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Google - the content producer?

tedvalentin.com

1–10 of 21 posts

Re: Google - the content producer?

#2
What should Google do here? Clearly, in this case users would be better served by the third party service. But overall, Google Maps results for these queries are probably a good thing. Is the answer that Google should index and present the information from Sushikartan in Google Maps? I don't know.

Re: Google - the content producer?

#3
post #2

What should Google do here? Clearly, in this case users would be better served by the third party service. But overall, Google Maps results for these queries are probably a good thing. Is the answer that Google should index and present the information from Sushikartan in Google Maps? I don't know.

Why not index and present Sushikartan's hard earned relevant information and reward them. Perhaps with something like content revenue for click through traffic from the search results page. This would benefit Google's search results by producing the relevant and local aspect of a review. If Google had ad placements on the destination site the concept of content revenue could pay a better rate.

As an aside I expected to see some form of ad placement on the Sushikartan site that would help support my concept. No such luck. Not sure how it generates revenue.

Re: Google - the content producer?

#4
post #2

What should Google do here? Clearly, in this case users would be better served by the third party service. But overall, Google Maps results for these queries are probably a good thing. Is the answer that Google should index and present the information from Sushikartan in Google Maps? I don't know.

Why not index and present Sushikartan's hard earned relevant information and reward them. Perhaps with something like content revenue for click through traffic from the search results page. This would benefit Google's search results by producing the relevant and local aspect of a review. If Google had ad placements on the destination site the concept of content revenue could pay a better rate. As an aside I expected…

I agree - but given Google's scale, managing the relationships with these kinds of third party sites could be challenging indeed. Perhaps they could set up a system similar to Webmaster Tool's sitemap submission where you could upload structured data to Maps including links back to your site?

Regarding Sushikartan's revenue, it's not entirely clear but I believe there is no direct revenue from Ted's map sites (he has a lot of similar sites to Sushikartan). He has a few maps sites with partners which probably brings in some revenue, but I think it is a traffic and reputation that is the main goal. Ted already had an exit a few years back, moderately sized but very good for a one-man shop.

Re: Google - the content producer?

#5
"Increasingly /.../ Google presents links to its own services, like maps, Youtube videos, local business results and product search listings. Executives argue that providing these easily accessible results clearly benefits users. Rivals claim that this is self-serving, and that Google promotes its content even though there may be better material elsewhere."

I am not sure whether this argument holds, since the Google Search itself defines, what is a "good material" and rank it.

Re: Google - the content producer?

#6
post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why not index and present Sushikartan's hard earned relevant information and reward them. Perhaps with something like content revenue for click through traffic from the search results page. This would benefit Google's search results by producing the relevant and local aspect of a review. If Google had ad placements on the destination site the concept of content revenue could pay a better rate. As an aside I expected…

I agree - but given Google's scale, managing the relationships with these kinds of third party sites could be challenging indeed. Perhaps they could set up a system similar to Webmaster Tool's sitemap submission where you could upload structured data to Maps including links back to your site? Regarding Sushikartan's revenue, it's not entirely clear but I believe there is no direct revenue from Ted's map sites (he has…

what purpose would the "links back" serve? if google has the data and delivers it to the user, sushikartan has marginalized itself.

Re: Google - the content producer?

#7
post #2

What should Google do here? Clearly, in this case users would be better served by the third party service. But overall, Google Maps results for these queries are probably a good thing. Is the answer that Google should index and present the information from Sushikartan in Google Maps? I don't know.

Since the website already uses some javascript API to integrate google maps, I suppose the API could be extended to include information about what the little yellow blobs mean, which Google could then index appropriately. The map in the search results page could then contain markers from different sites, annotated by site, weighted by the site's page rank.

Re: Google - the content producer?

#8
post #6
post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I agree - but given Google's scale, managing the relationships with these kinds of third party sites could be challenging indeed. Perhaps they could set up a system similar to Webmaster Tool's sitemap submission where you could upload structured data to Maps including links back to your site? Regarding Sushikartan's revenue, it's not entirely clear but I believe there is no direct revenue from Ted's map sites (he has…

what purpose would the "links back" serve? if google has the data and delivers it to the user, sushikartan has marginalized itself.

Detailed sushi bar reviews, for example. Google will hopefully not try to reproduce all the reviews on the search page (copyright, lack of space).

Re: Google - the content producer?

#9
I prefer Google's results nearly 100% of the time. Quite often, it's more trustworthy. Not only that, most people are familiar with the Google maps interface, so that's what they would prefer. How do I know that his web site is going to be littered with custom maps and great information? I don't. He could be using yahoo maps or something I don't want to use, or could have his own opinions which I don't want to hear. Google Maps is going to be unbiased, easier to use, and better integrated into my phone.

Not only that, I EXPECT Google Maps results to be at the top of the mobile search view, if only because I don't want to have to find a suitable web site for which better data might be found. What if the top web site on Google's results was bunk (this happens more often than not), and then it was SushiKartan? I'd have to look at the top result, learn it was horrible, then click the second in hopes of it being relevant (it probably is not).

Basically, while this guy actually DOES have the best information, Google doesn't necessarily know that, and neither does its users. I don't want to waste my time looking for quality results ALL the time.

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