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Hmm. The internet created much of it. Search engines don't like simple straight answers - the page, and site must have "enough" text. Adsense pages have a mini
by NeedMoreTea 8y ago
Hmm. The internet created much of it.
Search engines don't like simple straight answers - the page, and site must have "enough" text. Adsense pages have a minimum length, while writers have stretched and stretched to make the weakest pages long enough, with synonyms, ideally with intro, ad, distraction, filler, discussion of last week's recipe, the pan set with affiliate link, and a load or two before you see the key point and leave. If they can squeeze in another 40 words they're allowed another ad block.
Trouble is, there seems little sign that the escalation out of control is peaking... Even though adsense is not quite the blight it once was.
- ThePadawan 8y ago> Search engines don't like simple straight answers I would say they clearly do - but the people providing the answers don't. Compare the recent move of Google to provide answers with 0 clicks to the source ("How old is Paul Rudd?", "potato cooking time" both provide answers in the topmost result box for me).
- NeedMoreTea 8y agoThat's google on their own site providing an example of do as I say not as I do. :) They've always discouraged and penalised sites that do that themselves. The search guidelines always talked up what was needed on a page quantity wise, and discouraged brevity. Adsense brought additional, and longer restrictions, and then assorted SEO recommendations and some snake oil to talk around the subject, include synonyms etc. All that drove a certain style of writing content for the web that has escalated into a very particular - and easily recognisable - style of waffle. That's almost never what's needed for accuracy, readability or quick answers. Long form journalism for the web is a bastard child of traditional long form journalism and SEO inspired waffle, and probably the most annoying of the lot.