GoodKarma radio show and a clarification
Recently Vanessa Fox and I did a GoodKarma web radio show together. The MP3 is here if people want to listen to it. I’d like to clarify one thing though. At one point about 40 minutes in the show, we were talking about some web sites that had been hacked, and I mentioned we hadn’t been able to contact the webhost involved. I meant to cough and half-mention the name “iPowerWeb,” (to try to get someone to contact me) and I said “Oneupweb” instead. It was a pure brain freeze on my part, and I apologize for the confusion. Thanks to Lisa Wehr and the folks at Oneupweb, who did contact me; they gently and humorously reminded me that it’s very easy to contact Oneupweb--they even offered to respond to smoke signals.
On the bright side, we did manage to contact a couple people at iPowerWeb too, and I appreciate them responding.
By the way, if you haven’t completely gotten your GoodKarma fix, Vanessa and Danny did a funny show the week before about how Buffy the Vampire Slayer teaches good SEO; the MP3 is here. Next I’d love to hear what The Princess Bride can teach about SEO.
Multi-Worded Adam Said,
September 20, 2006 @ 9:32 pm
Don’t even get me started on iPowerWeb...they screwed over my girlfriend’s father jumbo/LARGE.
I’ll just say one thing, or this will turn into a rant: for the customers on a yearly plan and that want a pro-rated refund, make sure you have the ToS page of their site in front of you when you call. The terms of the refund are on that page, yet the CSRs attempt to deny you any refund whatsoever until you point that out.
I hate those bastards.
Matt Cutts Said,
September 20, 2006 @ 9:56 pm
Multi-Worded Adam, please keep it non-ranty..
Multi-Worded Adam Said,
September 20, 2006 @ 10:16 pm
My bad. Sorry.
It just boils the blood to see that company name.
Robzilla Said,
September 21, 2006 @ 2:40 am
Hello. My name is Robzilla. You killed my search engine rankings. Prepare to die.
Ryan Said,
September 21, 2006 @ 7:17 am
You talk about linkbaiting by attacking other people or starting hoaxes...
Sadly, I don’t see it going away.
Getting a link for SEO is the equivalent of trying to write a successful journalism column.
There’s only a few good ways to get reactions out of people:
1.) offer them something useful (like dear abby)
2.) Make them Laugh or entertian them (rick reilley, dave berry, mitch album)
3.) Piss them off (take your pick)
The same is true in the SEO world, and sadly #1 and #2 actually require creativity and skill.
Matt Cutts Said,
September 21, 2006 @ 9:03 am
Ryan, that was a meaty discussion during the radio show. The thing about #3 is that is like “crying wolf”--if a site continues to make outrageous claims or just spout nonsense, people will stop trusting that site. So if you want to build a long-term business, I think things like #1 and #2 are the best bets.
ogletree Said,
September 21, 2006 @ 10:34 am
“Piss them off” does not just mean outrageous claims or just spout nonsense. Saying the truth in a very nasty way or some claim that cannot be proved can do it. Some people make a living doing this and are very popular. Being controversial does not equal short lived.
Ryan Said,
September 21, 2006 @ 10:56 am
Agreed ogletree... that’s part of what I was saying. (just not as well) In fact we used to have a very successful multi user blog that did just that somewhere circa the year 2000.
Yeah, I’m not advocating it Matt... just saying that we’re seeing it because it’s the easiest to do and there’s plenty of targets. So easy and so many targets that overkill (like you say) is pretty much the only thing stopping it from running wild.
#1 is my favorite... as I’m sure you’ve probably seen with the sites I do (slang translator, feed button etc..) I won’t reveal my methods, but I just find terms that get decent search traffic but don’t yield any good “useful” results... then create those sites. there’s really no better form of SEO.
but #3 is easy... and other bloggers are quick to take the bait... and it works.
What’s worse than the hacking is what I’ll dub “guerilla SEO”... where somebody actually placed articles about my site that linked to his site... and eventually DDOS attacked my site every time they released a press release about theirs (including one that claimed credit for a feature I invented).
Anyway, I’m ranting now.....
PS you forgot to take the arggggh out of the spam detection.
