Google’s New Anti-Spam Algo Causing Anger, Frustration Inside Marketing Industry

If the 130+ comments on Search Engine Land’s article are any indication, search marketers are reacting with a mix of frustration and anger toward the anti-spam algorithm change that Google announced yesterday.

Many search marketers are saying low-quality sites are continuing to do well in Google’s search rankings, and sometimes even having better visibility than before Google’s changes.

Search marketers probably won’t understand anything more after seeing a first “preview” list of winners and losers from SearchMetrics, a company whose visibility index has pretty accurately identified winners and losers from Google’s Panda algorithm changes (which is separate from the new anti-spam change announced yesterday). I was left shaking my head as I looked at the sites which are said to have better and worse visibility in Google’s search results. For example:

• MerchantCircle.com is a loser, but YellowBook.com is a winner? What’s the difference?
• MetroLyrics.com is a loser, but Lyrics007.com is a winner? (ditto previous question)
• Techdirt.com is a loser? PaidContent.org? Gothamist.com? Crackberry.com? InternetRetailer.com? Geek.com? CultOfMac.com? These are all losers?

It’s enough to leave any search marketer wondering what Google is doing in the name of fighting web spam.

Our sister site, Search Engine Land, will continue to cover this latest Google algorithm change as more data and information becomes available.

Postscript: Turns out the winners/losers list recaps more about an previously undisclosed Panda Update. We also have a follow-up story now posted looking more closely at Google’s results, Did Google’s Search Results Get Better Or Worse?