Is Google Playing the Long Game with SMB Websites?

[Tim Colling]

"...we are starting to see the outlines of an “open web” that Google totally controls. Or at least they control the profitable parts."
~ Mike Blumenthal ~

https://streetfightmag.com/2018/09/...websites/?mc_cid=5270c06a24&mc_eid=ee13ff5966

 

[JoshuaMackens]

Very interest insights.

I'm surprised with all the effort Google still hasn't put more resources into their local algorithm for spam and the like.

 

[Tim Colling]

Yep
They don't have to care about getting it right, they just have to care about whether searchers *think* that they are getting it right.

 

[JoshuaMackens]

I think eventually that will catch up to them. When a user has a better search experience with someone else, they will leave Google. This is what Google fears and actively works against and is the reason for their continued innovation with one box answers, knowledge panels, etc. The only issue is that, currently, no one has a better search experience overall for the web.

They just don't seem to hold local search in the same regard as web search. Which probably makes sense considering local search probably comprises a significantly smaller portion of their revenue than does web search. The only reason I say that is because of how flippant they are with the local search product. I actually have no numbers to back that up, only their behavior.

 

[Tony Wang]

Yes, we're all hoping that another player will come along to challenge Google in local, as no one likes a monopoly (except the monopolizer).