I just read about this on Danny Sullivan's blog and then followed the link going to the official Google blog and both times, I couldn't believe what I was reading. But at the same time, its hard not to believe it.
So here is the scoop: Google's team created fake searches like 'hiybbprqag' - hiybb-what? Yes. That word that's not a word. It didn't mean anything but the assumption is that when you search for a term that doesn't really mean anything, the search results of two different (rival) search engines differs. It is a solid a assumption since both search algorithms supposedly operate separately. But more than that, the Google Team inserted websites that had nothing to do with the search query. They tested these synthetic queries and inserted websites that had no relevance to the search term whatsoever. (gasp!) Google returning wrong results!
Surprise, surprise! Google and Bing had the exact same results. The Google team tried it on many-a-keywords and it really does seem like Bing is pulling results from Google. Please read the official google blog for the full story. The entire sting by the Google Team was brilliant - from using Explorer all the way to posting the last line on the blog, "what do we want out of this? The answer is simple. We'd like for this practice to stop."
I don't normally react to search engine news, I don't normally react period. I am too busy trying to implement the latest search engine algorithm and dealing with all the web development and SEO contracts we have in the Cayman Islands. But this time, I needed to react. If what Google says is true and it seems that they have proven it through their experiment, it means that Bing has been faking it. They probably spent all their money on Advertising instead of product development.
The silver lining for me as an SEO is that I don't have to worry about optimizing websites for Bing. I optimize it for one website and bam! Two search engines with one click. Yes! But the implication of Bing copying Google's result don't stop with me. What about the future of search and the search market monopoly? Is no one capable of matching the search giant that is Google? Well, Facebok perhaps but that is another blog altogether.
Everyone seems to be going nuts about Bing copying Google but a bigger question at the back of my mind is this: Google can insert results for search terms! If they can insert results for fake searches then they can most definitely insert results for real searches. That is probably why they have never revealed their search engine algorithm. To keep SEO's, like me guessing and to keep Clients, like you - paying for more.
It kills me whenever I am working so hard to optimize a website (given budgetary limitations) and I have to keep buying links and having to get my client to pay for them. Not only that - because the cost of getting to first page is so high, this cost is probably absorbed by you - the user who buys products and services online. Yes, you are affected by this whole hullabaloo as well.
So Bing copies Google results and Google can insert whatever website they want on search results. No wonder the big corporations are getting bigger and the small companies who try to make a decent living, don't stand a chance.
Kung Hei Fat Choi Everyone! Thanks for reading my rant that just uninspired me to keep on fighting the good fight. I use to think Google was amazing but now because of this incident, I am now questioning Google's integrity in returning search results. Bing never mattered before and it certainly doesn't matter now.
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