In an effort to help provide users with more relevant results, Google is now encouraging users to report spam in their query results:
Today, in response to your request, we’re providing a paid links reporting form within Webmaster Tools. To use the form, simply log in and provide information on the sites buying and selling links for purposes of search engine manipulation. We’ll review each report we get and use this feedback to improve our algorithms and improve our search results. in some cases we may also take individual action on sites. Webmaster Central Blog
Great idea, however, it has ABUSE ME! written all over it!
So, the next time you can’t help thinking that the ranking of a search result was not earned by virtue of its content and legitimate SEO, then it is the perfect moment for a spam report. Each of them can give us crucial information for the continual optimization of our search algorithms. Webmaster Central Blog
This does concern me, but as long as Google is paying attention to who is reporting and what they are reporting, it could be considered a good thing.
We think that’s (spam) a bad thing, and so we request that, if your Google search returns a result that you suspect is spam, you please let us know by using this form. We thoroughly investigate every report of deceptive practices and take appropriate action when we uncover genuine abuse. In especially egregious cases, we will remove spammers from our index immediately, so they don’t show up in search results at all. At a minimum we’ll use the data from each spam report to improve our site ranking and filtering algorithms, which, over time, should increase the quality of our results. Report a Spam Result
For more information about the webmaster guidelines, Google posted more details about the webmaster guidelines:
Quality guidelines – specific guidelines
Avoid hidden text or hidden links. Don’t use cloaking or sneaky redirects. Don’t send automated queries to Google. Don’t load pages with irrelevant keywords. Don’t create multiple pages, subdomains, or domains with substantially duplicate content. Don’t create pages that install viruses, trojans, or other badware. Avoid “doorway” pages created just for search engines, or other “cookie cutter” approaches such as affiliate programs with little or no original content. If your site participates in an affiliate program, make sure that your site adds value. Provide unique and relevant content that gives users a reason to visit your site first.
To be perfectly honest, I think that Google has the right idea. Indexing and ranking the world’s information is an arduous task, however, I think that employing a quality team and approaching with these concerns from the user’s perspective, rather than from the webmaster’s, would make the most sense. Google already employs users in research studies, so why should they even consider the thoughts and opinions of the webmasters that are trying to get to the top?
What are your thoughts?
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Hi Stephen… I “think” found you on the net. What in the world is a SEO? Looks like you are doing big and important things nowadays – and have a lil un on the way? I didn’t know any other way to send you a message.. anywho… ~Katie H (hopefully you still remember me)
Ok… But, have Google instructed all users to know what really is a SPAM?
The problem is… now, any one can report a SPAM and, I cannot imagine that Google will have people to see and check every report before make it´s robots to penalize that site…
I do not know… now a competidor can hurt my web site and I´ll never know where the hit came from.
I agree. I’m all for reducing spam in the search engines but this method can be abused way to easily. Any one of my competitors can report me for no reason at all and I’ll never know about it.