6 ms·

We're investigating this now.

by Matt_Cutts 13y ago

deleted 13y ago
[deleted]
mikeg8 13y ago
Whoa! Was not expecting that so quickly...
hazelnut 13y ago
it would be great if you could provide an update about it later on. thanks for taking care about this.
benigeri 13y ago
Is this against policy?
- belluchan 13y ago
  Tit for tat links should be against policy. Google's search results become quality when people naturally link to something as part of a conversation or sharing.
notastartup 13y ago
IS this the real matt cutts????! what happens if someone is caught manipulating the SERP like this? Does google automatically ban this practice? Why wasn't this caught before? They are backed by $15 million dollars I can't believe they'd resort to this.
nfm 13y ago
I was under the impression this kind of thing - a stack of links at the bottom of content, with the same links duplicated across many posts/domains - was automatically penalized through the floor.
AznHisoka 13y ago
"We're investing this now". Those 4 words are the Kiss of Death.
- nullymcnull 13y ago
  Oddly, you're the second person to have misspelled it as "investing" when quoting it on this thread. Is this like a rogue / rouge thing that people get commonly tripped up on?
  - smackfu 13y ago
    Autocorrect is pretty great at turning a typo into an alternate word.
  - tomharari 13y ago
    Oddly, he's not wrong either: http://www.mattcutts.com/blog/disclosure/ http://www.mattcutts.com/blog/disclosure/
  - soperj 13y ago
    Post above yours also did principle/principal. The one no one seems to mix up is awful/offal.
- peterjancelis 13y ago
  5 words, right?
- cabbeer 13y ago
  Especially when it's from the "head of the webspam team at Google". It's the start-up equivalent of being called into the principles office.
  - ihatehandles 13y ago
    No kidding
jhonovich 13y ago
How does a famous startup, with such blue chip backing, make such an obvious mistake? Doesn't everyone with even basic SEO knowledge understand this is against Google policies?
- deleted 13y ago
  [deleted]
  - deleted 13y ago
    [deleted]
- elwell 13y ago
  I was thinking the same thing. RapGenius is gonna be on the third 'o' soon.
- thatthatis 13y ago
  Because they've built a culture of brash shoot from the hip growth at all cost.
8ig8 13y ago
Got their attention. Looks like they are changing their tune. @jasonjm75 @randfish feel stupid in retrospect - gonna stop - but I hope google revisits how ALL lyrics sites do SEO! our competition is... doing some ULTRA shady stuff! I have no doubt in my mind that they pay for links https://twitter.com/RapGenius/status/415297097072537601 https://twitter.com/RapGenius/status/415297097072537601 https://twitter.com/RapGenius/status/415297158896553985 https://twitter.com/RapGenius/status/415297158896553985
- minimaxir 13y ago
  Said tweets were immediately deleted.
- drawkbox 13y ago
  In all fairness, rapgenius does have some of the best content and it really is the best information for lyrics. It sucks they have to resort to this to get good information above spammy lyrics sites. I actually thought rapgenius was a good idea solely because the alternative was spammy almost like before stackoverflow. So yes it is wrong in every way to manipulate the system but how can you get noticed if others are doing it. If anything they shined a light on the problem and the better information should win in google which is fair.
  - md224 13y ago
    > So yes it is wrong in every way to manipulate the system but how can you get noticed if others are doing it. If anything they shined a light on the problem and the better information should win in google which is fair. I really don't buy this post hoc justification of RapGenius's actions. I understand the world is a complex place where we often have to make compromises, but saying "Poor RapGenius, forced into using black hat SEO" is kind of ridiculous. These guys (or at least the guy in charge of "growth hacking") enthusiastically made quid pro quo deals for backlinks. I try to be polite on the Internet, but all I can say is fuck that. > In all fairness, rapgenius does have some of the best content and it really is the best information for lyrics. I agree... which is why it's a shame that I'm going to look elsewhere from now on.
techaddict009 13y ago
So where has the investigation reached ?
techaddict009 13y ago
So where has the investigation reached ?
dennyrayjr 13y ago
Bahah. Hilarious.."growth hacking" post aka link exchange nonesense lol
Arjuna 13y ago
For those interested, this type of activity appears to fall under the purview of Google's link schemes content guidelines, discussed here: https://support.google.com/webmasters/answer/66356 https://support.google.com/webmasters/answer/66356
cmer 13y ago
It's Christmas, so I'll just say this... You have the power to put these guys out of business, or give them a break and help them find a way to promote their business in a more "ethical" way. I hate spam as much as you (founded/exited Defensio), but I think it'd be awesome if you took the unconventional approach, had a call with them and gave them a break to whatever extent you deem appropriate. Merry Xmas!
chris_wot 13y ago
They knew exactly what they were doing. Sorry, but it does serve them right.
testees 13y ago
yo you're a dick
dingobabiezz04 13y ago
While you're investigating, take a look at http://HotNewHipHop.com http://HotNewHipHop.com and http://GotBars.com http://GotBars.com Both sites exchange tweets with each other. Even GotBars' Twitter description says "We showcase strictly #HipHop & R&B lyrics, working closely w/ @HotNewHipHop to shed new light on the bars of your favorite artists." https://twitter.com/RealGotBars https://twitter.com/RealGotBars In all honesty though, Rap Genius is not the only lyrics website breaking Google's rules. The problem is an epidemic and RG only scratches the surface.
ChuckKelly 13y ago
Hey Matt Cutts, how does it feel to be responsible for the end of Google as a objective search engine? Blocking RapGenius was a dick move, for years Google has told ppl complaining about ranking that you guys "believe in the algorithm" and refused human interference. RapGenius traded in some of the influence they have built by making a awesome product to boost a few of their search results, just like paying for SEO they payed for the bump they received via depreciating the value of their tweets and influence, if they continued to execute the same strategy on a reg basis their influence would quickly depreciate. Removing them just proves your lack of emotional intelligence and how influence works. I am not affiliated with Rap Genius or Google in any way , but I am now boycotting your search product bc it now known without a doubt googles search results are not organic, objective or algorithm based.....they are based on whatever Matt Cutts feels should be the top result on any given day.

