{"id":341,"date":"2014-04-11T19:45:43","date_gmt":"2014-04-11T14:15:43","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/gtm360.com\/blog\/?p=341"},"modified":"2020-09-02T16:20:30","modified_gmt":"2020-09-02T10:50:30","slug":"google-search-upheaval-does-not-equal-abuse","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gtm360.com\/blog\/2014\/04\/11\/google-search-upheaval-does-not-equal-abuse\/","title":{"rendered":"Google Search – Upheaval Does Not Equal Abuse"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"PandaEvery update to Google’s search algorithm – Penguin and Panda to name the latest two – is accompanied by major upheavals in the rankings of websites on the Google Search Engine Results Page.<\/p>\n

Take the case of Mahalo<\/strong><\/a> for example: After the Panda update, the human-powered search directory\u00a0found itself shunted off from the #1 position to the back pages of Google\u00a0SERP, with the impact being so severe that the company briefly considered shutting down service.<\/p>\n

The turbulence caused by these updates is often followed by vociferous accusations by all and sundry that Google acts in an opaque manner. To quote Vishal Mehta, the Founder CEO of leading Indian e-tailer Infibeam<\/strong><\/a>, “there is no transparency on what parameters push up or down certain (Google) search results”.<\/p>\n

Some of these accusers even sue Google on the grounds that it abuses its monopoly status.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, the search behemoth marches on.<\/p>\n

Probably because there’s lot more to this subject than meets the eye.\u00a0Let’s take each one of these allegations and look at their merits.<\/span><\/p>\n

Monopoly<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Google owns 70% share of web search market in USA, 90% in Europe and 97% in India. Arguably that makes it a monopoly, at least outside USA.<\/p>\n

But, is it a monopoly caused by lack of choice?<\/p>\n

No. Google was not the first search engine when it launched in the late nineties. Google is still not the only search engine. It’s just that a majority of users – that includes you and me – happen to choose Google over other search engines although they have plenty of choice.<\/p>\n

Therefore, Google’s alleged monopoly is created by its users. As we shall see later, very few monopolies have this trait.<\/p>\n

Transparency<\/strong><\/p>\n

Google publishes copious release notes for each of its updates. Just type site:google.com panda update<\/strong>\u00a0into your favorite search box – Google in my case – and you’ll get references to 1,140,000 pieces of content, all from Google, Inc. This shows that Google is quite transparent about communicating the impact of changes to its search algorithm.<\/p>\n

On the other hand, will the Amazons, Flipkarts and the Infibeams of the world tell us how they arrive at their prices? Do online travel agencies tell you that they increase their prices on every repeat visit to their websites? (They do.)<\/p>\n

\n

Avoid price surges by clearing your cookies before revisiting an online travel website. @FortuneMagazine<\/a>. http:\/\/t.co\/dstTVydWZj<\/a><\/p>\n

— GTM360 (@GTM360) April 9, 2014<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n