http://andybeard.disqus.com/Internet Marketing, Lead Acquisition, Online Business Strategy and Social Media with Original Opinion and Loads of AttitudeenThu, 25 Jun 2009 03:53:35 -0000http://andybeard.eu/1456/never-underestimate-the-power-of-the-dark-side-of-search.html#comment-11716382<p>I always use Google to find what i'm looking for, but ironically, I'm getting most of my SE traffic from MSN search.</p><p>I agree with other commenters about traffic from social sites and our own bookmarks, but when I'm looking for something with buying intentions, I always use Google on my first search unless I am already pretty sure where could I find what I'm looking for.</p>dark googleThu, 25 Jun 2009 03:53:35 -0000http://andybeard.eu/1456/never-underestimate-the-power-of-the-dark-side-of-search.html#comment-10994909<p>Search was made to help people find things effectively in a more timely manner... it wasn't made to increase the money webmasters make... lol , but if we can use it for good and to our advantage at the same time then i guess that is fair.</p>One Year MillionaireTue, 09 Sep 2008 18:30:00 -0000http://andybeard.eu/1456/never-underestimate-the-power-of-the-dark-side-of-search.html#comment-12529202<p>Search was made to help people find things effectively in a more timely manner... it wasn't made to increase the money webmasters make... lol , but if we can use it for good and to our advantage at the same time then i guess that is fair.</p>One Year MillionaireTue, 09 Sep 2008 18:30:00 -0000http://andybeard.eu/1456/never-underestimate-the-power-of-the-dark-side-of-search.html#comment-12529201<p>Search engine help to find information but the search reasult not always useful.<br>I have some web site which I regular visit mainly from my book mark. Some site I visit because I read an article off line, mentioned the address which I want to read further.</p>Andy TMon, 08 Sep 2008 23:42:52 -0000http://andybeard.eu/1456/never-underestimate-the-power-of-the-dark-side-of-search.html#comment-10994908<p>Search engine help to find information but the search reasult not always useful.<br>I have some web site which I regular visit mainly from my book mark. Some site I visit because I read an article off line, mentioned the address which I want to read further.</p>Andy TMon, 08 Sep 2008 23:42:52 -0000http://andybeard.eu/1456/never-underestimate-the-power-of-the-dark-side-of-search.html#comment-12529200<p>Well, in this case I will agree with your thought here.</p><p>Instead of the search engines, the piece of words from a person to another is also a very powerful tool as well, the best thing about this method is it totally free of any charges!</p>wilsonThu, 04 Sep 2008 10:32:24 -0000http://andybeard.eu/1456/never-underestimate-the-power-of-the-dark-side-of-search.html#comment-10994907<p>Well, in this case I will agree with your thought here.</p><p>Instead of the search engines, the piece of words from a person to another is also a very powerful tool as well, the best thing about this method is it totally free of any charges!</p>wilsonThu, 04 Sep 2008 10:32:24 -0000http://andybeard.eu/1456/never-underestimate-the-power-of-the-dark-side-of-search.html#comment-12529199<p>Hi Andy,</p><p>I use Google a lot every day. Sometimes it works well and sometimes it doesen't - usually because of too much spam content. Your post makes it clear that search is just one way that a "searcher" can find your pages. There are many many other ways that a person can find your pages - the multitude of social media sites being one of them :-)</p><p>A point I'd like to make is that I think the value of search is diminising and will become less important over time. Social media is a major reason for this and I actually think that the fact that social media exists means that many people who get poor search results now know that there are alternatives and hence this provide a feed back loop to social media - which will lead to faster growth!</p><p>cheers<br>Tony</p>Tony MurphyTue, 26 Aug 2008 16:34:06 -0000http://andybeard.eu/1456/never-underestimate-the-power-of-the-dark-side-of-search.html#comment-10994906<p>Hi Andy,</p><p>I use Google a lot every day. Sometimes it works well and sometimes it doesen't - usually because of too much spam content. Your post makes it clear that search is just one way that a "searcher" can find your pages. There are many many other ways that a person can find your pages - the multitude of social media sites being one of them :-)</p><p>A point I'd like to make is that I think the value of search is diminising and will become less important over time. Social media is a major reason for this and I actually think that the fact that social media exists means that many people who get poor search results now know that there are alternatives and hence this provide a feed back loop to social media - which will lead to faster growth!</p><p>cheers<br>Tony</p>Tony MurphyTue, 26 Aug 2008 16:34:06 -0000http://andybeard.eu/1456/never-underestimate-the-power-of-the-dark-side-of-search.html#comment-12529198<p>"Traffic Funnels" that's the term that sums it all up. People need to remember that traveling on the net isn't a liner activity and ultimately we end up visiting sites by following a link here and a link there. And yes, a large part of the travel primarily consists of search. Great post</p>Custom Website DesignThu, 14 Aug 2008 13:49:12 -0000http://andybeard.eu/1456/never-underestimate-the-power-of-the-dark-side-of-search.html#comment-10994905<p>"Traffic Funnels" that's the term that sums it all up. People need to remember that traveling on the net isn't a liner activity and ultimately we end up visiting sites by following a link here and a link there. And yes, a large part of the travel primarily consists of search. Great post</p>Custom Website DesignThu, 14 Aug 2008 13:49:12 -0000http://andybeard.eu/1456/never-underestimate-the-power-of-the-dark-side-of-search.html#comment-12529197<p>The point of your argument is whether search engines are really required at all to find what we want on net ? Am I getting something wrong here ? Even though search engines occupy 40% of the traffic they surely are required as they are the starting point for many people.I am not wrong if I say many people have never heard of social media sites at all .