My Google Traffic Has Fallen to Zero • Hacker News Board

Re: My Google Traffic Has Fallen to Zero

#251

Post by Broken_Hippo » Tue, Jan 05, 2021, 9:38 AM UTC

nly wrote: post #233

jjcon wrote: post #64

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I moved across a border like 20 minutes away and got a new number - it is extremely common that both things change at the same time for people. It wasn’t a months old number or anything.

Wait, is this a mobile (cell) phone number? Why is this tied to where you live? In the UK you can take your mobile number with you between network providers and they're not tied to your location.

So long as I moved within the US, I could use the same number - and so I had the same number for years. I can move anywhere in Norway and have the same number, and have had the same number for years. When I moved from the US to Norway, though, I had to change the number.

And I don't think this is unreasonable. The country code and phone number format is different (10 vs 8 numbers). Most non-spam calls I get are from somewhere else in Norway. I'm going to guess you could keep the same base number so long as the format is the same (between Canada and US, for example) - but that country code would still change

Re: My Google Traffic Has Fallen to Zero

#252

Post by Broken_Hippo » Tue, Jan 05, 2021, 9:41 AM UTC

jasonv wrote: post #181

jjcon wrote: post #30

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> My mom forgot her gmail password and no longer had the same mobile number for a reset, the secondary reset option was set to my email but would not send a reset despite this. I’m in a similar position except I know my password. Google decided for whatever reason that my location was too different and now requires that I verify via a phone number I no longer have. I have access to the recovery email and even get ‘su…

For this reason and spam calls, I have a free Google Voice number that I use for all services. I never give my cell #...

Isn't Google Voice only in the US, though?

Re: My Google Traffic Has Fallen to Zero

#253

Post by DrNuke » Tue, Jan 05, 2021, 9:53 AM UTC

Servers and/or algos undergo some sort of periodical or occasional reset maybe? Same fall happened to me a couple of times, only to pick up again and back to normal in a few days. And it’s not Google only, in case, also Amazon ads!?

Re: My Google Traffic Has Fallen to Zero

#254

Post by Sander_Marechal » Tue, Jan 05, 2021, 9:53 AM UTC

BatteryMountain wrote: post #240

hsbauauvhabzb wrote: post #8

I’ve had similar experiences with other google products: My mom forgot her gmail password and no longer had the same mobile number for a reset, the secondary reset option was set to my email but would not send a reset despite this. We had a live session via thunderbird but there were no channels of support. Luckily we were able to register her old mobile number to achieve a password reset, thanks to a helpful phone p…

I have this problem with paypal: Made an account about 10 years ago with email address x, mobile telephone number y, bank debit card z with some security questions thrown in. I cannot remember my password from 10 years ago so I need to reset it. If I try to reset it, they want to send me an sms otp to the mobile number from 10 years ago which I no longer have. Obviously I cannot update the mobile number if I cannot l…

> In their help guide they say you can contact support if you cannot log in at all, but you have to log a support ticket.... which requires me to log in.

I've been burned by that logic at several companies. It's really infuriating. I've even had one where they had a phone number to call for support, but the phone number was locked away behind a support login screen.

Re: My Google Traffic Has Fallen to Zero

#255

Post by mackrevinack » Tue, Jan 05, 2021, 9:55 AM UTC

solstice wrote: post #224

mrslave wrote: post #200

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'll echo the sentiments in this thread except for the swear words at Google. Losing access to a Gmail for similar reasons has been a net positive, though at the time it was mildly frustrating. I haven't gotten sucked into their aggressive cross-selling of all their products, and the consequences of always being logged in. Occasionally I can't view or comment on something. You can bookmark 5 YouTube channels without…

Same here. I use Teddit.net for Reddit, Newpipe for Youtube and one of the nitter.net instances for Twitter. All the content without the clutter and fast, as well as a lower temptation to get into flamewars etc. (In Newpipe you can subscribe to creators' channels, see the comments and their other videos. You just can't comment from there.)

freetube is another youtube alternative if anyone is more of a desktop user, and invidious is web based

Re: My Google Traffic Has Fallen to Zero

#256

Post by beprogrammed » Tue, Jan 05, 2021, 9:55 AM UTC

Had never seen this site, actually seemed useful. Several of the categories I have bought from recently, and trying to sort through the products and reviews is a nightmare.

Re: My Google Traffic Has Fallen to Zero

#257

Post by Teandw » Tue, Jan 05, 2021, 10:00 AM UTC

Just taking 2 minutes to look at the website, shows why they lost the traffic and the website deserved to lose the traffic. Sounds harsh but it's true. This is a website that was built with no consideration of truly providing value to visitors.

The website is another run of the mill affiliate website built with the sole purpose of making the owner some money.

The same old rubbish "here are 5-10 products that we've selected because we will make money." that other websites do - Where is the website actually helping or providing the visitors any value? It isn't.

The only research they seem to do on products is 1) Will I get commission if I send customers to it 2) Is it cheap. 3) Do the reviews look fake/real.

That's not helping anyone and provides no value. Hence why Google removed it's ranking. It provides literally no value or true content to visitors. Their product lists are all "The Best X products" - Best based on what? They're not buying the products and actually checking their good, they're just pulling products out of their backside from Amazon/Bestbuy.

How can this website honest create hundreds of "Best X products", without even using/testing any of them and think they've providing value to customers? The owner is kidding himself.

Re: My Google Traffic Has Fallen to Zero

#258

Post by dsnr » Tue, Jan 05, 2021, 10:05 AM UTC

_jal wrote: post #80

jjcon wrote: post #30

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> My mom forgot her gmail password and no longer had the same mobile number for a reset, the secondary reset option was set to my email but would not send a reset despite this. I’m in a similar position except I know my password. Google decided for whatever reason that my location was too different and now requires that I verify via a phone number I no longer have. I have access to the recovery email and even get ‘su…

This is one reason I will not give out a phone number for the vast majority of services. If that means I can't use something, so be it. Building proprietary, impossible-to-understand Rube Goldberg mechanisms based on associations between accidental aspects of my life (location:phone number pairs, for instance) is not a security system, it is a design for randomly fucking me over. If your system is designed to fuck me…

> I would prefer to use something else, thanks.

What is the alternative to Gmail? Genuinely interested. I'd be willing to switch if I found a future-proof email solution for both personal and business usage.

Re: My Google Traffic Has Fallen to Zero

#259

Post by lbj » Tue, Jan 05, 2021, 10:09 AM UTC

weisbaum wrote: post #141

Taking a look at your site, it seems quite clear where all your traffic went. You have a pretty great backlink profile compared to other affiliate sites ive seen but the content is incredibly thin. Based on this, me or anyone else who visits the site just sees an advertising site. There are no personal experiences with the products, the products are not related and the UX does not make the user want to continue explo…

This sort of thing is why I keep coming back here. Kudos!

Re: My Google Traffic Has Fallen to Zero

#260

Post by krageon » Tue, Jan 05, 2021, 10:13 AM UTC

dsnr wrote: post #258

_jal wrote: post #80

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is one reason I will not give out a phone number for the vast majority of services. If that means I can't use something, so be it. Building proprietary, impossible-to-understand Rube Goldberg mechanisms based on associations between accidental aspects of my life (location:phone number pairs, for instance) is not a security system, it is a design for randomly fucking me over. If your system is designed to fuck me…

> I would prefer to use something else, thanks. What is the alternative to Gmail? Genuinely interested. I'd be willing to switch if I found a future-proof email solution for both personal and business usage.

There are so many email providers you'll have to explain in a bit more detail why you think the alternatives you've seen aren't appropriate for you.