Snap Realizes Own Desperation, Uses it as a Marketing Angle

"algorithm" seems to have become the new god of the internet. If you don't know or don't want someone to know the truth about something just use "algorithm".

For instance, if you ask Google why the minimum CPC mysteriously went up for the same keyword you've been using for a few years they'll just mumble something about "the algorithm". They do this also when you ask them about fraudulent click-throughs.

It sounds like Snap intends to use the term in this same vein. They wish to seem legitimate and at the same time skew the results for financial gain.

surely it is not them who wants to do that...it's the algorithm ;)

I understand your comments, but have to post this clarification, if you want more info about how and why Snap created one list of search results with both paid and unpaid results, read this posting Blurring the edge or just pushing the edge? on the Snap Blog.

But, the issue of using a good SEO to get ranked higher in the Snap results so you don’t have to pay is an interesting issue, and honestly, one we hadn’t discussed previously. It strikes me though, that you’re paying money anyway for an SEO’s service and/or book. So, in that, why not just pay Snap and only pay for the business they drive?

Also, Snap’s post-click behavioral analysis should do a good if not great job of weeding out unscrupulous SEO spammers because Snap users will click through and not convert, thus making that result decline in Snap’s results. To us, and we think to users as well, a good result that “speeds them to satisfaction” is just that – a good result. Just my two cents!

Jason Fields
Interaction Designer
Snap.com

So, in that, why not just pay Snap and only pay for the business they drive?

It is an issue of ROI my friend. How are you going to compete with Google and Yahoo! and MSN on marketplace efficiency if you aren't squeezing out every cent possible? SEOs know how to either create good stuff that will spread or find algorithmic loopholes. Even Google still has some LARGE ones.

Also, Snap’s post-click behavioral analysis should do a good if not great job of weeding out unscrupulous SEO spammers because Snap users will click through and not convert, thus making that result decline in Snap’s results.

You have to realize that the other engines are collecting more data than you are. Also DirectHit was canned because the user acceptance model is too easy to spam.

How do you detect what a conversion is? What advertisers are going to opt into sharing that information so you can create a marketplace to charge them for what they were once getting from you for free?

If I am looking for a simple piece of information and a page gives it to me right away and I leave that page right away is it a good page or a bad page? How do you know? What is the difference between a spam page and a page that quickly solves the user's needs?

And if you use the back button to demote bad results what is to prevent me from demoting everyone ranking above me by visiting them and quickly coming back to your results? Or having it done a few thousand times through proxies?

I think there are still some flaws in search as it sits, and some good opportunities. I am just uncertain how what Snap is doing is going to be relevant.

Also some search spam converts exceptionally well. It is purely a myth that search spam is either universally poorly targeted or poorly converting.

Welcome to TW Jason :)

What is snap? ;-)

Aaron I think here Jason has defined "unscrupulous SEO spammers" separately from "scrupulous SEO spammers". Obviously your "search spam that converts exceptionally well" is scrupulous SEO spam, which is OK.

I mean, really, if mixing paid results in with organic results is ok, surely search spam that converts would be ok.

Sounds like AltaVista to me, I remember how well they went after they spammed their results with ads.

I also find it funny that you think spam would not convert Jason, surely if the money was that bad due to lack of sales all these brainy spammers would be working for SE's would they not? Good spam will convert much higher than your advertised positions, what happens then?