Andy Beard - Internet Business Systems Discussion - Latest Comments in Will Google Offer Amnesty To SocialSpark & PayPerPost Bloggers?

Re: Will Google Offer Amnesty To SocialSpark & PayPerPost Bloggers?

AndyBeard — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 18:06:57 -0000

You need to nofollow every paid link, and make sure in your disclosure policy that you state that any paid reviews have nofollow on the links.

Then file for a Google reconsideration within Webmaster tools

Re: Will Google Offer Amnesty To SocialSpark & PayPerPost Bloggers?

AndyBeard — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 18:06:57 -0000

You need to nofollow every paid link, and make sure in your disclosure policy that you state that any paid reviews have nofollow on the links.

Then file for a Google reconsideration within Webmaster tools

Re: Will Google Offer Amnesty To SocialSpark & PayPerPost Bloggers?

Beverly — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 17:59:34 -0000

Hi;

Do you know if this is still going on? I have signed up for Social Spark and Payperpost before I found out about this...
My google rank is 0. is that because I have to many affiliate ads on my page?

Thanks!

Re: Will Google Offer Amnesty To SocialSpark & PayPerPost Bloggers?

Beverly — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 17:59:34 -0000

Hi;

Do you know if this is still going on? I have signed up for Social Spark and Payperpost before I found out about this...
My google rank is 0. is that because I have to many affiliate ads on my page?

Thanks!

Re: Will Google Offer Amnesty To SocialSpark & PayPerPost Bloggers?

Bob King — Sun, 04 May 2008 14:58:38 -0000

I took a severe hit, down from pr 5 to pr 3 - it definitely affects my bottom line, but even more frustrating, it affects my apparent credibility.

And that really annoys me. You see, I come from a newspaper background, and to me, the absence of advertising strongly implies the lack of any influence. I'm nowhere near the print-media ideal of 60% - which I think excessive, frankly. But I do think of relevant, screened advertising as being an enhancement.

As for paid posts - well, frankly, I think it a lot more honest to do a paid post than it is to belong to something like "Pajamas Media." Either way, one is paid. But in order to succeed as a "postie" (for whatever service) you really do ultimately have to tell the truth.

More importantly, in order to stand out from the crowd of crap traffic producers, you have to come up with something new. For instance, when I "shilled" for LED xmas lighting, it occured to me that red led christmas lights were as good or probably better than whatever the military provided the Marines for bunker lighting, and would not strain power sources or screw with night vision.

So I suggested that Army Moms and Dads throw a string or six into a care package - and even took the extra step of looking for tiny generators that could live in a dufflebag thrown into the back of a humvee.

SEO and such makes my eyes roll, to be honest. I've never paid a whole lot of attention to it. Frankly, I realized early on that I had a choice - I could right good posts - or I could do kinda crappy posts that sucked in engines.

I'm a Blogger, Jim, not an SEO guy.

I'd just as soon that you guys did what you do, just like I do, and the engines paid attention to that, but I'd also like them to remember that most of us do not care about gaming the system, so long as the system works.

And if it stops working, we are simply going to find another system, 'because we really are not all that invested in ANY search engine. Not even Google.

Re: Will Google Offer Amnesty To SocialSpark & PayPerPost Bloggers?

Bob King — Sun, 04 May 2008 14:58:38 -0000

I took a severe hit, down from pr 5 to pr 3 - it definitely affects my bottom line, but even more frustrating, it affects my apparent credibility.

I'm a Blogger, Jim, not an SEO guy.

And if it stops working, we are simply going to find another system, 'because we really are not all that invested in ANY search engine. Not even Google.

Re: Will Google Offer Amnesty To SocialSpark & PayPerPost Bloggers?

jamie — Tue, 27 Nov 2007 12:57:50 -0000

Andy,

When will the governement start to take a bigger stand on this... When google controls 60-70% of the search world they control a lot of power.

They shouldnt be able to control what an individual site does... you would also think they would have held off this paid link stuff til after the doubleclick deal went through... so they would clearly lock up the advertisng world...

