4 ms·

The sad part is that RG was the most high quality lyrics site I've seen. Their revenue is going to take a huge dive, much more than their link scheming was hurt

by ddoolin 13y ago

The sad part is that RG was the most high quality lyrics site I've seen. Their revenue is going to take a huge dive, much more than their link scheming was hurting Google (or probably anyone else for that matter).

calbear81 13y ago
It doesn't matter that they had the best experience and content because Google was forced to do this to set an example and show that they aren't playing favorites. Imagine other companies who will start testing more black hat strategies with the expectation that it's okay as long as they believe they're better than sites ranking higher than them.
- girvo 13y ago
  You know what? If they actually are better, then that's only a good thing in my opinion. Who cares about "fairness" here, we want the best results. That's one way of looking at it anyway.
- ddoolin 13y ago
  I agree it was what they should've done. At the very least it was the right direction. Hopefully their reputation is enough to keep them afloat while they build up again.
  - SwellJoe 13y ago
    I suspect the several million in funding they've taken can also keep them afloat for a little while.
captainmuon 13y ago
Its also sad thay they went about it in such a stupid, stupid way. They could have built a nice "Link to your favorite lyrics" widget for people to include in their "homepages". Make the appearance customizable, jumble the HTML, and include some stock bla bla to make it "individual" and to appeal to google. Then announce a competition. We'll showcase the best homepages that link to our lyrics in the most creative way. Maybe give away some silly prizes. Completely legal, nothing for Google to complain about, but gives you the same effect very cleverly. Instead they did this brazen crap... makes them look very amateurish. Technically not very different, but the tone is completely different, and Google had no choice but to penalize it.
- ddoolin 13y ago
  Definitely amateurish. I shuddered a bit at the language used in their reply e-mail for the affiliate program. It's nearly condescending and, and...well, you get it. (http://searchengineland.com/google-is-looking-into-rap-genius-linking-scheme-masked-as-affiliate-program-180631 http://searchengineland.com/google-is-looking-into-rap-geniu...)
- badclient 13y ago
  Right on. I'd use a widget to embed lyrics with audio in every blog post if they made it easy. May be integrate with spotify. And create a Wordpress plugin.
- jonahx 13y ago
  Where can I find the guidelines that specify what is legal under Google rules and what is not? As someone who isn't familiar with rules, it's not obvious to me what the technical difference is between what they did and what you're suggesting. On a gut level your suggestion seems less spammy, but I'd like to know what the actual rules are.
  - laugh7 13y ago
    Agreed. It is natural for a website to want to get traffic. How can Google prove that RG's tactic was for SERPs and not just for the direct link traffic from blogs?
- walshemj 13y ago
  That might have worked a few years ago links via widgets like that high risk I am afraid
frankdenbow 13y ago
agreed, one of the better sites out there but what revenue?

by ddoolin 13y ago

calbear81 13y ago

It doesn't matter that they had the best experience and content because Google was forced to do this to set an example and show that they aren't playing favorites. Imagine other companies who will start testing more black hat strategies with the expectation that it's okay as long as they believe they're better than sites ranking higher than them.

girvo 13y ago
You know what? If they actually are better, then that's only a good thing in my opinion. Who cares about "fairness" here, we want the best results. That's one way of looking at it anyway.
ddoolin 13y ago
I agree it was what they should've done. At the very least it was the right direction. Hopefully their reputation is enough to keep them afloat while they build up again.
- SwellJoe 13y ago
  I suspect the several million in funding they've taken can also keep them afloat for a little while.

captainmuon 13y ago

Its also sad thay they went about it in such a stupid, stupid way. They could have built a nice "Link to your favorite lyrics" widget for people to include in their "homepages". Make the appearance customizable, jumble the HTML, and include some stock bla bla to make it "individual" and to appeal to google. Then announce a competition. We'll showcase the best homepages that link to our lyrics in the most creative way. Maybe give away some silly prizes. Completely legal, nothing for Google to complain about, but gives you the same effect very cleverly. Instead they did this brazen crap... makes them look very amateurish. Technically not very different, but the tone is completely different, and Google had no choice but to penalize it.

ddoolin 13y ago
Definitely amateurish. I shuddered a bit at the language used in their reply e-mail for the affiliate program. It's nearly condescending and, and...well, you get it. (http://searchengineland.com/google-is-looking-into-rap-genius-linking-scheme-masked-as-affiliate-program-180631 http://searchengineland.com/google-is-looking-into-rap-geniu...)
badclient 13y ago
Right on. I'd use a widget to embed lyrics with audio in every blog post if they made it easy. May be integrate with spotify. And create a Wordpress plugin.
jonahx 13y ago
Where can I find the guidelines that specify what is legal under Google rules and what is not? As someone who isn't familiar with rules, it's not obvious to me what the technical difference is between what they did and what you're suggesting. On a gut level your suggestion seems less spammy, but I'd like to know what the actual rules are.
- laugh7 13y ago
  Agreed. It is natural for a website to want to get traffic. How can Google prove that RG's tactic was for SERPs and not just for the direct link traffic from blogs?
walshemj 13y ago
That might have worked a few years ago links via widgets like that high risk I am afraid

frankdenbow 13y ago

agreed, one of the better sites out there but what revenue?