PSS somebody actually came up to me and said “hey, are you the Ryan mentioned in that Matt Cutts video”... I found it quite amusing.
Kelly Jones Said,
September 21, 2006 @ 3:30 pm
Remember, you asked for it!
The Princess Bride & SEO
(quotes stolen from http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0093779/quotes)
(and severely modified)
Webmaster: Are you toying with me?
Matt Cutts: No! I want you to feel you’re doing well. I hate for people to die unhappy.
Whitehat: We are men of action, lies do not become us.
Matt Cutts to Blackhat: Hello. My name is Matt Cutts. You spammed my index, prepare to die.
Blackhat: Good heavens. Are you still trying to win?
Whitehat: That Matt, he can *fuss*.
Blackhat: Fuss, fuss... I think he like to scream at *us*.
Whitehat: Probably he means no *harm*.
Blackhat: He’s really very short on *charm*.
Whitehat: You have a great gift for *rhyme*.
Blackhat: Yes, yes, some of the *time*.
Matt Cutts: Enough of that.
Whitehat: are there updates *ahead*?
Blackhat: If there are, we all be *dead*.
Matt Cutts: No more rhymes now, I *mean it*.
Blackhat: Anybody want a *peanut*?
Matt Cutts: DYEEAAHHHHHH.
Matt Cutts: I donna suppose you could speed things up?
Webmaster: If you’re in such a hurry, you could ... find something useful to do.
Matt Cutts: I could do that... but I do not think you would accept my help, since I am only waiting around to kill you.
Webmaster: That does put a damper on our relationship.
Matt Cutts: You seem a decent fellow. I hate to kill you.
Whitehat: You seem a decent fellow. I hate to die.
Matt Cutts: Get used to disappointment.
Matt Cutts: I can’t compete with you physically, and you’re no match for my brains.
Webmaster: You’re that smart?
Matt Cutts: Let me put it this way. Have you ever heard of Plato, Aristotle, Socrates?
Webmaster: Yes.
Matt Cutts: Morons.
Webmaster: You mock my pain.
Matt Cutts: Life is pain... Anyone who says differently is selling something.
Webmasters: We’ll never survive.
Matt Cutts: Nonsense. You’re only saying that because no one ever has.
Blackhat: Surrender.
Matt Cutts: You mean you wish to surrender to me? Very well, I accept.
Matt Cutts: But, I promise I will not kill you until you reach the top.
Matt Cutts: Good night. Good work. Sleep well. I’ll most likely kill you in the morning.
Webmaster1: Ever since Matt Cutts penalized his site, his confidence has been shattered.
Webmaster2: Why’d you say that name? You promised me you would never say that name!
Webmaster1: What, Matt Cutts?
Webmaster2: Aahaahh!
Webmaster1: Matt Cutts! Matt Cutts! Matt Cutts!
Webmaster2: I’m not listening!
KJ
PS: Any chance Matt this humor will help me get out of the penalty box?
Matt Cutts Said,
September 21, 2006 @ 10:03 pm
Kelly Jones, I have to say that is quite impressive.
Niall O'M Said,
September 24, 2006 @ 2:54 pm
Love the Buffy SEO angle it’s great!
Did this really happen?! http://www.onlineworx.net/blog/2006/09/24/buffy-holds-the-key-to-seo/
Keep doing the videos and radio shows Matt
Todd Said,
September 25, 2006 @ 1:13 pm
>Next I’d love to hear what The Princess Bride can teach about SEO.
How to battle wits (pun sort of intended)
Westley: You’re trying to trick into giving away something. It won’t
work.
Vincini: It has worked! You’ve given everything away! I know where the
poison is!
Thought you’d also enjoy:
http://www.quizilla.com/users/highwaytokel/quizzes/%22A%20princess%20bride%20personality%20test!%22/
Todd Said,
September 25, 2006 @ 1:17 pm
One more lesson - from Wesley
Just because one has a blackhat - doesn’t mean they have a black heart:)
Marianne Sweeny Said,
September 26, 2006 @ 10:50 am
Now I’m surprised that no one has yet associated SEO and Google with the Cliffs of Despair from “The Princess Bride.” That was the first thing that came to mind for me.