What is becoming of Google?

In recent weeks, Google policies have begun taking on different characteristics.  While these characteristics are still in keeping with their stated terms of use, they are coming across as uncaring and condescending to the very people that keep them in such a powerful role. Google has powered itself into a leading position with it’s free applications, strong search engine, and history of good service.

• While no one ever really knew how to work the algorithm completely, there was enough information released so that those willing to work would have a reward.
• The free applications and universal documents offered by Google made it an easy choice when considering where to go for free, work related utilities.
• Up until recently, their service was understandable, good intentioned, and at least reachable through the chat board.

The days of the last bullet appear to be gone completely. Below I’ll share with you why I see the end coming for a company that has based it’s business model around online advertising.

I recently had a client working on his own to place ads on Google AdWords. He had made the mistake of using a GoDaddy-Website Tonight build to begin this campaign.  Google rejected this initial build because of the “landing page requirement”… as they should have.  The Website builders offered by hosting companies are usually based only in the visual and don’t have the required portions needed for proper keyword relevance.

Where he messed up was trying to fix this.  He thought it was a mistake on his part(other than using Godaddy) and continued to try to make the account work.  At no point would customer service contact him, so he did the unthinkable… He created another account… and another… and another…

Those of you familiar with Google AdWord policies are now either laughing or empathetic and scratching your heads.  This is a major violation to the AdWords policy.  The problem is that for a novice, this wouldn’t be known or considered.  “Google’s getting money, all’s good, right?”

I’ve since rebuilt his website for American Crawlspaces Corp. And made multiple attempts on his behalf to contact Google.  There’s been no reply.  The Chat option for AdWords has disappeared in the last week.(Had nothing to do with him, but just proves what’s going on lately).

I’m not sure if Google is low on employees because of the down economy, or if there is some greater reason that they’ve virtually cut off their customers; either way, the implications are dire for a customer.  Customer care and understanding is prime to any business format and setting.  This client was likely to spend over $5000.00 every month for basic ad space and would have continued service with Google for an extended period of time.

The loss of revenue from this one client is obviously not going to break Google, but think of its implications on a larger and more broad spectrum.  As businesses are tossed by Google, one by one, the search engine will become known as a decision maker for which businesses succeed and which ones fail.  This is an enormous amount of power, that if handled irresponsibly, can lead to a lot of buyers remorse.  The forums at Google are already flooded by people making attempts to register this complaint to the search engine giant.  Here is just one example.  People are trying to become compliant with the requirements of the Terms of Service, but with no response or assistance available from the support members.  Even the forums are maintained by volunteers who are good enough to share their experience with the public.  Barely ever do you encounter an actual Google member within the thread who is willing to impart some form of assistance(this thread was an exception to the rule).

Because of the recent disruptions and continuing lack of support, I’m now referring my clients to purchase ads only through Bing and Yahoo.  While some of you may think this absurd, there is a method to my madness.  Bing and Yahoo combine to have the same reach as Google, they both have less expensive ad space and they have customer support.  While it may seem trivial, client support is needed for a full and strong working relationship between advertiser and ad service.

It can only be hoped that Google will see where they are causing serious harm to small businesses and where they are thinning the heard at the worst of times.  With businesses struggling as much as they are now, it places an added pressure that the strongest search engine refuses to offer support to the virgining businesses that may not know how to play by the rules.  At this moment, they could have more of an impact on an economic recovery than Congress or the President could even hope for.  With more competing business able to produce work driven employment, a recovery could actually be spurred by Google.  The jury is out at this time on what fate will be held in the search engine wars, but for now, it would seem that Google is willing to give up this market share to Yahoo and Bing.   Added support would ensure for the truly “democratic” title that Google continues to propagate, and ensure that it remains the top search engine.

UPDATE!!!

After a lot of searching.  I found a chat link that is active for the Google Adwords team.

Go here.  It worked today 2-24-2010

This was the most needed link, and I didn’t find it on Google’s site, but at least it was found.

Recently, there was a disagreement in practice of how to properly utilize Google Maps for Local Business.   This disagreement stemmed from an unfortunate practice that is making the service less and less reliable.  For some time now, businesses in general have been leaving their own string of positive statements on the optional commenting spaces.  This is problematic in quite a few ways,and can lead to a negative response from those in web design, SEO, and the general public.

While looking through the site index of our business listing, I came across several negative remarks that were coming from a group of people who were also commenting positively about a similar business within the local area.  As a web designer, I always make it a point to not speak negatively of our competitors, and in most cases, I’ll not comments at all on their business unless they are the very best in the field.

After reading a few of the comments, it was apparent that they were coming from someone associated with the business and from the same individual.  This persons business had roughly 20 “positive” comments about their business, but had not made the effort to ensure that they weren’t noticeably written by the same individual.  Inevitably, another web designer began making fun of the scenario.

This is where the self serving positive comment become a nightmare for multiple businesses.  For reasons unknown, this business owner began raging against his competitors, Naper Design included.  Since we focus on both Web Design and SEO, he assumed that all of the joking statements must be coming from our team.  Admittedly, we did have a few clients who were less than kind with their responses to his form of deception, but he only took this to mean that we were involved.  His response was to post this laundry list of negative statements about our company to the point that he’d committed slander and defamation of character.

The situation was resolved with the assurance of our strong legal teams ability to sue him,  and the comments were removed within just a few minutes(proving they had been written all by him).  He still maintains a large list of fake comments on his page, and assuredly, others will likely continue to make light of the shady business practice.

I referred to it as “shady business practice”.

