Guest Post Counterpoint to “Social Signals and Algorithm Changes – Industry Dependent?”

An SEO friend, Alec, emailed me after reading my theory on a “relativity factor” in the Google algorithm. He had to respectfully disagree and explained why. I loved his point of view and asked if I could post his thoughts here as a guest post. He also has an intriguing article on the side effects of too much sleep over at the Healthy Way. Check out his side of the discussion and let me know your thoughts in the comments…

Picture of a Discussion
Photo credit to quinn.anya

I just ran across your last post and being my usual contrary self, I have to disagree with you when you say a “one-size-fits-all approach wouldn’t work.” In this case I think it would. Market forces make it more equatable and eliminate the need for “fair metrics relative to [each] industry”. Besides since when is G fair? (but that is another discussion)

Big G wouldn’t necessarily have to have another algo factor for movers or any other industry (isn’t each industry unique?) as the industry itself will create their own relative effect on one another’s rankings by their willingness or ability to participate in each of the ranking factors.

Here is what I mean: if movers as a whole don’t tweet and Google counts tweets for x in the algo, then because the industry doesn’t tweet much,  it will have the effect of not mattering much in the algo’s decision about ranking. Or this: if all movers websites only had one PR1 link of the same value pointing to their site it will in effect negate the value of PR links for ranking purposes.

To take it one step further, let’s think of the opposite of what you are saying here. What if you were able to create a lot of social buzz about movers connected to your business. Don’t you believe that would effect your ranking because no one else is doing it? What if all of the sudden Britney Spears tweeted incessantly about your excellent moving service… you would be in SEO heaven! If what you spelled out in the relative SEO post is true, that Google must use ‘fair metrics’ for each industry, then her tweets would have no effect.

As you and I have discussed before, there are many ways to look at the motives, methods and results of seo. This is just mine and who knows, we could both be right… or both wrong. That is why our industry is so challenging and rewarding.