Search Results

posted by Aaron Dewald on 5/17/2007

I've talked to many people about search results in the past... and I'm finding out first hand just how important it is.

I did a search for DeuceCactus on Google today, and the results were sort of startling.  I own about 5 of the top results for that search (which is good) but someone on MySpace goes by the name DeuceCactus too.  I have no idea how or why he would pick that name, but his profile is disturbing.  Not only that but as the results trickle down to the second page, he has a dating profile  that's also showing up in the results!

Now, if I hadn't optimized my site as well... MySpace, being a high traffic site, could have trumped my site.  So, in searching for 'DeuceCactus', his page would have been the first one (or five) results.  What kind of message would that send my customers?!

I'd like everyone to know, no, that isn't my MySpace profile, and no, that isn't me on the dating sites, and I doubt there is any action I can take.

So, the moral of the story?  Make sure you have your website in tip-top shape.  There's a lot of people out there that can easily give you a unintended 'bad name' by optimizing their site and leaping ahead of you in search results.  Not only that, but people doing their research head straight to Google to find out more.  If you don't show up in the top few results... who is?

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