The Massive Re-Algorithmic Changes of Google and Yahoo are almost to the point of Re-invention

This may alleviate Spam sites - but especially in the case of Google - overall relevancy has suffered

Perhaps - a compromise should br proposed - we will never eliminate Spam
but let us reduce it NOT at the cost of overall relevanty

When one comes accross a Spam site - just LEAVE IT

but being confronted with a bunch or borderline relevant results means more time searching

This is why i think Google has had its day and the google boys were right to sell when then did, at its peak.

The new MSN beta is bringing back results based on content which is refreshing and how search should be.

Google on the other hand has spent to much time working on the principle that links to a site with key words mean that is of higher value. This concept now means with so many sites on the net and so many directory groups that in almost all cases of a search 50% of the top 10 results in any google search will include a load of directory listings.

So i conclude that:-

FOR Google/ Yahoo
1 - Age of site
2 - Volume of Links
3 - Page Rank
4 - Content

V MSN

1 - Content
2 - Page Rank
3 - Links
4 - Age

Sorry, but even with the google changes, they need imo to concentrate on Content relevant to keywords then links. How many times do you see a site listed high in google with just shead loads of links on it and buggar all relevant content - i rest my case.

Google RIP

Well said RichTC. I'm that convinced that Google will lose a large proportion of its users that Yahoo and MSN are my first concern for SEO. I have to say it is also far more enjoyable focusing on writing content rather than building link popularity. While everyone else is focused on Google, reaching good positions is much easier as well and considering the latest usage stats the combined traffic for Yahoo, MSN, Excite etc, far out weighs Google anyway.

I've always conducte my SEO in a rather simplistic way. I never got into link exchanges, doorway paes or cloaking. I aways worked on the basis that if you have good quallity contnet on the site, then everything else will follow. With MSN's beta search, my sites are doing really rather well.

I've never been a big fan of Micro$oft. However, I'm already making MSN my primary search eninge. Google is just far too full of spam these days. Though is always was. People didn't use google cause it was the best results. They went to google cause it was supper fast and didn't have any adverts. Esp when in comparison to it's competition like Altavista, Excite and Lycos. Their pages were so cluttered with weather forcasts and personal adds that it took longer to find where the search box was on the page than it did to do the search it's self.

In a way google has become a victim of it's own success. It's full of spam cause it's the search engine that the spammers target. They target it cause it's the biggest SE. The only way out for google is to cease being the biggest SE and let the attention turn to someone else. But the shareholders wouldn't be happy with that.

Originally Posted by Rincewind

I've always conducte my SEO in a rather simplistic way. I never got into link exchanges, doorway paes or cloaking. I aways worked on the basis that if you have good quallity contnet on the site, then everything else will follow. With MSN's beta search, my sites are doing really rather well.

With Google banning sites here and there, rankings being dropped and algorithisms
constantly changing, I think this is indeed the best way to go for SEO. The little
tricks won't work anyway and in my opinion SEO for your site has to be as
"natural" as possible.

[img=http://www.google.com/logos/winter_holiday_04_o.gif]http://www.google.com/logos/winter_holiday_04_o.gif[/img]

At least the logos are getting better.

But it may be that the huge increase in their database

©2004 Google - Searching 8,058,044,651 web pages

means that their Programming or Database Administation Requirements, added to the Reverse Engineering Demands, caused a Ripple-effect.

Google only hires the best (look at the contests - they put on to find highly qualified people)

But growing and growing and growing too Fast can sometimes have a negative domino-effect when a screw gets loose.