Is it wise to promote that you are top of Google?

Forum Moderators: Robert Charlton & goodroi

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Is it wise to promote that you are top of Google?

Gemini23

1:55 pm on Aug 26, 2009 (gmt 0)

Hi,

Obviously it is great to get to the No. 1 spot on Google for any search term that yields good traffic. But is it then wise to promote that you are No. 1 as a marketing tool?

For example, could you put something like the following as a note to potential customers on each page of a website.

"We are No. 1 on Google for "Furry Widgets" due to you the customer."

If this was on every page would the possible over-use of "Furry Widgets" be considered to be spam?

If it is considered that the above could be used as a marketing tool but could potentially be 'spammy', is there a code to add that would remove that slice of page content from the search engines?

Any thoughts?

santapaws

5:14 pm on Aug 26, 2009 (gmt 0)

stick in iframe, noindex the linked page.

StoutFiles

5:37 pm on Aug 26, 2009 (gmt 0)

I would think that would be spammy. Also, how can you guarantee you will always be #1 for that search term?

Gemini23

5:49 pm on Aug 26, 2009 (gmt 0)

Not sure about using it... just sounding out people with greater knowledge than me... but.... IF a web page is No. 1 then why not make hay while the sun shines... equally Page 1 on Google is I guess... a bit like saying... "we are the number 1 website for whatever... ". If you ae THE No. 1 then why not use it as a marketing tool?

Bones

5:56 pm on Aug 26, 2009 (gmt 0)

Would your furry widget customers care that you were #1 for that search? Would it make any difference to your sales? My guess probably not (unless you were selling SEO services).

Besides, with local and international search producing different SERPS, can you be sure all of your visitors would see that you were #1?

buckworks

6:10 pm on Aug 26, 2009 (gmt 0)

If you said that on your site, you'd effectively be inviting them to leave your site to go do a Google search.

How would that help you close sales?

Philosopher

6:16 pm on Aug 26, 2009 (gmt 0)

As a previous poster mentioned, many of the SERPs are very different based on the geo-targeting of the visitors IP.

You may be #1 when you search, but you may well NOT be #1 for everyone in every location and making the claim and not coming up #1 may take away credibility.

arieng

6:28 pm on Aug 26, 2009 (gmt 0)

Furthering what StoutFiles had to say, there is a lot of talk lately about variable rankings these days. Rankings have a lot of movement based on geography, iGoogle, time of day, the "yo-yo" effect, and who knows what else.

Does the potential upside outweigh the downside of having a customer check your ranking and see you somewhere other than #1?

Reno

6:32 pm on Aug 26, 2009 (gmt 0)

What the GoogleGod giveth, the GoogleGod taketh away -- this board is filled with that exact experience from webmaster after webmaster, of "falling from grace" for no discernible reason. Unless there's a definite financial benefit to you in making such an announcement, I'd leave well enough alone. Enjoy the sunshine before the clouds arrive, and make no mistake about it, the clouds will arrive some day. Google makes no guarantees -- nor should they.

........................

LifeinAsia

6:36 pm on Aug 26, 2009 (gmt 0)

I've seen some sites that have a screen capture of them at #1 or #2. But if you do an actual check, most of the time they are not at the top any more.

Of course, I've also seen some "screen captures" where their site's information was obviously PhotoShopped into the screen capture.

Gemini23

6:46 pm on Aug 26, 2009 (gmt 0)

Thanks for some great comments guys... as requested.. "any thoughts" and some very valuable answers.. Thanks!

fishfinger

6:50 pm on Aug 26, 2009 (gmt 0)

site's information was obviously PhotoShopped into the screen capture

The nerve of some people never ceases to amaze.

Beachboy

10:16 pm on Aug 26, 2009 (gmt 0)

I wouldn't. Don't tempt tigers.

wingslevel

1:45 pm on Aug 28, 2009 (gmt 0)

my competitor used to do that - he had "we're number 1 on google for fuzzy widgets" on his about us page and even on his investors page.

he's number 2-3 now - bad karma