Oct
3
Matt Cutts has done another of his fun blog posts, this time a review of a new breed of SEO software being offered, supposed to be used to game Google and get around the so-called “Sandbox”
Leaving aside the question of what exactly an “SEO Network Engineer” does, the quote confuses the difference between links (the basis of Google’s PageRank) and clicks (which are, um, not). The rest of the RankAttack site also acts as if clicks were links.
Sure, of coursce clicks aren’t links, but maybe it’s possible that this idea didn’t just blow in out of thin air. Maybe the perp got the idea from a 2002 patent that was issued to Google
Methods and apparatus for employing usage statistics in document retrieval
Posted about at WebmasterWorld a few months ago
Google Patent: Using Usage Statistics in Search
Couple of obvious points:
– Just because things are posted about at SEO forums doesn’t mean they work
– Just because patents are granted doesn’t mean the “things” in the patent are being used
It’s kid of scary to think that some people might come across things that have been written about - even patents issued and published, or posts about them sometimes - and then try to capitalize on them by creating services or software to exploit the possibilities suggested, whether or not there’s any basis in fact for their efficacy.
Do I think usage statistics about traffic can affect rankings? Not that anyone cares what I think but mmm.hmmmm, yes, I do believe it’s entirely possible, though not empirically proven. But I don’t think it’s anything that can be faked, nor do I believe that there’s any “system” or program that can even get close to faking it. If it were possible to fake it, it would be done by seriously capable black hats (we know who they are, don’t we?) who would keep it TO themselves and and AMONG themselves, and certainly would not sell it for under a hundred bucks.
I get kind of tired of what’s put out there to take advantage of newbies and trusting souls who haven’t yet learned what a bunch of sharks there really are in this business.