Have you ever looked at a set of search results and scratched your head in disbelief? If so, you're like me - occasionally, I'll at some search results at Google and have no comprehension of why one site is ranking in front of another, or why it would rank in the top 10, period. This blog post is an open call - feel free to list keywords and search results in the comments that simply make no sense to you.
For example, a search for SEO at Google brings up these:
To me, these rankings make no sense - they aren't authorities in the field, the links pointing to them are generally off-topic and nowhere near the range of the sites that rank in positions 11-40, nevermind the other candidates for top 10. Obviously, Google might be messing with the results a bit, knowing that we'll all get our drawers in a bunch over the SERPs here, but it serves as a good example.
I hope to be able to take many of the comments/suggestions and turn them into a Q+A about who ranks where, what we see as completely egregious and how the algo might be operating in odd situations.
OK, i have a good one...
Why does this site https://tqnyc.org/~NYC062650/blog/dog-clothes/...rank #6 in google for "dog clothes"? Besides the cloaking...
Hi Rand, My theory of why these sites are on the top of Google is that they have the keyword SEO in the domain name. Presuming this is the keyword you searched for when you got this SERP. I have experimenting with a few of my clients using keywords in the domain and it has a great impact on the position achieved, especially for Google.
Any one else agree?
Lisa
Looks like there are some interesting SERPs here. I'd be willing to take one or two from the list to see what I can glean via SEMLogic.
Rand, let me know if you'd be interested in that.
I'd love that Mike. I'll try to send you a few of the more interesting ones and perhaps the SEOmoz readers can get a better look at how the software runs.
Great Rand. I look forward to receiving your list.
I agree Lisa. Google REALLY likes the phrase as a .com - one of my sites that were total crap got indexed for the domain keywords and ranked #1 for them (until G figured out it was total crap - but it took them a little while).
One thing I find a bit disturing is how Google is so off base about what a site is about sometimes. I have 1 site that gets about 2 pageviews/visit from organic terms, when Adwords PPC is 10-20 p/v. If you look at the keywords, they are way off base. I'm just surprised that G can't figure out something as easy as that.
Michael,
On topic? The only thing I see is the word dog clothes repeated 50 times. There's nothing on topic about that cloaked page. Are you saying that that's all you need to do to rank in Google? That's the oldest trick in the book.
I don't think SEOmoz is looking to "attack" anyones site. I simply think this is an exersise trying to figure out why some sites rank well on Google and why some don't. Process of illumination and discussion (such as why some are on the top without doing what is believed to get you to the top) is paramount to understand and do well in this industry. This industry provides no guaranteed answers, which is what makes it so interesting.
I do think you are right though regarding to click tracking. I think Google organic listings works in a similar way to Google AdWords in the way that you get rewarded for a high CTR. Basically getting to the top of the listings is the easy part, staying there relies on you visitor and how relevant your site is. The title and description tag is your tool to get people clicking on your site (just like the Google AdWords ad) if you get a high number of CTR, Google knows your site is relevant to what keywords you are listed for.
I definetely think CTR of organic listings is one of Googles algorithms.
Debate?
Lisa
Is this REALLY ethical to attack these SEO sites - publically???????
Whether of not someone agrees with the validity of a site's ranking, should NOT result in public insults...
Doesn't anyone feel ANY guilt at all - doing this to other people who are trying to run their honest businesses. Will you congratulate yourselves if you harm them on the SERPs????
These people have every right to enjoy their rankings as does any of the other SEOs there. These are perfectly Valid SEO related sites!
Unless, a site is blatent spam - it is wrong and a show of jealousy to react like this.
Google probably uses some form of click tracking, they know which sites are having a high rate of users returning BACK to the SERPs after clicking on them. Surely this must have some effect on rankings.
Funny that SEO Today showed up. That site is run by D2 Interactive. I did some work for them for a short while, years ago. They are/were a good company that knew quite a bit about SEO. It looks like they have abandoned the site though.
As to why it is ranking highly, I don't know, but I know that there are good SEO experts and companies out there that may not be known to the online community because they don't run a blog or post in forums or go to all the big conferences. Although, even though the site hasn't been updated in almost a year, doesn't having a number 5 ranking for SEO say something about them?
For me the most disturbing result is this one Spammers!
When you see SERPs that you can not explain by the usual SEO metrics such as backlinks, all in anchor and on-page optimization don't point and say "Google is broken".
These high ranking pages are not defying gravity - they might have earned these high ranks based upon metrics that you do not understand.
Perhaps Google is using SERP clickthrough rate, time until backbutton, data collected through the tool bar, adsense data, domain navigation searches... google has massive amounts of data. (And they should have their heads examined if they are not using this data!) I think that SEOs are very much underestimating Google.
I have pages that have crept, slowly but steadily, up through the ranks to #1 with no additional backlinks, no SEO tweaking, no nothing.
I have my hunches on why these pages have climbed the SERPs. It has very little to do with SEO.
EGOL - It's those hunches that we're seeking to build upon and codify. I'm hoping that by analyzing SERPs that don't instantly make sense, we can see a bit more of the diversity in what Google considers important about a site (like your ideas regarding user data).
Based upon what I have seen, the answer is not in analysis of your SERPs... it's in your logs.
If you own any of these gravity defying pages see if they are among the stickiest on your site.
i find that queries that take the form software vendor [city name] are usually crappy
It's not quite the same thing as you describe here, but I just blogged about some weird Google SERPs I've been seeing. Read it here and see what you make of it.
Alex
SEO is a bit like a pool player trying to predict what happens on every 9-ball break. You can smash the one ball dead on with a slight topspin and try to freeze the cueball center table while sending the one up table and sinking a few balls hopefully to set up for a run out, but there's no guarantee you'll get a good break 100% of the time.
The balls are governed by laws of physics - there's really no "luck" involved. But there are too many factors to have absolute control over the outcome. The difference between a C player and an open player is the open player knows how to maximize his odds.
Wow, flash from the past. SEO Today, I used to let them syndicate my content. Used to be a great site, old authority, IMO.
But yea, old, hasn't updated in a while.
Oh, https://search.yahoo.com/search?p=linkdomain%3...
If you search on internet marketing uk ( on google.co.uk) you see this site :www.daedal.co.uk.
Then run the site command and you can see what they are also selling. Never thought that the links between the SEO industry and porn were that obvious :-)
How about "Big Blue Pineapple Chair"? https://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&rls=GG...
If I ever find one at the local swap meet, I'll be sure to send a picture. If I find a folding one, I just might send it to you.
OK... Seriously... Greg Boser just posted about a strange result for "Amish furniture" https://linking.webguerrilla.com/amish-gokarts...
One of the top SERP results for "Amish furniture" is for a Go-Karts website. I guess two domains resolve to the same IP address.
Cool idea for a thread...
This is one of the wierdest SERPs that I've ever seen:
https://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=remax+go...
What I see is a map and:
Remax Synergy Real Estate LLC (linked title) www.realestatewebmasters.com
...as a onebox result.
I have yet to find a direct relationship between "remax goffstown" and Real Estate Webmasters or Remax Synergy Real Estate LLC and Real Estate Webmasters...
My word... Those are some of the lowest quality results (in the top 5) that I've seen in a long time. Most of those pages look like completely auto-genned, made-for-the-engines crap. :(