We're investigating this now.

deleted 13y ago

[deleted]

mikeg8 13y ago

Whoa! Was not expecting that so quickly...

hazelnut 13y ago

it would be great if you could provide an update about it later on. thanks for taking care about this.

benigeri 13y ago

Is this against policy?

belluchan 13y ago
Tit for tat links should be against policy. Google's search results become quality when people naturally link to something as part of a conversation or sharing.

notastartup 13y ago

IS this the real matt cutts????! what happens if someone is caught manipulating the SERP like this? Does google automatically ban this practice? Why wasn't this caught before? They are backed by $15 million dollars I can't believe they'd resort to this.

nfm 13y ago

I was under the impression this kind of thing - a stack of links at the bottom of content, with the same links duplicated across many posts/domains - was automatically penalized through the floor.

AznHisoka 13y ago

"We're investing this now". Those 4 words are the Kiss of Death.

nullymcnull 13y ago
Oddly, you're the second person to have misspelled it as "investing" when quoting it on this thread. Is this like a rogue / rouge thing that people get commonly tripped up on?
- smackfu 13y ago
  Autocorrect is pretty great at turning a typo into an alternate word.
- tomharari 13y ago
  Oddly, he's not wrong either: http://www.mattcutts.com/blog/disclosure/ http://www.mattcutts.com/blog/disclosure/
- soperj 13y ago
  Post above yours also did principle/principal. The one no one seems to mix up is awful/offal.
peterjancelis 13y ago
5 words, right?
cabbeer 13y ago
Especially when it's from the "head of the webspam team at Google". It's the start-up equivalent of being called into the principles office.
- ihatehandles 13y ago
  No kidding

jhonovich 13y ago

How does a famous startup, with such blue chip backing, make such an obvious mistake? Doesn't everyone with even basic SEO knowledge understand this is against Google policies?

deleted 13y ago
[deleted]
- deleted 13y ago
  [deleted]
elwell 13y ago
I was thinking the same thing. RapGenius is gonna be on the third 'o' soon.
thatthatis 13y ago
Because they've built a culture of brash shoot from the hip growth at all cost.

