4 ms·

Re 2): Pinterest. It's the cancer of Google image search. I don't get how Google's search ranking doesn't massively penalize that behaviour. I'd rather stomac

by svckr 10y ago

Re 2): Pinterest. It's the cancer of Google image search. I don't get how Google's search ranking doesn't massively penalize that behaviour. I'd rather stomach an advertisement than the "plz register" BS.

the8472 10y ago
Yeah, isn't it against google's policy to present different content to bots and to fleshy users?
- deelowe 10y ago
  Pretty sure it is.
- freshhawk 10y ago
  Not anymore apparently, at least for the big players. I believe it is still the stated policy and you won't get away with it if you are small.
- georgemcbay 10y ago
  That is their policy, but they don't appear to punish people who violate the "spirit" of it and many of these sites don't literally violate the rule. In the case of pinterest (and quora), for example, the whole page you are looking for is there, it just gets obscured by an obnoxious overlay that makes it impossible for you to see/interact with it all from a browser unless you register. I'm sure what the googlebot gets at the html/css/js level is the same thing the user gets. The difference being the bot doesn't care about the semi-transparent blocking overlay because the bot is just parsing text/images/links individually and not trying to interact with the page the way a human does.
DrBazza 10y ago
Reminds me of the amusingly named 'expertsexchange' site, and the stackoverflow copies. Google shoved them down the ranking pretty quickly. Shame they don't do that to pinterest.
- sametmax 10y ago
  I always read that "expert sex change" instead of "experts exchange" for some reason;
  - jrockway 10y ago
    Favoring first match vs. longest match.
  - mathw 10y ago
    I never saw it that way, but you have now set me up to chuckle randomly at the memory all day. Thanks!
_andromeda_ 10y ago
For the 'please register' overlays, you need an 'extension' called Kill sticky. It removes all html elements that are styled with 'position: fixed' Here's the link: https://alisdair.mcdiarmid.org/kill-sticky-headers/ https://alisdair.mcdiarmid.org/kill-sticky-headers/

by svckr 10y ago

the8472 10y ago

Yeah, isn't it against google's policy to present different content to bots and to fleshy users?

deelowe 10y ago
Pretty sure it is.
freshhawk 10y ago
Not anymore apparently, at least for the big players. I believe it is still the stated policy and you won't get away with it if you are small.
georgemcbay 10y ago
That is their policy, but they don't appear to punish people who violate the "spirit" of it and many of these sites don't literally violate the rule. In the case of pinterest (and quora), for example, the whole page you are looking for is there, it just gets obscured by an obnoxious overlay that makes it impossible for you to see/interact with it all from a browser unless you register. I'm sure what the googlebot gets at the html/css/js level is the same thing the user gets. The difference being the bot doesn't care about the semi-transparent blocking overlay because the bot is just parsing text/images/links individually and not trying to interact with the page the way a human does.

DrBazza 10y ago

Reminds me of the amusingly named 'expertsexchange' site, and the stackoverflow copies. Google shoved them down the ranking pretty quickly. Shame they don't do that to pinterest.

sametmax 10y ago
I always read that "expert sex change" instead of "experts exchange" for some reason;
- jrockway 10y ago
  Favoring first match vs. longest match.
- mathw 10y ago
  I never saw it that way, but you have now set me up to chuckle randomly at the memory all day. Thanks!

_andromeda_ 10y ago

For the 'please register' overlays, you need an 'extension' called Kill sticky. It removes all html elements that are styled with 'position: fixed' Here's the link: https://alisdair.mcdiarmid.org/kill-sticky-headers/ https://alisdair.mcdiarmid.org/kill-sticky-headers/