Comments on: Google QuickSand: US bias and other fun findings while drowning in sand http://www.patrickgavin.com/2009/01/30/google-quicksand-us-bias-and-other-fun-findings-while-drowning-in-sand/ Search Engine Optimization Blog Sat, 10 Apr 2010 23:05:23 -0400 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: April Sandbox Update! http://www.patrickgavin.com/2009/01/30/google-quicksand-us-bias-and-other-fun-findings-while-drowning-in-sand/comment-page-1/#comment-3714 April Sandbox Update! Sun, 19 Apr 2009 19:22:31 +0000 http://www.patrickgavin.com/?p=69#comment-3714 [...] recently wrote about the continued existence of a Google sandbox and I was comparing notes to Rand’s recent article and found this point interesting: You [...] [...] recently wrote about the continued existence of a Google sandbox and I was comparing notes to Rand’s recent article and found this point interesting: You [...]

]]> By: Max Smith http://www.patrickgavin.com/2009/01/30/google-quicksand-us-bias-and-other-fun-findings-while-drowning-in-sand/comment-page-1/#comment-3692 Max Smith Mon, 06 Apr 2009 18:12:43 +0000 http://www.patrickgavin.com/?p=69#comment-3692 Google and other search engines put a lot of importance on online media reports. If a website was featured in CNN.com, WSJ.com or other major online publications, it will rank much higher than the sites which have hundreds of link-farm-generated links. Does anybody know of a good list of PR firms specializing in online publicity? Publicity Guaranteed (PublicityGuaranteed.com) looks like an attractive option, as they only charge for the results, without any retainers or hourly rates; however they don’t do online-only publicity. AllPublicits.com seems to be the most comprehensive database of publicists and I posted there my RFP for publicists to bid on, but all resulting bids included traditional media. If I had a larger budget, I wouldn’t mind good coverage in traditional media, but I only seek publicity for my SEO campaign, so I need online publicity only. Google and other search engines put a lot of importance on online media reports. If a website was featured in CNN.com, WSJ.com or other major online publications, it will rank much higher than the sites which have hundreds of link-farm-generated links. Does anybody know of a good list of PR firms specializing in online publicity? Publicity Guaranteed (PublicityGuaranteed.com) looks like an attractive option, as they only charge for the results, without any retainers or hourly rates; however they don’t do online-only publicity. AllPublicits.com seems to be the most comprehensive database of publicists and I posted there my RFP for publicists to bid on, but all resulting bids included traditional media. If I had a larger budget, I wouldn’t mind good coverage in traditional media, but I only seek publicity for my SEO campaign, so I need online publicity only.

]]> By: Dax Turner http://www.patrickgavin.com/2009/01/30/google-quicksand-us-bias-and-other-fun-findings-while-drowning-in-sand/comment-page-1/#comment-3679 Dax Turner Mon, 30 Mar 2009 11:14:52 +0000 http://www.patrickgavin.com/?p=69#comment-3679 Hi Patrick, Thanks for the informative post. The time that takes to allow 'baking' can vary from weeks to months, as what I have experienced for few of my clients. However, I am concerned about changes to SERP after moving out of US, as we won't be able to target US customers to the same extend as we used to. Hi Patrick, Thanks for the informative post. The time that takes to allow ‘baking’ can vary from weeks to months, as what I have experienced for few of my clients. However, I am concerned about changes to SERP after moving out of US, as we won’t be able to target US customers to the same extend as we used to.

