Ok, a departure from my normal blog posts. Google has developed a monster with the SEO machine. If you run a small site, and your subject/product/service is a low key item then you may stand a chance of ranking on Google at some point, but if you are in a bigger industry, the competition to rank for your key terms will be cut throat.
Now Google, apparently frown on obvious link purchasing, and will penalise sites that do just that, yet the money that is being invested by businesses through SEO agencies to go out and buy ‘discrete’ links to look like they have been built naturally, is huge. In fact, it is fair to say, that unless you have fairly bottomless pockets, to not only build your ranking position, but maintain it when you get there, then you will never feature, and this is alos likely to be on the long tail terms also.
Frankly it’s a monster, and a farce. All that Google spout about impartiality and good ethical backlinks showing a site’s true worth, is a complete falsehood.
Most users are getting to grips with the fact that the search page shows bought placement and apparently FREE placement. Well, be warned, the top ranking sites in the FREE section have been bought also. It’s a moneypit, and a vast majority of big businesses have fallen for it and will continue to pay vast sums for ever more!! Maybe one day they will wake up – or will they be so scared their competitors will continue to spend they must continue too? Is this chicken or egg?
Hey, I’m lucky, my keywords are not that big, so I get to page one completely free of charge. I’d hate to be running a car insurance or mobile phone business!!
(UPDATE) – Interesting how all my posts get ranked immediately on Google as a latest feed, but for this subject, being negative, no where in sight! Is that really a surprise as it is a criticism of Google?