Re: Will Google Offer Amnesty To SocialSpark & PayPerPost Bloggers?

jamie — Tue, 27 Nov 2007 12:57:50 -0000

Andy,

When will the governement start to take a bigger stand on this... When google controls 60-70% of the search world they control a lot of power.

Re: Will Google Offer Amnesty To SocialSpark & PayPerPost Bloggers?

negotiation guru — Mon, 26 Nov 2007 20:45:04 -0000

Agreed Andy: "All the negotiation about a particular campaign will be 100% transparent" - this requires the SE's to pay real people to police. The SE's will likely follow only AFTER it's proven itself in the market place. Google started the PR monster, it's time they killed it.

Re: Will Google Offer Amnesty To SocialSpark & PayPerPost Bloggers?

negotiation guru — Mon, 26 Nov 2007 20:45:04 -0000

Re: Will Google Offer Amnesty To SocialSpark & PayPerPost Bloggers?

negotiation guru — Mon, 26 Nov 2007 20:43:17 -0000

Agreed Andy: "All the negotiation about a particular campaign will be 100% transparent" - this requires the SE's to pay real people to police. The SE's will likely follow only AFTER it's proven itself in the market place.
Google started the PR monster, it's time they killed it.

Re: Will Google Offer Amnesty To SocialSpark & PayPerPost Bloggers?

negotiation guru — Mon, 26 Nov 2007 20:43:17 -0000

Agreed Andy: "All the negotiation about a particular campaign will be 100% transparent" - this requires the SE's to pay real people to police. The SE's will likely follow only AFTER it's proven itself in the market place.
Google started the PR monster, it's time they killed it.

Re: Will Google Offer Amnesty To SocialSpark & PayPerPost Bloggers?

Guest — Fri, 16 Nov 2007 14:01:10 -0000

No, Google will likely not forgive. My PR dropped from a 4 (where it had been for almost 2 years), to a 2, and now to a 0.

I have removed every sponsored spot, and all links and code I can find to PPP. I want my PR back, and I realize my punishment for blogging for pay might be permanant - in which case, I'll have to start all over again with a new URL.

My opinion of Google has certainly changed, though. I'll play the game ... but I'm no longer a fan. I guess "don't be evil" is a thing of the past.

Re: Will Google Offer Amnesty To SocialSpark & PayPerPost Bloggers?

Guest — Fri, 16 Nov 2007 14:01:10 -0000

No, Google will likely not forgive. My PR dropped from a 4 (where it had been for almost 2 years), to a 2, and now to a 0.

My opinion of Google has certainly changed, though. I'll play the game ... but I'm no longer a fan. I guess "don't be evil" is a thing of the past.

Re: Will Google Offer Amnesty To SocialSpark & PayPerPost Bloggers?

Lisa — Thu, 15 Nov 2007 09:56:43 -0000

Hey Andy, you may need to write another post today about PR. A good number of people took a hit again last night. Most bloggers that I know (and some sites too) are all now sitting at 0 (myself included). Thoughts?

Re: Will Google Offer Amnesty To SocialSpark & PayPerPost Bloggers?

blm03 — Thu, 15 Nov 2007 09:56:43 -0000

Re: Will Google Offer Amnesty To SocialSpark & PayPerPost Bloggers?

Neptunebaby — Wed, 14 Nov 2007 20:52:49 -0000

I am so confused by all of this. I've learned a lot from this post, but I still don't completely understand what's happening. I recently took a hit to my PR. I was at PR4 and got knocked down to a PR2. Is that because I am doing PPP? It seems kind of crazy that people are trying to get a higher pagerank to get better opps on PPP, but are being penalized by Google for advertising through PPP. What can I do to get my PR back? Is this Social Spark going to be a "side" thing for PPP and still have PPP going or is PPP going to be taken over by SS? And what is Argus that I was reading on PPP message boards? Sorry for all the questions, but you seem to be the most knowledgeable person that I've read so far. Thanks for any info you can provide. You can email me directly if you'd like.