]]> By: Yellow SEO http://www.patrickgavin.com/2009/01/30/google-quicksand-us-bias-and-other-fun-findings-while-drowning-in-sand/comment-page-1/#comment-3660 Yellow SEO Mon, 16 Mar 2009 21:50:37 +0000 http://www.patrickgavin.com/?p=69#comment-3660 Hi Patrick, Google gives out some juicy information on this in there pat for System and method for providing preferred country biasing of search results. http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO2&Sect2=HITOFF&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsearch-adv.htm&r=1&p=1&f=G&l=50&d=PTXT&S1=7,451,130.PN.&OS=pn/7,451,130&RS=PN/7,451,130 Another good read on this is in a leaked Google Quality handbook score information they say "Some large international corporations have country, as well as regional or global homepages. In general, the country specific homepage is the Vital result for that type of query. If no country specific homepage exists, a regional or global homepage may be Vital." Adjustments to Ratings Based on Task Location and Page Location It is very important to use the Task Language and Task Location to interpret the query. You will also need to use the Task language and Task location to evaluate the page. Sometimes the Task location doesn’t match the country domain of the page. For example, the Task location is Spain, but the country domain of the page is Mexico (.mx). In many cases, when there is a mismatch between the Task Location and the country domain of the page, you will need to lower the rating for the page. You must use your common sense and cultural knowledge to determine whether to lower the rating and how much to lower it. Do not hesitate to lower the rating to Off- Topic if there is a mismatch between the Task Location and country domain of the page that would make the result useless for a user in the Task Location. High ratings are appropriate for pages with high relevance and which are in the right language and right location. In addition they mention bias for English The Foreign Language rating never applies to pages in English, no matter what the Task language. Hi Patrick,

Google gives out some juicy information on this in there pat for System and method for providing preferred country biasing of search results.

http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO2&Sect2=HITOFF&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsearch-adv.htm&r=1&p=1&f=G&l=50&d=PTXT&S1=7,451,130.PN.&OS=pn/7,451,130&RS=PN/7,451,130

Another good read on this is in a leaked Google Quality handbook score information they say

“Some large international corporations have country, as well as regional or global homepages. In general, the country specific homepage is the Vital result for that type of query. If no country specific homepage exists, a regional or global homepage may be Vital.”

Adjustments to Ratings Based on Task Location and Page Location
It is very important to use the Task Language and Task Location to interpret the query. You will also need to use the Task language and Task location to evaluate the page. Sometimes the Task location doesn’t match the country domain of the page. For example, the Task location is Spain, but the country domain of the page
is Mexico (.mx). In many cases, when there is a mismatch between the Task Location and the country domain of the page, you will need to lower the rating for the page. You must use your common sense and cultural knowledge to determine whether to lower the rating and how much to lower it. Do not hesitate to lower the rating to Off-
Topic if there is a mismatch between the Task Location and country domain of the page that would make the result useless for a user in the Task Location. High ratings are appropriate for pages with high relevance and which are in the right language and right location.

In addition they mention bias for English

The Foreign Language rating never applies to pages in English, no matter what the Task language.

]]> By: Scott http://www.patrickgavin.com/2009/01/30/google-quicksand-us-bias-and-other-fun-findings-while-drowning-in-sand/comment-page-1/#comment-3641 Scott Tue, 03 Mar 2009 20:41:46 +0000 http://www.patrickgavin.com/?p=69#comment-3641 Hi Patrick, This is very interesting, especially the DCCheck tool. I remember looking at data centers years ago, but haven't touched that much recently. Is this implying that these sites will show up in the next update, or only how they would rank if not sandboxed? Hi Patrick,

This is very interesting, especially the DCCheck tool. I remember looking at data centers years ago, but haven’t touched that much recently. Is this implying that these sites will show up in the next update, or only how they would rank if not sandboxed?

]]> By: Hanep http://www.patrickgavin.com/2009/01/30/google-quicksand-us-bias-and-other-fun-findings-while-drowning-in-sand/comment-page-1/#comment-3633 Hanep Wed, 25 Feb 2009 06:01:58 +0000 http://www.patrickgavin.com/?p=69#comment-3633 The US SERP is surely compacted with keywords. I am sure to go for our local search result since getting higher SERP. Most of all, there's few of keywords i choose and optimized to get the first ranked at Google.com.my . Since the local market is fresh, I will surely go for them The US SERP is surely compacted with keywords. I am sure to go for our local search result since getting higher SERP. Most of all, there’s few of keywords i choose and optimized to get the first ranked at Google.com.my . Since the local market is fresh, I will surely go for them

]]> By: Rathna http://www.patrickgavin.com/2009/01/30/google-quicksand-us-bias-and-other-fun-findings-while-drowning-in-sand/comment-page-1/#comment-3630 Rathna Thu, 19 Feb 2009 07:32:10 +0000 http://www.patrickgavin.com/?p=69#comment-3630 Iam getting different results and my site is top for few keywords in US but different in Google India. Based on our content in the website we are in the top position on google US, before we have very crisp content only in our site at that time, out site is not in top for any keywords. After adding more content to the site, we are at top position for few keywords, since we had started the company few months back only. From my experience Google is considering domain age but it's a secondary one, mainly it's considering the rich content in the site. Iam getting different results and my site is top for few keywords in US but different in Google India. Based on our content in the website we are in the top position on google US, before we have very crisp content only in our site at that time, out site is not in top for any keywords. After adding more content to the site, we are at top position for few keywords, since we had started the company few months back only. From my experience Google is considering domain age but it’s a secondary one, mainly it’s considering the rich content in the site.

