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01/08/2014 by
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Why Bloggers Barely Tolerate Google’s Backlink Policy?

How do you like Google’s backlink policy? Truth is that most bloggers barely tolerate the ever changing Google guidelines.

Why Bloggers Barely Tolerate Google's Backlink Policy? Story by pro speaker Igor Beuker.

Bloggers are passionate creatures, volunteers that will leave dinner on Christmas Eve to post a new story or scoop. Even when real journalists are enjoying their two weeks off.

Google is a media company, masqueraded as tech company. A media mogul that will unleash fierce animals (panda’s and penguins), to make more money from search advertising.

Do you feel the friction? Discover some interesting facts here.

Google’s Backlink Policy: the Shake-down

Growth and profit are Google’s main drivers. Cash cow AdWords is their ‘super striker’. Not to be confused with streaker.

Why Bloggers Barely Tolerate Google's Backlink Policy? Story by pro speaker Igor Beuker.

Bloggers spent many hours writing for no cash at all. But their ‘book of stories’ is their pride and glory. Not to be confused with ’empty inventory’.

Google keeps messing up its search results. After each shake-down, millions of sites drop (or disappear) from the ‘independent’ organic search results.

The shake-down creates a cash meltdown at brands. Because CMOs need to grab their wallets again, to pump up their AdWords campaigns.

Life’s simple, if you read between the fine lines. Each shake-down pushes Google revenues up by one billion USD or more.

The shake-down in SEO, makes the quest for SEA an ongoing bingo program, in which balls will keep dropping. Always prize for Mr. Google here at table 3.

Same amount of shadiness at Google+. Why is Google actually making G+ a mandatory pain in the ass? Where are the benefits for users? Where’s the transparency?

Why Bloggers are Old Skool and Pretty Cool?

Bloggers come from the blogosphere era. The pre social media age. We had e-mail, chatrooms online, a couple of websites, forums and blogs. That era is called blogosphere (blogs and forums) or the B-SM era (before social media).

They, have always been light-years ahead of the curve, guidelines of e.g. the IAB or laws. They created their rules of engagement for blogs together with the Word Of Mouth Association (WOMMA). Codes and ethics, not laws. Utopia actually.

Basically a lot of bloggers were very cool guys with ethics, honest opinions and a need to share their voice. But no gold hunting cowboys.

Blogging culture is open and being vulnerable. Online newspapers were scared of reader’s comments, bloggers opened up day one. “Share your feedback in the comments”.

Bloggers linked to stories on other blogs, using a link in their article or in their sources. It’s ethics. Rules of engagement. Every true blogger knows the code.

What’s wrong about bloggers being open, giving credit and respect to other bloggers they really admire? Uh Google, what’s wrong with that? Uh hello, the networked economy?!

Bloggers also don’t create fake news or tap phones to sell more newspaper copies and ads. Bloggers make no money. Okay maybe 0,005% of them makes real money with their blogs.

Linking Culture vs. One Billion Dollar Target

Now bloggers have loyal readers. Readers that are invited to share their feedback and ideas. And many readers do. They also refer to other interesting stories and facts (with links to other blogs).

Maybe Google can explain us bloggers the hassle and about it’s monopoly terror? Maybe it should explain CMOs the reason too. Be more open and transparent.

So what’s the hassle for all bloggers on this planet?

Every blog that places ‘links’ to other blogs in their stories needs to remove these links or make them ‘no-follow‘.

Otherwise the receiving blog gets punished by Google. Bye bye SEO results. Don’t be evil, ahum.

Fat Greedy Monster Google Bites the Hand…

Now the real problem for bloggers is this: they have to go through millions of stories to remove or no-follow their links. A waste of our time and against our code of ethics.

Why Bloggers Barely Tolerate Google's Backlink Policy? Story by pro speaker Igor Beuker.

And how about the loyal readers of blogs? They often place relevant links to other blogs in the comments. Why should they stop doing that? Peer discussions and interesting links are the extra benefit of blogs!

Or should the blog send all readers warning e-mails saying: “Please come back now. Undo your links in the comments. Mr. Google wants it. For quality reasons, ahum.

Or should bloggers also scroll through millions of comments to delete links? WTF. How many hours would that take for your blog?

My Opinion

More important: What would the bloggers tell their loyal readers?? Uh, well I did remove your links. But sorry, Google told me to do it. We bloggers are such sneaky bastards. We link to other blogs to….

To do what Google? What’s wrong with you? Why so angry and greedy? Why so against a great code of ethics? Because we bloggers link to great other stories from bloggers? Is that a link scheme?! Get serious, please!!

Bloggers that make no money care about quality, are honest about personal recommendations, they share and they care about respect. Not money. I just wish you cared. Or showed some respect.

WTF is your problem Google? You are punishing the culture that made the internet? Biting the hand that has fed you? Until you became this fat and greedy monster…

Please Google. Grab you panda and your penguins, stop the lousy updates or your policy upgrades. Be open. Also about forcing us into G+.

We bloggers have this loyalty problem. We can’t say “piss off” to Google. Not because we are afraid of Google. We don’t want to let the other blogger drown. We respect each other.

So to save other blogs from being penalized by Google, we do remove the links or make them no-follow.

Some of us have already started to dislike you Google. Because you are demolishing our blogging culture and more important: our code of ethics.

Or are our relevant links to other blog stories linking schemes? Is that what you are trying to tell us? When have you reached out to bloggers to explain your updates? Right, never ever.

I hope Google becomes more interactive and humble, and less greedy. I remember Alta Vista. Do you?

Welcome to the era of collaborative ecosystems, NOT egosystems.

The networked economy. Together, not led by greed. Or evil.

What about You?
Having to add something to this story? Share your ideas. But link carefully please. We don’t want to wake up the Google Zoo.

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About the Author
Igor Beuker is pro speaker, author & awakener. Valued as one of the leading independent and outspoken voices on emerging trends in marketing, media and disruptive innovations. Book Igor Beuker as keynote speaker or invite him to be the leading independent voice on your show, newspaper or magazine.

 

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