What is ‘Authority’ with respect to SEO?

The answer may surprise you!

Here’s what most SEOs can say with utmost confidence; we know that the concept of ‘authority’ is an important one to rankings and traffic from organic search.

Its comical though, perhaps even sad. Over time, “Authority” has come to mean something completely different to Google, than it does to SEOs. This is no one’s fault … just a condition created by imperfect information, and the need to suffice.

The Engines’ Definition of Authority:
To Google, Yahoo, MSN, Ask, et al, links are the consequence of being an authority, they do not make you an authority.

…and now here it is for everyone to see!

Leading digital world measuring company, comScore, Inc. released a report today announcing the major trends in U.S. Internet activity last year.  A great article on CNNMoney.com actually goes into some really good detail on who the top-gaining properties were for the year as well as site categories, and core search market growth.

Google a été très, très occupé ces derniers temps faisant de la dévaluation de classement de page, pénalisant ceux qui vendent et paient les liens et ceux qui font PayPerPost. Je pense que dans une tentative de justification de leurs actions, nous pouvons tous spéculer que Google agit dans son meilleur intérêt…and dans son droit aussi. Ceci dit, l’hostilité ressentie à l’égard de Google semble rampante et grandissante.

Alors, qui a raison, et pourquoi est-ce que Google a choisi le chemin qu’il semble suivre en ce moment?

Last week Google opened iGoogle’s themes up to be customized by … you.

They’re prepared a themes directory for you.

Creative coders have since already released two easy to use iGoogle theme editors  - for you.

Google has assigned a 50×100 pixels attribution area in the top right corner of the footer of a custom theme for you to brand yourself or your client.

There’re 19 themes so far — all made by Google.

What are you waiting for?

Google will stumble in 2006

"…what goes up must come down–especially in technology, the most volatile industry the world has ever seen. Yes, I love Google, but my first prediction is that a year from now we won’t think that the search company is the invincible behemoth that we do now."

David Kirkpatrick (Senior Editor at Fortune), Dec. 2005

Google to develop iTunes competitor

"We believe that Google is in the midst of creating its own iTunes competitor, which we’ve dubbed ‘Google Tunes’," the analyst wrote in a client note issued today. "We think this is a logical step, now that the nascent Google Video product has been introduced."

The Scenario:

What will ultimately replace search engines?

This is a question I am asked frequently, and therefore have given considerable thought to. Ultimately, whatever it is, it has to compensate for the weaknesses of search though right? So, what are the weaknesses of search relative to the ideal search solution (he says knowing that we’ll never stop searching for things we need, so search itself will never die, only transform into something more efficient)?

Look, we all feel the change, right?

Google isn’t Google anymore. Something has shifted from hip and happening to stale, dull and corporate.

Larry and Sergey’s brand is increasingly performing a "one of us" act that’s harder to pull off than members of the Blue Collar Comedy Tour pretending to be as poor as you and I are.

I Can’t Be Wrong

If you think I’m just dumping on a company for no apparent reason — think again.

The "umph" is gone, the "wow!" is out of the door now that the big bucks are streaming in.

It was just my birthday, so I get to make a wish. And I’m going to…

I’m going to make a wish for Google, a wish for Yahoo and a wish for MSN/Live/Sympatico.

My wish for Google for 2008.

My biggest wish for Google for 2008 is a “negative” geotargeting capability. As odd as that may sound, in my 2007 travels I came across a need/desire for it more than once. To wit: I want all of Ontario EXCEPT Toronto… ergo, negative option Toronto for me. In the Google world, I can set an all Ontario Campaign and a Toronto campaign. Wouldn’t it simply be easier to do the reverse?

Greed is good but a little common sense is even better.

While cyber Monday and online holiday shopping have every marketing manager wringing hands in anticipation, too often, I find one of the biggest mistakes a marketing department or company can make happens at this time of year.

Changing campaigns or web sites.

December is absolutely, positively the worst time of year to do this and for so many different reasons.

Why risk your business?

Hmmmm…..Sometimes you find things when you least expect it. Like when you happen to be in a meeting, doing a sample search and find yourself standing bolt upright, pointing and exclaiming, “OHMYGOD WHAT’S THAT?!?!” noting, “hmmm, that’s interesting”, as I found myself doing this morning.

Google has gone a step beyond maps to introduce addresses directly into Adwords ads and apparently is running a small test sample.

Do I like it? I’m not convinced.

Is it functional? Perhaps a little.