How Ranking #1 In Google Can Make You Look Stupid
TheSpot-er on February 7th, 2008This post is kind of “ANTI-SEO” and perhaps the most important aspect of it is that we, as bloggers shouldn’t rely solely on Search Engine Optimization. Doesn’t mean we should totally ignore it and in fact I think SEO is an extremely important and must be done but it shouldn’t be a single point of failure as Google very easily Can Make You Look Stupid!
And I want to use myself as an example and provide you with an idea of what a simple algorithm re-calculation can do to your marketing efforts…
Now that I finished with general statements let me dive into the subject at hand…
About a week ago I have posted an article on this blog “SEO CodeBreaker - Another Hyped Product?“, which had a dual purpose:
- First is more obvious - an Affiliate Promotion for SEO CodeBreaker product, which I personally thought provided a solid training to anyone not too involved with Search Engine Optimization and..
- Second was a test - how well can I actually rank in Google after doing some basic “onpage” SEO for the article.
Obviously I was hoping to gain benefits from both but also use the process to be able to prove importance of Search Engine Optimization for blogs.
And results came in without much wait - 5 Minutes after publishing my Article I manage to grab Spot #5 in Google search results for seo codebreaker keywords. See image below and click it to enlarge for full details (opens in new window):
Now, I have to admit that this type of results I see quite often with my posts properly “onpage” optimized for specific keyphrase, so it didn’t come as big surprise and I wasn’t planning to boast about it.
Generally I manage to remain in this position for a couple, three days and then drop lower in search results position due to a simple fact that I only do a small part of SEO as it relates to that specific article and while I manage to grab quite a few hits from that position - I expect it to drop lower and don’t stress about it.
3 days later Google did a recalculation and to my surprise, instead of dropping in position for the keywords that quickly became very competitive due to all the promotion I actually claimed 2 positions higher and took Spot #3 in Google Search Results for seo codebreaker. At this point I was ready to celebrate as I assumed that higher position simply meant that my blog overall SEO strategy boosted importance of my post in Google eyes and I’ll manage to hold that position for a while.
Using above results I have created a video designed for my subscribers and customers only (and still is) where I pointed out a few things and made my recommendations of the product as well as what to expect from it. Obviously I have used Google search results as Proof of how it CAN work and HOW I personally manage to “dominate Google” (yeah, if you are on my list you remember the subject 
) . A bold claim but I felt I had a good justification behind it as results were in…
I have placed email into the queue for sending to my list and as I have done so, I checked Google results. Well, ONLY 3 HOURS after the video was created - my blog post was NOWHERE to be found!
This is How Google Made Me Look Stupid!
And to add insult to injury Google once again recalculated the positions and as of few hours ago from the time I write this post I hold Spot #1 in Google for seo codebreaker. See the screenshot with proof below:
I don’t claim to be a SEO expert and never did. I do manage to implement my personal knowledge and generally achieve results I’m hoping for but I’m far from understanding all aspects of How Google works or Why they do things the way they do. Their games with Page Rank and rankings can make your head spin.
I find it rather upsetting that exactly during the time I was trying to make a recommendation of the product that I believe provides a training my customers could benefit from they took the ground from under my feet.
Lesson learned and one that simply stresses even higher importance of social interaction to get more traffic to the blog and not rely solely on Search Engine Optimization. You never know what Google will do and having a secondary plan, such as Social Networks is of highest importance. In fact social marketing should be huge part of your overall marketing strategy but be aware that it comes with its own set of metrics as described by Jack Humphrey.
That doesn’t mean I say ignore SEO, it obviously works and Google responsible for close to 40% of the traffic this blog gets on daily bases. And I still recommend SEO CodeBreaker to anyone who needs a step-by-step guidance provided in form of video tutorials.
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When you founf that you are number 1 for “seo codebreaker”, have you already published this article?
Alice,
This article was written yesterday. That is when I learned (by accident) that Google decided to “re-evaluate” my position in results
Its no big deal really, I just think its funny how it worked out this time - a test gone wrong
Iis really funny. You are ranked now higher than seo codebreaker themself
Offtop: I have registered at mybloglog but still I need to put in my name when commenting manually every time. What should I do to fix it?
This one is really no surprise …. My blog is older then his and he made a decision to use blogger. Sorry, I don’t believe that when done one for one optimization blogger is capable of beating WordPress.
Kind of surprising they made decision to use that platform…
Alice,
The comments form I use requires name and email every time, unless you are registered user on my blog
then you don’t have to. Make sure that email you use is same as one in your MBL and you will get your avatar displayed.
Alex
Hm, but I am a registered user of your blog
Edit your profile and specify email that is same as MBL email and provide your site URL in profile. Try commenting without inputing all the info - should work like a charm
Alex
It’s sad and funny at the same time. But it sounds about right. Leave it to Google to mess with your mind like that. Trying to figure them out will drive us all mad.
Jason A Clark’s last blog post..The Ant & The Grasshopper - With Updated Version
Thank Jason
Yeah, one service you can’t count on is Google. Never know what they will do to you. I actually thought this was quite funny even though it has possibly impacted how my recommendation was accepted by my customers - it taught me a lesson, which in itself was well worth the effort. Perhaps I should have made the post title: “How Ranking #1 In Google Can Make You Look Stupid”
That would have been a great title!
Jason A Clark’s last blog post..The Ant & The Grasshopper - With Updated Version
Hi Alex, I too have experienced similar results with SEO rankings on one of my sites. At one point, I had it ranking at position 6, an hour later it wasn’t ranking at all and within the next hour it was ranking at position 3. I thought I was going crazy!
Charly,
Actually this is very common. It takes a while for Google to stabilize the rankings and I should have known better. I just thought the story was funny and well worth the sharing
If we don’t make fun about our own mistakes - life would be too boring 
Alex
I like this story, reminds me of my own frailty and not to get cocky about “winning” a good SE position….
It comes with some skill, some luck, and lots of application
On a more practical note, having the #2 or 3 spot can sometimes be better than the #1. Many people’s eyes (I think this number is steadily increasing), including mine, automatically drift to the #2 & 3 spot as soon as the results show up. I used to look at the #1 spot first, but now I tend to look at it 3rd.