38 replies to this topic

[memphiz]

Hi there, I'm new to your awesome forum - and would like to start off with a question I couldn't find an authoritative answer for elsewhere on the net...

Most people are probably aware about how easy it is to manipulate Alexa traffic information... my question: Is there any evidence on the Alexa data being taken into account by the major algos - ie. Google, Yahoo... - when weighting page importance?

:cool:

[OldWelshGuy]

The big 3 Google, Yahoo! & MSN make absolutely no physical connection with any other search engine positions ranking etc with the exception of a link from the Yahoo! directory counting as a link like any other.

Alexa rankings is really a bag o bones, it means as much as a used Mc'd drinks carton. IMHO

OWG

OOPs and I forgot to say Welcome Memphiz

[Randy]

Welcome to the fun and games Memphiz !

[SearchRank]

Welcome memphiz!

Ditto to what OWg said - Alexa has no affect of how Google and Yahoo rate sites ... and MSN, well they ain't a real search engine yet.

[memphiz]

Thanks for your replies, guys

You're probably right. Still, we know that Yahoo and ODP directory listings factor in and that there are plenty of indications that certain sites have been given 'authority' status probably on the basis of human selection rather than mere computational criteria.. I certainly hope, Alexa's data is not an authorative factor...

M.

[Jill]

Welcome memphiz!

Alexa rankings mean nothing to the search engines and rightfully so. They shouldn't mean anything to anyone, imo!

Still, we know that Yahoo and ODP directory listings factor in and that there are plenty of indications that certain sites have been given 'authority' status probably on the basis of human selection rather than mere computational criteria.

That's actually not true at all.

Links from Yahoo and ODP are treated the same as any other link. They are not given any special status whatsoever.

Jill

[OldWelshGuy]

Memphiz, you touched on authority sites, what you have to get your head around is that IMO and from what I have seen, a site does not have to be huge to be an authority site, as it is relative to the volume of information available.

EG if there are 20 sites about alien zombie flesh eater spanish made subtitled in Welsh, and one site links to all 20, with many of those sites linking back to it above any other in the results, then that would make that site an authority on the subject in the eyes of the Google algo, as well as a hub.

Search is relative, and it is relative to known information, that is what sometimes gets missed with the Google style of doing things.

A link from Dmoz & Google dir, plus some good on page stuff might be good enough to rank you for some low down phrase, but it is not going to cut it for 're-mortgage'. That is because search is relative, and in exactly the same way as competition for positions is relative on a sliding scale, so is being an authority on your site subject matter.

If there are only 3 sites shown for your search phrase, and two of them link to you, and you link to both of them, but they do not link to each other, then YOU are the authority, AND the hub, as all relevant sites consider you worth linking to, and you lik to all relevant sites, while the other two have not linked to each other, so are seen as less use. (all things being equal)

[anthonyparsons.com]

The funny thing is memphiz, is that I just had another SEO tell me today that my Alexa Rank was not good enough, and when told it means crap and nothing, they responded that only scammers think that.

Well, I won't say what the end result was, just me and lots of yelling and swearing at an idiot, but that is the mentality of some individuals on the WWW. The worst thing is, is that a client believes them.

[Jill]

LOL...only scammers think Alexa is crap...that's a good one!

I should be saying NICE things about Alexa as I have great rankings there. But I know better than to think it actually means much.

That said, in my space, it does mean something, but only compared to others in my space.

<I still seem to be banned from viewing Alexa.com though. Guess they don't like me talking about them! >

[memphiz]

yeah, that's funny anthony..

OldWelshGuy -thanks a lot for your post on authority sites. Actually I read some published Stanford research a while back on information retrieval/ IR for the www. Interesting computations that factor in for authority site status - certainly all relative to a given subject. Whereby it is important to distinguish between 'themes/ subject matter' and 'keywords' I think. Haven't quite worked this one out yet... from what you are saying - it would still be easy to build an authority site for 're-mortgages cardiff' - but that's not necessarily been the case in my experience as ofter you find that generic authority sites win over the niche ones even if the niche ones are more targeted and have good BLs...

M.

[OldWelshGuy]

A good algo would realise that 're-mortgages' and 'cardiff' are different subject matters, but like you say it is complicated, and getting more so.

That's what makes it all so much fun

[BrianR]

A little late to the party but...

Welcome to the forum, memphiz - good to have another Brit onboard - not that I'm biased or anything...

BrianR

[memphiz]

Cheers mate!
Actually, I'm German - have been living in London for almost a decade and doing the SEO thing... :-)

M.

[anthonyparsons.com]

<I still seem to be banned from viewing Alexa.com though. Guess they don't like me talking about them! >

You win.....that's fairly impressive Jill

I'd be well happy with a result like that under my belt....

[Jbrookins]

I pointed out to a co-worker once that Alexa takes it's rankings from it's toolbar users, and it appears that there's a fad amongst industry folks to check their alexa ranking. Problem is that it's reporting their activity and starts to skew the results towards industry sites.

You'll see extremely high rankings for sites that are completely unknown to Joe Consumer. I mean, most people's target audience could really care less about a new cart system, webmaster forum or ad delivery method, yet that's what you see a whole lot of in the top 500.