I did son because that’s exactly what it is.  When afforded the chance to have clients give feedback, both positive and negative, some businesses will immediately begin writing comment after comment about their own business to appear more user friendly.  While this is not one of the more hanus actions a business can commit,  it is one of deception and can be easily dtected by those reading the responses. If the comments are written in the same style and manner, if they are written in a way that shows the same character, and if they are in the same vernacular, it becomes obvious to the reader that they have been forged by one single individual.

While this situation has been resolved, multiple businesses have sustained damage to their credibility and are working hard to repair the damages made by these actions.  As a web designer, credibility is something that has to be earned, not self stamped within a comment field.  If found to be untrue or being decptive in ones actions, a web design company can lose all of its business and clients from just such an action.

I don’t wish for this competing business to go under and hope for their recuperation after these recent events, but I do hope that they learn to not make such blatant attempts at manipulating the system.  The web design community may be competitive, but that doesn’t prevent us from being both civil and cooperative.

Feeling lost in the crowd?

Are you getting ripped off by your SEO and SEM Provider?

Have you found yourself paying an exorbitant amount for SEO only to find that the company you’ve hired to handle your optimization is working for your competition as well? Has this left you feeling lost in the crowd of your fellow competitors?

If you’ve never considered this, you should.  Many SEO and SEM groups will cater to a specific market without regard to their actual clients.   From even the most basic perspective, this is counterproductive.  If you are trying to get higher in the ranks than your opponent(and they trying to get higher than you), ho wins with you both competing at the same optimization vendor?…

That’s Right! The vendor wins twice! With both of you paying for his services, the effective outcome is for both clients to dole out more money and resources than needed and have a virtual stalemate as a result.  Unfortunately, this is one of the main reasons people are left with a bitter taste in their mouths about SEO.

I’m writing this post today in response to a SPAM comment left on our site.  It read “why not handle your own SEO before telling others about it?’.   I did some further research of the IP and found that it was written by an individual upset with the progress we’ve made with one of his former clients page rank.  I can understand that there may be some frustration with a competing group giving better results to his former client, but I don’t think he understands why.

At Naper Design, we have chosen to only handle One Customer, Per Industry, Per Location. We have only one Dentist in Naperville that we impart SEO for, There is only on Interior Designer in the Naperville area that we are employed by.  Yes, this does limit our clientele, but the reward is worth it.  Not only are we relieved of the burden of apposing clients, our portfolio shows a dedicated practice to a satisfied client.

Like all sales, marketing, and business, everything comes down to a simple questions:

• Will I provide the best quality service to a long term and valued client, or will I grab a mass of clients I don’t care about and give them sub-par results?

When we began Naper Design, it started as a community oriented and group development project.  We never knew we were going to make a company out of an organization of people who enjoy working with others.  Now that we find ourselves competing with organizations in a higher level, we may decide to perch at the level we have obtained.  While that limits our ability at growth, we don’t have to become the scoundrels that pit client against client for a financial windfall.

We cannot emphasize enough the need to ensure that your SEO group have your best interest at heart.  If you find that you are only paying to the same group as your competition, one of you might wish to move to a different vendor.  Otherwise, both of you are likely to lose.

Now that this rambling is complete, I’m quite anxious to see the angered SPAM from my own competitors.  I may actually let their post through this time.

Feeling lost in the crowd?

Are you getting ripped off by your SEO and SEM Provider?

Have you found yourself paying an exorbitant amount for SEO only to find that the company you’ve hired to handle your optimization is working for your competition as well? Has this left you feeling lost in the crowd of your fellow competitors?

If you’ve never considered this, you should.  Many SEO and SEM groups will cater to a specific market without regard to their actual clients.   From even the most basic perspective, this is counterproductive.  If you are trying to get higher in the ranks than your opponent(and they trying to get higher than you), ho wins with you both competing at the same optimization vendor?…

That’s Right! The vendor wins twice! With both of you paying for his services, the effective outcome is for both clients to dole out more money and resources than needed and have a virtual stalemate as a result.  Unfortunately, this is one of the main reasons people are left with a bitter taste in their mouths about SEO.

I’m writing this post today in response to a SPAM comment left on our site.  It read “why not handle your own SEO before telling others about it?’.   I did some further research of the IP and found that it was written by an individual upset with the progress we’ve made with one of his former clients page rank.  I can understand that there may be some frustration with a competing group giving better results to his former client, but I don’t think he understands why.

At Naper Design, we have chosen to only handle One Customer, Per Industry, Per Location. We have only one Dentist in Naperville that we impart SEO for, There is only on Interior Designer in the Naperville area that we are employed by.  Yes, this does limit our clientele, but the reward is worth it.  Not only are we relieved of the burden of apposing clients, our portfolio shows a dedicated practice to a satisfied client.

Like all sales, marketing, and business, everything comes down to a simple questions:

• Will I provide the best quality service to a long term and valued client, or will I grab a mass of clients I don’t care about and give them sub-par results?

When we began Naper Design, it started as a community oriented and group development project.  We never knew we were going to make a company out of an organization of people who enjoy working with others.  Now that we find ourselves competing with organizations in a higher level, we may decide to perch at the level we have obtained.  While that limits our ability at growth, we don’t have to become the scoundrels that pit client against client for a financial windfall.

We cannot emphasize enough the need to ensure that your SEO group have your best interest at heart.  If you find that you are only paying to the same group as your competition, one of you might wish to move to a different vendor.  Otherwise, both of you are likely to lose.

Now that this rambling is complete, I’m quite anxious to see the angered SPAM from my own competitors.  I may actually let their post through this time.