]]> By: If There Is Still a Google Sandbox, Is it US Based Only? | Kooshy - Sneaky Search Marketing http://www.patrickgavin.com/2009/01/30/google-quicksand-us-bias-and-other-fun-findings-while-drowning-in-sand/comment-page-1/#comment-3613 If There Is Still a Google Sandbox, Is it US Based Only? | Kooshy - Sneaky Search Marketing Fri, 06 Feb 2009 06:57:31 +0000 http://www.patrickgavin.com/?p=69#comment-3613 [...] why bring it up now? Well, Patrick Gavin wrote a post about it, asking if it is US based or worldwide. The discussion is now on Sphinn about [...] [...] why bring it up now? Well, Patrick Gavin wrote a post about it, asking if it is US based or worldwide. The discussion is now on Sphinn about [...]

]]> By: Shalom Issenberg http://www.patrickgavin.com/2009/01/30/google-quicksand-us-bias-and-other-fun-findings-while-drowning-in-sand/comment-page-1/#comment-3610 Shalom Issenberg Tue, 03 Feb 2009 07:24:19 +0000 http://www.patrickgavin.com/?p=69#comment-3610 The sandbox effect DOES exist in non USA Google results! However keep in mind that results are different -and updates to the algos and SERPs don't occur at the same time. ... I am in Israel but my sites are mostly targeted to USA. I have had sites in past rank at top of SERPs in USA - then get sandboxed - but remain in top of Google Israel (results based on my IP being in Israel) not based on using google.co.il. Eventually the filter (sandbox effect) is applied to the .co.il SERPs aswell. At least from my experience (and that's not a small sample of sites :) - Best advice is to avoid the sandbox - get an aged domain/established site - don't go from be too aggressive in beginning in terms of link building specifically: link volume and over optimization of anchor text. Also don't build out too many content pages too quickly is can also get you in the sandbox. The sandbox effect DOES exist in non USA Google results! However keep in mind that results are different -and updates to the algos and SERPs don’t occur at the same time.
… I am in Israel but my sites are mostly targeted to USA. I have had sites in past rank at top of SERPs in USA – then get sandboxed – but remain in top of Google Israel (results based on my IP being in Israel) not based on using google.co.il. Eventually the filter (sandbox effect) is applied to the .co.il SERPs aswell. At least from my experience (and that’s not a small sample of sites :)
- Best advice is to avoid the sandbox – get an aged domain/established site – don’t go from be too aggressive in beginning in terms of link building specifically: link volume and over optimization of anchor text. Also don’t build out too many content pages too quickly is can also get you in the sandbox.

]]> By: David Dalka http://www.patrickgavin.com/2009/01/30/google-quicksand-us-bias-and-other-fun-findings-while-drowning-in-sand/comment-page-1/#comment-3609 David Dalka Tue, 03 Feb 2009 01:18:55 +0000 http://www.patrickgavin.com/?p=69#comment-3609 Sugar Rae brings up a good point and that is the local searches that are localized when someone isn't asking for that. Yet other search queries that should return local results don't. I live in Chicago and occasionally visit a pizza place in Wheeling, IL called Joe's to visit a friend - it's about 15-20 miles from me. When I Google Wheeling pizza - I don't get local business results for Wheeling, IL, I get them for Wheeling, WV!!! They should get that right before localizing other queries - especially ones that don't even have local intent! Sugar Rae brings up a good point and that is the local searches that are localized when someone isn’t asking for that.

Yet other search queries that should return local results don’t. I live in Chicago and occasionally visit a pizza place in Wheeling, IL called Joe’s to visit a friend – it’s about 15-20 miles from me. When I Google Wheeling pizza – I don’t get local business results for Wheeling, IL, I get them for Wheeling, WV!!! They should get that right before localizing other queries – especially ones that don’t even have local intent!

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