</p>WebTrafficRoiSat, 09 Aug 2008 11:54:33 -0000http://andybeard.eu/1456/never-underestimate-the-power-of-the-dark-side-of-search.html#comment-10994904<p>The point of your argument is whether search engines are really required at all to find what we want on net ? Am I getting something wrong here ? Even though search engines occupy 40% of the traffic they surely are required as they are the starting point for many people.I am not wrong if I say many people have never heard of social media sites at all .</p>WebTrafficRoiSat, 09 Aug 2008 11:54:33 -0000http://andybeard.eu/1456/never-underestimate-the-power-of-the-dark-side-of-search.html#comment-12529196<p>After reading this I suddenly realized that all I ever do on the internet is use search engines, read through the results and then use search engines again. It is like one big circle. Granted I have a ton of bookmarks, from searching, but I always end up searching at one point or another.<br>It is hard to believe that in the beginning (1992 my first comp) I did not use the internet or equivalent.<br>Now I can not imagine life without the internet or search engines.</p>RageFuryTue, 05 Aug 2008 20:15:45 -0000http://andybeard.eu/1456/never-underestimate-the-power-of-the-dark-side-of-search.html#comment-10994903<p>After reading this I suddenly realized that all I ever do on the internet is use search engines, read through the results and then use search engines again. It is like one big circle. Granted I have a ton of bookmarks, from searching, but I always end up searching at one point or another.<br>It is hard to believe that in the beginning (1992 my first comp) I did not use the internet or equivalent.<br>Now I can not imagine life without the internet or search engines.</p>RageFuryTue, 05 Aug 2008 20:15:45 -0000http://andybeard.eu/1456/never-underestimate-the-power-of-the-dark-side-of-search.html#comment-12529195<p>Search isn't going anywhere, and in fact is getting better all the time. Google and the others' algorithms are maturing with age, and the results are getting more relevant all the time.</p><p>It pleases me that Google, Yahoo, and MSN are <b><i>aware</i></b> of the connection between the relevancy of their search results and the advertisements they run against those search results.</p><p>This situation is like a check / balance: In order for their customers to trust and rely upon the Search Engine Results Pages (SERPS), the engines HAVE to get better at what they do. In order for the <b>advertisers</b> to trust them, they have to serve relevant ads to surfer-searchers.</p><p>Nice little circle.</p><p>Despite my confidence in search, using the social networks to find relevant info has become quite habitual. I like that I can use my online friends as a filter and a funnel for useful info.</p><p>For example, my best friend Deuce is a professional computer geek. Over time I've learned that he only sends me <b>really good stuff</b>. So I can use Deuce as a filter for information that he has access to and is in a better position to determine quality.</p><p>Add to this the fact that he knows me <i>personally</i> and learns my preferences over time, and therefore becomes a more trustworthy source.</p><p>If he doesn't, I'll begin to trust his information acquisition and filtering less and less over time.</p><p>Your experience with social networks will vary, depending upon how you use those sites and how you leverage the friends you develop there. If you randomly add every joe schmoe who friends you, you really can't trust their filtering.</p><p>If, on the other hand, you only friend those you are interested in and trust, you'll get a lot of value from their recommendations.</p>Devin BestFri, 25 Jul 2008 16:38:08 -0000http://andybeard.eu/1456/never-underestimate-the-power-of-the-dark-side-of-search.html#comment-10994902<p>Search isn't going anywhere, and in fact is getting better all the time. Google and the others' algorithms are maturing with age, and the results are getting more relevant all the time.</p><p>It pleases me that Google, Yahoo, and MSN are <b><i>aware</i></b> of the connection between the relevancy of their search results and the advertisements they run against those search results.</p><p>This situation is like a check / balance: In order for their customers to trust and rely upon the Search Engine Results Pages (SERPS), the engines HAVE to get better at what they do. In order for the <b>advertisers</b> to trust them, they have to serve relevant ads to surfer-searchers.</p><p>Nice little circle.</p><p>Despite my confidence in search, using the social networks to find relevant info has become quite habitual. I like that I can use my online friends as a filter and a funnel for useful info.</p><p>For example, my best friend Deuce is a professional computer geek. Over time I've learned that he only sends me <b>really good stuff</b>. So I can use Deuce as a filter for information that he has access to and is in a better position to determine quality.</p><p>Add to this the fact that he knows me <i>personally</i> and learns my preferences over time, and therefore becomes a more trustworthy source.