Live data from Hacker News

Rap Genius Traffic Has Dropped By Over 80%

quantcast.com

71–80 of 175 posts

Re: Rap Genius Traffic Has Dropped By Over 80%

#71
post #47

Earlier quoted context omitted.

+1. Even if RapGenius did cheat, they are still the best solution for Google's customers (i.e. those sheep whose data can be mined and sold). So I don't get why Google essentially fucks up with their customers.

Why is RapGenius the best result for Google searchers? I just want lyrics, if Google can get me to them I am happy. RG has a ton of bloat that I don't want or need.

Because when you google for "rapgenius" the best result is unquestionably rapgenius.

Re: Rap Genius Traffic Has Dropped By Over 80%

#72
post #62

An interesting side effect of this is the phenomenon of less sophisticated users who use Google as their address bar. If you run a decently well-known website you see this in your analytics reports (at least back when you could see Google search keywords)--repeat visitors coming to your site from Google after searching for your site by name. This is why "facebook" is the top Google search. Since you can't find RapGen…

Specifically, https://twitter.com/RapGenius/status/417354178189459456

Re: Rap Genius Traffic Has Dropped By Over 80%

#73
post #49

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Google is a corporation. If you want to do business with them, you follow their rules, or face the consequences. RG didn't follow those rules. How is this ridiculous?

My feeling is that Google is acting like a monopoly. It's wrong that a private company is able to exert this much power over others, even if the others are being shady.

That's only the case because this company has built its model with Google as a primary player.

I understand the facts of the situation--a rap lyrics website HAS to build around Google to achieve optimal success. But if you aren't willing to give away that much control, build a less-successful version or just find another business.

Re: Rap Genius Traffic Has Dropped By Over 80%

#74

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I greatly prefer AZLyrics - they give me the lyrics on a page with just the lyrics, that's all I want nearly 100% of the time. It's not even a contest: http://i.imgur.com/H1QixcN.png

Don't forget that rap genius didn't / doesn't want to just be a lyrics site, they also do the whole "what do these lyrics mean" deal. I'd have no idea what 2 Chainz was going on about half the time were it not for RG.

This is perhaps further argument to use azlyrics.

Re: Rap Genius Traffic Has Dropped By Over 80%

#75

Which is really a shame, because RapGenius is a better lyrics site than all the rest by leaps and bounds. Google is acting like a cartel here and it's absolutely ridiculous. I hope they can beat this thing.

RapGenius doesn't need to 'beat this thing'. They need to suck it up and deal with the punishment for getting caught cheating. Google has very clear guidelines. RapGenius decided to go blackhat SEO anyway (because 'everyone else does it'). They got caught (blatantly). And now they're dealing with the penalty.

If you don't want to have a 6 month penalty on Google, don't cheat.

Re: Rap Genius Traffic Has Dropped By Over 80%

#76
post #62

An interesting side effect of this is the phenomenon of less sophisticated users who use Google as their address bar. If you run a decently well-known website you see this in your analytics reports (at least back when you could see Google search keywords)--repeat visitors coming to your site from Google after searching for your site by name. This is why "facebook" is the top Google search. Since you can't find RapGen…

It happened slightly differently to Facebook

http://readwrite.com/2010/02/11/how_google_failed_internet_m...

Re: Rap Genius Traffic Has Dropped By Over 80%

#77

Earlier quoted context omitted.

They have added value in their annotated lyrics, which comes in handy especially with cryptic word play/slang in rap lyrics.

You realize any Joe Schmoe can annotate what he personally believes the meaning of a particular lyric is. If you read any Kanye West lyrics on that site, they break down every line like it's some kind of literary divine intervention of pure brilliance by grasping at every straw possible.

Agree that's sometimes happens. The site also incentivizes every single word to be explained, which makes for some pretty mundane, very little explanations. But there are times where I just don't get the reference and someone's been kind enough to provide it.

Re: Rap Genius Traffic Has Dropped By Over 80%

#78
post #24

There really needs to be some checks and balances here. Perhaps an opensource search engine? I think an entity like Google having so much control over which businesses die or survive is a little ridiculous.

The issue is Google has become the only way to discover content on the web. Before Google, there was much more competition or alternative ways to make content discoverable. Now people basically only "google" stuffs up, and that's not going to change. And search capabilities on most websites are provided by Google too ,that's insane and dangerous. Google has become the WEB and if you are not on Google , you dont exist. Google is now an institution thus "too big to fail",and so much for anti-trust laws.

Re: Rap Genius Traffic Has Dropped By Over 80%

#79
post #72
post #62

An interesting side effect of this is the phenomenon of less sophisticated users who use Google as their address bar. If you run a decently well-known website you see this in your analytics reports (at least back when you could see Google search keywords)--repeat visitors coming to your site from Google after searching for your site by name. This is why "facebook" is the top Google search. Since you can't find RapGen…

Specifically, https://twitter.com/RapGenius/status/417354178189459456

Among others:

https://twitter.com/RapGenius/status/417348237222113281

Post reply on HN