FSP 1.1

Google baiting

NEW ECONOMY :Sites Become Dependent on Google
[...]

Sergey Brin, one of Google's founders and its president of technology, acknowledged that Google's large market share can leave Web site owners vulnerable to fluctuations in traffic. But he was unapologetic about Google's success and its emphasis on keeping users happy, even at the expense of Webmasters. "The only reason people come to Google is because it works for them," he said.

Sometimes a site's ranking plunges drastically or disappears from Google altogether. Often this means that Google detected some evidence that the site's owner was using deceptive tactics, like building a network of linked sites to create the illusion of popularity and thereby receive a higher ranking.

But site owners say Google can sometimes be overzealous in its fight against manipulation, and some say they live in fear that a small mistake or a technical glitch will get them booted from the search results and wipe out their income. Ms. Le Tendre, the yacht broker, for example, said she was building separate sites for two new branches of her business, just in case.

[...]

The free ride may not last, however. Ms. Johnson of Forrester says larger companies have been discovering the power of search engines and site optimization. As was the case on eBay when big retailers moved in, search listings are becoming less democratic. "It's going to be more and more difficult for small sellers to get noticed," she said. "The free listings lunch may be ending soon."

DAVID F. GALLAGHER

Posted by dc at December 10, 2002 06:54 PM | TrackBack