</p><p>If he doesn't, I'll begin to trust his information acquisition and filtering less and less over time.</p><p>Your experience with social networks will vary, depending upon how you use those sites and how you leverage the friends you develop there. If you randomly add every joe schmoe who friends you, you really can't trust their filtering.</p><p>If, on the other hand, you only friend those you are interested in and trust, you'll get a lot of value from their recommendations.</p>Devin BestFri, 25 Jul 2008 16:38:08 -0000http://andybeard.eu/1456/never-underestimate-the-power-of-the-dark-side-of-search.html#comment-12529194<p>I always use Google to find what i'm looking for, but ironically, I'm getting most of my SE traffic from MSN search.</p><p>I agree with other commenters about traffic from social sites and our own bookmarks, but when I'm looking for something with buying intentions, I always use Google on my first search unless I am already pretty sure where could I find what I'm looking for.</p>Anthony at Work-at-home-WealthSun, 06 Jul 2008 04:16:25 -0000http://andybeard.eu/1456/never-underestimate-the-power-of-the-dark-side-of-search.html#comment-10994901<p>I always use Google to find what i'm looking for, but ironically, I'm getting most of my SE traffic from MSN search.</p><p>I agree with other commenters about traffic from social sites and our own bookmarks, but when I'm looking for something with buying intentions, I always use Google on my first search unless I am already pretty sure where could I find what I'm looking for.</p>Anthony at Work-at-home-WealthSun, 06 Jul 2008 04:16:25 -0000http://andybeard.eu/1456/never-underestimate-the-power-of-the-dark-side-of-search.html#comment-12529193<p>interesting article, made me think back a bit and ponder, I remember when internet "surfing" was more a link following exercise, without using a search engine... you were expected to "surf" from one site to next based on the links you would find and the path you would follow and where you ended up could be completely different and yet entertaining in itself</p><p>remember those awful "webrings" where a bunch of sites on a similar topic would link to each other and you would randomly jump from one site to the next</p><p>wikipedia is still a little bit like that with all the interlinking amongst different pages</p>DiSun, 29 Jun 2008 03:56:21 -0000http://andybeard.eu/1456/never-underestimate-the-power-of-the-dark-side-of-search.html#comment-10994900<p>interesting article, made me think back a bit and ponder, I remember when internet "surfing" was more a link following exercise, without using a search engine... you were expected to "surf" from one site to next based on the links you would find and the path you would follow and where you ended up could be completely different and yet entertaining in itself</p><p>remember those awful "webrings" where a bunch of sites on a similar topic would link to each other and you would randomly jump from one site to the next</p><p>wikipedia is still a little bit like that with all the interlinking amongst different pages</p>DiSun, 29 Jun 2008 03:56:21 -0000http://andybeard.eu/1456/never-underestimate-the-power-of-the-dark-side-of-search.html#comment-12529192<p>I can't image how internet looks like without search engine. Search engine always my first choice to look for information.<br>Yahoo is the first search engine but seems losing out to Google in a fast pace. Yahoo should merge with Microsoft. We need 2 giants to compete and let us have the benefits instead of only one king in search engine. Anyone agrees?</p>Jimy WongSat, 21 Jun 2008 18:40:38 -0000http://andybeard.eu/1456/never-underestimate-the-power-of-the-dark-side-of-search.html#comment-10994899<p>I can't image how internet looks like without search engine. Search engine always my first choice to look for information.<br>Yahoo is the first search engine but seems losing out to Google in a fast pace. Yahoo should merge with Microsoft. We need 2 giants to compete and let us have the benefits instead of only one king in search engine. Anyone agrees?</p>Jimy WongSat, 21 Jun 2008 18:40:38 -0000http://andybeard.eu/1456/never-underestimate-the-power-of-the-dark-side-of-search.html#comment-12529191<p>I believe the search is a tool that naturally apearedto help us navigate the gigantic amount information we happened to deal with. Just like with large territories, when you need a jet to get you faster to a distant corner. You can walk the distance of thousand miles on foot, but usually don't have that much time. Same is true of the search: you could browse numerous directories looking for the information, but using a search would be faster.</p><p>We should also mind the relevance of the search to a query, or in a wider sense, quality of search. I think that's where social networks win search engines.</p>StaniumWed, 18 Jun 2008 09:02:24 -0000http://andybeard.eu/1456/never-underestimate-the-power-of-the-dark-side-of-search.html#comment-10994898<p>I believe the search is a tool that naturally apearedto help us navigate the gigantic amount information we happened to deal with. Just like with large territories, when you need a jet to get you faster to a distant corner. You can walk the distance of thousand miles on foot, but usually don't have that much time. Same is true of the search: you could browse numerous directories looking for the information, but using a search would be faster.</p><p>We should also mind the relevance of the search to a query, or in a wider sense, quality of search. I think that's where social networks win search engines.</p>StaniumWed, 18 Jun 2008 09:02:24 -0000