Neptunebaby

Re: Will Google Offer Amnesty To SocialSpark & PayPerPost Bloggers?

Neptunebaby — Wed, 14 Nov 2007 20:52:49 -0000

Neptunebaby

Re: Will Google Offer Amnesty To SocialSpark & PayPerPost Bloggers?

JMorris — Tue, 13 Nov 2007 21:24:42 -0000

What about an International Association of Webmasters Against Google? iawag.org???

Seriously though, I do think the only chance of Google changing its policies with regards to PR is through sufficient enough pressure from the webmaster community. But it will take a lot, IMHO.

Re: Will Google Offer Amnesty To SocialSpark & PayPerPost Bloggers?

JMorris — Tue, 13 Nov 2007 21:24:42 -0000

What about an International Association of Webmasters Against Google? iawag.org???

Seriously though, I do think the only chance of Google changing its policies with regards to PR is through sufficient enough pressure from the webmaster community. But it will take a lot, IMHO.

Re: Will Google Offer Amnesty To SocialSpark & PayPerPost Bloggers?

Snoskred — Tue, 13 Nov 2007 20:27:08 -0000

Well I just discovered that I have been penalized also - down to a 3 from a 4 at www.snoskred.org so let's party! ;) I'm having a competition to celebrate.

I have to agree with Michael, I'm done with Google. I no longer care what they do to me. I will survive without them if I have to. I'm going to run my blog my way, and I'm not going to let what they might do to me change that.

I really am tired of having their big foot hanging over my head. I have to try and create a blog which won't be affected if they decide to squish me with their foot. That's the challenge now.

I don't think they even care how much anger and resentment they are creating. Again, I say we have to take our power back. We gave the power to them. We can remove it.

Andy, what are the chances of holding a No-Google day - or perhaps a no google week, from December 24 ending at Midnight on December the 31st? I've heard people whispering about it for a while, let's do it and show them we're unhappy. Maybe then they'll realise they don't have the power they think they do.

Cheers,
Snoskred

Re: Will Google Offer Amnesty To SocialSpark & PayPerPost Bloggers?

Snoskred — Tue, 13 Nov 2007 20:27:08 -0000

Well I just discovered that I have been penalized also - down to a 3 from a 4 at www.snoskred.org so let's party! ;) I'm having a competition to celebrate.

I really am tired of having their big foot hanging over my head. I have to try and create a blog which won't be affected if they decide to squish me with their foot. That's the challenge now.

I don't think they even care how much anger and resentment they are creating. Again, I say we have to take our power back. We gave the power to them. We can remove it.

Cheers,
Snoskred

Re: Will Google Offer Amnesty To SocialSpark & PayPerPost Bloggers?

Sophie — Tue, 13 Nov 2007 10:33:47 -0000

Thanks Andy for the very informative articles you have written on this whole issue. I'm pretty conflicted on this - on the one hand I can see Google's point of view, and as a small-time webmaster I would like to compete on a level-playing field in the organic serps, and not get beaten just because my competitors have more cash.

On the other hand, it is the small-time webmaster who is most likely to not have a clue about pagerank and the "evilness" of buying links - most are just gonna think "Wow, easy money for a few more advertising links" and go for it. Which is fine if Google are just penalizing pagerank, but could be devastating if at some point that has an effect on the organic SERPS.

Re: Will Google Offer Amnesty To SocialSpark & PayPerPost Bloggers?

Sophie — Tue, 13 Nov 2007 10:33:47 -0000

Re: Will Google Offer Amnesty To SocialSpark & PayPerPost Bloggers?

Michael Woo — Tue, 13 Nov 2007 09:44:39 -0000

I don't think they will offer anything! Google just wants to take over the entire online advertising industry. There won't be any escape f0r any bloggers and I believe that the next PR update it would be more severe since Google has the first trial run earlier last month..

They know what to look for... they will hammer you hard..

On the other hand, PPP starts to be flexible when in comes to disclosure.. You don't need one on your post if you have sitewide.. I wonder what Google is gonna do about this? Punish sites which has a disclosure logo?