4.2. Google Basics
Simply stated, Google is the standout leader in search today. It has the most traffic and the most new trends, and it's the only search engine with its own entry in the dictionary. Once a search-only entity, Google now offers e-mail, maps, feed readers, calendar, web analytics, and webmaster tools, not to mention a diverse menu of specialty search options, including news, video, image, blog, and local. See Table 4.1 for handy Google facts for SEOs.
Google has been an all-out trendsetter in the evolution of the search space. Link popularity? Google made it hugely important. Integration of specialty search results within standard results? Thank Google. A website's age being a factor in its ranking? Blame Google. We'll go into the details throughout the book, but let's face it: The world of SEO is playing Follow the Leader, and Google's at the head of the line.
Google Analytics, the free and robust website traffic analysis tool, has been widely adopted since its launch in 2005. This was arguably the single most important development in SEO in recent years, because it gave the world's website owners the ability to easily measure conversions. This has precipitated a shift in the collective SEO mind-set to valuing conversions, not ranks, as the most important metric.
| URL | www.google.com |
|---|---|
| Percent of search traffic | 58.4% (Source: comScore, December 2007) |
| Primary results | Robot crawler |
| Organic listings also influenced by | Open Directory |
| Ways to submit your site | XML Sitemap (free, good for large or dynamic sites), or wait for the robot to find you |
| Pay-per-click services | Google AdWords |
| In five words or less | The one to beat |
| Keep an eye on | Google Webmaster Tools, Google Analytics |
The current hot topics around Google are its mission expansions: From TV to voicemail to the supermarket aisles, the big G is everywhere. Ambitious lately? Staying on top of the long, and ever-lengthening, list of services Google offers can be overwhelming for a website owner. But you don't need to, as long as you focus on the services your target audience cares about. Most people are still using Google at its most basic level, typing a phrase in the search box, and seeing what results come up.
Google's current relationship with SEOs and webmasters has its points of light along with some black holes. SEOs appreciate the monitoring and management options available through the Webmaster Tools service and outreach by corporate representatives via blogs, forums, and conferences, but many SEOs kvetch about Google becoming too powerful. One topic that really brings out the bristle is Google's announcement in 2007 that paid links (inbound links that are purchased in an attempt to improve search engine ranks) should be reported to Google, presumably so that Google can mete out negative consequences. Besides feeling that the web community shouldn't become snitches, many people consider this preferential ("Why aren't Yahoo! Directory links considered paid links?") or illogical ("Isn't there payment of some sort—labor or money or favors—involved in all web marketing efforts?").
Even as you gobble up the free tools, services, and advice from Google, remember that there's no such thing as a free lunch. Google is a for-profit company, and an incredibly powerful one at that. Google will look after Google and, in doing so, may make policy changes that can create seismic shifts in website owners' lives. It's always best to create your site for your users, not for what you think will cause Google to rank you higher this week.