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Seeing beyond the obvious at Google
The Boston Globe ^ | 6/23/2003 | Michelle Johnson

Posted on 06/23/2003 1:19:47 PM PDT by Radix

Edited on 04/13/2004 2:10:11 AM PDT by Jim Robinson. [history]

How many times a day do you hit google.com? And what do you do once you get there? Type in a couple of keywords and hit the search button, right? Well, if that's the extent of your interaction with Google, you're missing out on some useful tools and cool features.


(Excerpt) Read more at boston.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Culture/Society; Miscellaneous; Unclassified
KEYWORDS: google; internet; search
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This is an interesting article, I learned from it.
1 posted on 06/23/2003 1:19:47 PM PDT by Radix
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To: Radix
Oodles of Googles.
2 posted on 06/23/2003 1:22:13 PM PDT by Lazamataz (PROUDLY POSTING WITHOUT READING THE ARTICLE SINCE 1999!)
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To: Radix
If you like Google, you'll love Dave's Quick Search Deskbar.*
3 posted on 06/23/2003 1:23:11 PM PDT by newgeezer (*I'm nothing more than a satisfied customer.)
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To: Radix
bttt
4 posted on 06/23/2003 1:24:33 PM PDT by Ff--150 (100-Fold Return)
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To: All
Google is evil I tell you pure evil!!!!!!!!


///sniff...
5 posted on 06/23/2003 1:25:19 PM PDT by The Magical Mischief Tour
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To: Radix
Well, whoda thunk it? The Boston Globe finally printed something useful.
6 posted on 06/23/2003 1:25:38 PM PDT by Maceman
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To: Maceman
m
7 posted on 06/23/2003 1:26:06 PM PDT by Nick Thimmesch
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To: Lazamataz
great tag line
8 posted on 06/23/2003 1:27:49 PM PDT by stainlessbanner
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To: Nick Thimmesch
m

m?

9 posted on 06/23/2003 1:30:20 PM PDT by Maceman
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To: Radix
read later
10 posted on 06/23/2003 1:37:03 PM PDT by LiteKeeper
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To: Radix
It IS interesting. But I still disagree with the premise under which Gargle operates - that the most relevant page to your search terms is THE MOST POPULAR - i.e., the page with the most links to it. To my mind, that has absolutely NO bearing on its relevance.

This has actually done great harm to my business, which I spent a great deal of time optimizing so it would show up at the top of all of the major search engines. This is because I made it highly relevant to people searching for equipment I sell in the telephone industry.

And then Gargle tweaked its algorithm to increase the weighting for popularity. And my traffic has plummetted. With Google, you have to be the most popular, with tons of other places linking to you - which is hard in the business end of things, since everyone in my field is a COMPETITOR who is about as likely to link to me as X-42(i) is to emulate Helen Keller.

Of course, Google perhaps had a profit motive in mind - you can still BUY your way to the top with Google AdWords, but the days of getting there on your own relevant merits are over.

Michael

11 posted on 06/23/2003 1:37:19 PM PDT by Wright is right! (Have a profitable day!)
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To: Radix
Thanks. I love useful articles like this.
12 posted on 06/23/2003 1:40:03 PM PDT by baseballmom
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To: Radix
Bump. I had no idea about that phone number trick.
13 posted on 06/23/2003 1:40:52 PM PDT by dead
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To: Wright is right!
this won't make you feel better, but you (and anyone interested in the science behind google) might be interested in:

The Anatomy of a Large-Scale Hypertextual Web Search Engine, by Sergey Brin and Lawrence Page at:

http://www7.scu.edu.au/programme/fullpapers/1921/com1921.htm

14 posted on 06/23/2003 1:43:30 PM PDT by radiohead
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To: Wright is right!
"And then Gargle tweaked its algorithm to increase the weighting for popularity. And my traffic has plummetted. With Google, you have to be the most popular, with tons of other places linking to you - which is hard in the business end of things, since everyone in my field is a COMPETITOR who is about as likely to link to me as X-42(i) is to emulate Helen Keller."

In my field, too, but....I maintain a very large link list to my competitors' sites, and get reciprocation from them, as well. Competition doesn't scare me. I offer excellent merchandise at highly-competitive prices. That, plus fast, efficient order-filling, and I get to keep my customers and attract new ones.

The result? My site is number 2 on three different Google keyword searches that are the most appropriate for the site. Number 3 on Yahoo's new search engine. I don't care if folks visit my competitors' sites. They'll be back.
15 posted on 06/23/2003 1:44:09 PM PDT by MineralMan (godless atheist)
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To: Radix
...thanks!
16 posted on 06/23/2003 1:46:05 PM PDT by Van Jenerette (Our Republic...If We Can Keep It!)
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To: newgeezer
Internet Explorer is a VIRUS!!!
17 posted on 06/23/2003 1:49:25 PM PDT by Mike Darancette (Soddom has left the bunker.)
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To: Ff--150
I typed "Ff--150" in Google Search to find out where the heck you've been, but all I got was information on Ford Trucks!

~Kidding~ ;^)

How have you been? I've missed our daily fellowships with WhatNot, but we're still God's best! Hope all is well . . .

<><

18 posted on 06/23/2003 1:52:43 PM PDT by w_over_w (Even if you were drenched in rain, your looks would never cause me pain.)
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To: Radix
Did you learn why google.com no longer indexes FreeRepublic? Something happened - either at google or FreeRepublic - during the first week of February, 2002.

Before that date, a search for "Jim Robinson site:www.freerepublic.com would return tens of thousands of hits. After that date, the same search would return only hundreds.

My pet theory was that it was due the WP/LAT lawsuit, but I really don't know.

19 posted on 06/23/2003 1:53:35 PM PDT by snopercod
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To: Mike Darancette
Internet Explorer is a VIRUS!!!

Please explain.

(Netscape is owned by AO(-hel)L, and I've yet to be convinced to pay for a second- or third-rate browser.)

20 posted on 06/23/2003 1:53:50 PM PDT by newgeezer (*I'm nothing more than a satisfied customer.)
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