you don't have to use Google, and if anyone was planning deviously to collect personal data and use it to take over the planet, I'd like it to be Google over the oil companies. GO GOOGLE! |
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www.ImgWebDesign.co.uk - Web site design, Buxton Derbyshire "Scientists have proof but no certainty, religions have certainty but no proof"
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hawkwind dave
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« Reply #3 on: December 15, 2009, 11:47:20 AM » |
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Good for the users... certainly not 'evil', but could prove to be a pain in the arse when selling our services...
"Well sir we have top 3 positions for this and that keyword, but can't show you any proof of that as our results are different to your results..."
"Well yes, the traffic and enquiries has increased tenfold since being SEO'd, but we can't give you access to another clients stats to check..."
"You'll just have to take my word for it..."
I'm glad I don't do sales!
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Boogaloodude
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« Reply #4 on: December 15, 2009, 04:02:35 PM » |
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"Well yes, the traffic and enquiries has increased tenfold since being SEO'd, but we can't give you access to another clients stats to check..."
Don't get this bit. If you show traffic (and much more importantly - conversions) have risen since you did SEO and it's on the phrases you targeted, it's easy to prove. For my part, I haven't particulalry worried about actual SERP positions for over 18 months, it's all about conversions these days so proving they're enumber one is kinda irrelevant to me. As for the attracting clients with past results bit, that's hard with or without PS. |
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www.ImgWebDesign.co.uk - Web site design, Buxton Derbyshire "Scientists have proof but no certainty, religions have certainty but no proof"
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HHI Golf Guy
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« Reply #5 on: December 15, 2009, 09:55:55 PM » |
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Don't get this bit.
I believe he's talking about a prospective client calling and asking to see some results for previous work and that person not seeing the same results as other people. Again, I think Google's reason to implement this is to cast just a bit of doubt about SEO and sway a small percentage of people considering either SEO or PPC to choose PPC. Even if a small percentage of site owners choose PPC over SEO it will mean tens or hundreds of millions in revenue for Google. |
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hawkwind dave
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« Reply #6 on: December 15, 2009, 09:59:40 PM » |
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thats presacally what I mean HHI,
I'm not worried from a marketing/seo point of view, but from a user point of view... well I've turned the fecker off, and from a sales point of view... I'm still glad I don't do sales.
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Boogaloodude
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« Reply #7 on: December 16, 2009, 10:42:25 AM » |
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thats presacally what I mean HHI,
Oh ok, doh. Same answer then, it's not about 'I got this client position 3 on Googlefor xxx keyword", because that's meaningless, it's about "I increased this companies turnover by 4% using SEO" or "I improved their conversion rate by 23%" or their sales... etc etc. PS doesn't have any impact on stats like that. My problem is getting that info out of the client.... |
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www.ImgWebDesign.co.uk - Web site design, Buxton Derbyshire "Scientists have proof but no certainty, religions have certainty but no proof"
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Matt Inertia
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« Reply #8 on: December 16, 2009, 07:06:43 PM » |
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I dont believe personal search will make any difference to the role of SEO or cast any doubts on its usefulness. In fact I know SEO agencies that have been using the "personalised search" excuse in their sales patter for years. Now they can actually start saying that without BSing!
Personal search doesnt stop a company needing the search intelligence that only an SEO possesses.
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Seo'ers - UK SEO, Internet Marketing and Webmaster Forums
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« Reply #8 on: December 16, 2009, 07:06:43 PM » |
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hawkwind dave
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« Reply #9 on: December 17, 2009, 09:49:41 AM » |
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I've had a feeling for few years now that search results have at least been regionalised. ie, a map of businesses in Manchester has frequently popped up for various searches, which I'm pretty certain would not appear if i was searching within 60 miles of Birmingham, London or Newcastle.
About five year ago a colleague and I were sat in the same office, on two different pc's sharing the same internet connection and were baffled at how many different results we saw for the same searches.
I suspect this has been going on in some form or another for a while now.
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seomore
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« Reply #10 on: January 22, 2010, 12:34:55 AM » |
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I dont believe personal search will make any difference to the role of SEO or cast any doubts on its usefulness.
agree, in fact I think it will bring more targeted visitors to our sites |
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January 09, 2007, 02:14:25 PM
