The "rules" of the internet are changing on a daily
basis. It is difficult to keep up with all of these changes,
but any successful online entrepreneur must do his or her
very best.
The concept of the "Google Sandbox" is one of the
more recent and significant examples of this. In the last
year or so, Google has made a significant change to its algorithm
that wreaked havok on both small and large online businesses
alike. While it seems that there is some disagreement as to
just what the "Google Sandbox" is or whether or
not the "Google Sandbox" actually exists, I can
assure you that regardless of what you want to call it or
whether or not you believe in it... it absolutely does exist.
I know from experience.
For those of you who are unfamiliar with this concept known
as the "Google Sandbox", it refers to a scenario
where a brand new web site with a new domain name either gets
indexed by Google really well for a brief period time and
then immediately disappears from Google's search results entirely
for anywhere from 3 to 9 months, or such a web site doesn't
get indexed at all for the same period of time. Lots of web
entrepreneurs seem to be suffering from this apparent probationary
period. Some web sites seem to be fortunate enough to occasionally
slip through the cracks, but this seems to be the exception
to the rule.
Some "experts" seem to feel that the "Sandbox"
effect is a myth and that what many of us are actually feeling
is an "age-filter" as opposed to a "sandbox".
My response to that? In the end, the result is the same. I
personally don't care what you want to call it.
Two words for Google: Collateral damage. From what I understand,
Google is doing this out of an attempt to crackdown on spammers
and their nefarious techniques to abuse the internet. Good
for them. I don't like spammers any more than the next guy,
but Google's "Sandbox" has a nuclear effect on both
the spammers and anyone else standing near by. The problem
is that Google seems to be taking out as many legitimate web
sites and online businesses as they are spammers... if not
more. Google is supposed to be the King of the mighty search
algorithm. If that is the case, then why does Google's algorithm
feel like more of a Daisy Cutter Bomb than a Cruise Missile?
As Google does its very best to take down the spammers, they
seem to have absolutely no problem taking out good web sites,
small businesses, and hard-working entrepreneurs with them.
This is called collateral damage. The REALLY sad part about
this is that Google isn't even doing a very good job eliminating
the spammers. I find spam in almost every Google search I
conduct. Nice work, Google.
Now, what solutions stand before the legitimate online business
proprietor? None. So many out there who seem to be "in
the know" advocate one thing: patience. That's great.
So now if you are an honest hard working American and hope
to start making living online, you simply have to put up with
this new probationary period of 3 to 9 months imposed by Google.
Google, this is bad for small business, bad for the economy,
and ultimately... bad for you. There has to be a better way.
Can you not incorporate another set of variables into your
algorithm that are more specific that actually take out the
bad guys without destroying all of the good guys as well?
That has been and is to this day my biggest issue with Google
as of late. They are a bull in a China shop. They seem to
have little to no regard for the people providing the quality
information they claim they value so highly. They don't appear
to feel any kind of responsibility toward small business owners
entrepreneurs. They have to understand that the quality content
that they want on their index takes a lot of hard work on
our part. For us to want to be rewarded for this hard work
and the time we put into it should be a complete given. To
not reward us for our hard work is "biting the hand that
feeds you". I know Google doesn't see us as the "hand
that feeds" them... but we are. The sooner they realize
this the better off we will all be. If they don't figure this
out soon, Google is going to start having a very bumpy ride.
A bumpy and short ride, to be more accurate. |
