Google: Built for Users, Not Companies

Within the past few weeks the chorus of large companies have been complaining about how their pages display on Google's search results. The common complaint is that Google's inclusion of maps, products, and other Google services displaying above the standard organic (free) results is harming their websites.

While this may be true, Google has no legal responsibility towards these companies that for years have received heaps of free web traffic courtesy of Google. Google isn't in existence to support websites, but rather to help searchers find what they are looking for. If I search for "Des Moines Pizza" I like to see a list of local pizza shops and a map showing me the closest location and how to get there. I don't particularly care about seeing Domino's listed at the top just because it's a large company.

These large corporations — companies like Trip Advisor, WebMD, and Yelp.com — are whining about lost traffic. Rather than figure out how to best use Google's newest tools, they would rather just make a fuss.

A recent article on Marketing Pilgrim does a very good job of highlighting why this approach is like a toddler kicking and screaming because they didn't get the toy they wanted at the store. Take a quick look and let us know what you think.

http://www.marketingpilgrim.com/2010/12/new-seo-best-practice-whining.html

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