8ig8 13y ago

Got their attention. Looks like they are changing their tune. @jasonjm75 @randfish feel stupid in retrospect - gonna stop - but I hope google revisits how ALL lyrics sites do SEO! our competition is... doing some ULTRA shady stuff! I have no doubt in my mind that they pay for links https://twitter.com/RapGenius/status/415297097072537601 https://twitter.com/RapGenius/status/415297097072537601 https://twitter.com/RapGenius/status/415297158896553985 https://twitter.com/RapGenius/status/415297158896553985

minimaxir 13y ago
Said tweets were immediately deleted.
drawkbox 13y ago
In all fairness, rapgenius does have some of the best content and it really is the best information for lyrics. It sucks they have to resort to this to get good information above spammy lyrics sites. I actually thought rapgenius was a good idea solely because the alternative was spammy almost like before stackoverflow. So yes it is wrong in every way to manipulate the system but how can you get noticed if others are doing it. If anything they shined a light on the problem and the better information should win in google which is fair.
- md224 13y ago
  > So yes it is wrong in every way to manipulate the system but how can you get noticed if others are doing it. If anything they shined a light on the problem and the better information should win in google which is fair. I really don't buy this post hoc justification of RapGenius's actions. I understand the world is a complex place where we often have to make compromises, but saying "Poor RapGenius, forced into using black hat SEO" is kind of ridiculous. These guys (or at least the guy in charge of "growth hacking") enthusiastically made quid pro quo deals for backlinks. I try to be polite on the Internet, but all I can say is fuck that. > In all fairness, rapgenius does have some of the best content and it really is the best information for lyrics. I agree... which is why it's a shame that I'm going to look elsewhere from now on.

techaddict009 13y ago

So where has the investigation reached ?

techaddict009 13y ago

So where has the investigation reached ?

dennyrayjr 13y ago

Bahah. Hilarious.."growth hacking" post aka link exchange nonesense lol

Arjuna 13y ago

For those interested, this type of activity appears to fall under the purview of Google's link schemes content guidelines, discussed here: https://support.google.com/webmasters/answer/66356 https://support.google.com/webmasters/answer/66356

cmer 13y ago

It's Christmas, so I'll just say this... You have the power to put these guys out of business, or give them a break and help them find a way to promote their business in a more "ethical" way. I hate spam as much as you (founded/exited Defensio), but I think it'd be awesome if you took the unconventional approach, had a call with them and gave them a break to whatever extent you deem appropriate. Merry Xmas!

chris_wot 13y ago

They knew exactly what they were doing. Sorry, but it does serve them right.

testees 13y ago

yo you're a dick

dingobabiezz04 13y ago

While you're investigating, take a look at http://HotNewHipHop.com http://HotNewHipHop.com and http://GotBars.com http://GotBars.com Both sites exchange tweets with each other. Even GotBars' Twitter description says "We showcase strictly #HipHop & R&B lyrics, working closely w/ @HotNewHipHop to shed new light on the bars of your favorite artists." https://twitter.com/RealGotBars https://twitter.com/RealGotBars In all honesty though, Rap Genius is not the only lyrics website breaking Google's rules. The problem is an epidemic and RG only scratches the surface.

ChuckKelly 13y ago

Hey Matt Cutts, how does it feel to be responsible for the end of Google as a objective search engine? Blocking RapGenius was a dick move, for years Google has told ppl complaining about ranking that you guys "believe in the algorithm" and refused human interference. RapGenius traded in some of the influence they have built by making a awesome product to boost a few of their search results, just like paying for SEO they payed for the bump they received via depreciating the value of their tweets and influence, if they continued to execute the same strategy on a reg basis their influence would quickly depreciate. Removing them just proves your lack of emotional intelligence and how influence works. I am not affiliated with Rap Genius or Google in any way , but I am now boycotting your search product bc it now known without a doubt googles search results are not organic, objective or algorithm based.....they are based on whatever Matt Cutts feels should be the top result on any given day.