In Response To Google

🌈 Abstract

The article discusses Google's response to the author's previous article, specifically addressing claims about the March 2019 core update and the relationship between Google's search and advertising teams.

🙋 Q&A

[01] Google's Response to the March 2019 Core Update Claim

1. What was Google's response to the claim that the March 2019 core update rolled back previous updates?

• Google stated that the March 2019 core update was designed to improve the quality of search results, and that it is incorrect to say it rolled back their quality or anti-spam protections.
• The author argues that this claim is "baseless speculation" and provides several sources, including quotes from industry experts, that suggest the update may have been a "rollback" of previous updates.
• The author states that Google could provide meaningful data and explanations to clarify the nature of the update, but has instead chosen to "vaguely and unilaterally state" that the author was incorrect.

2. What evidence does the author provide to support the idea that the March 2019 update was a "rollback"?

• The author cites quotes from industry experts, including Roger Monti of Search Engine Journal and Brett Tabke of WebMasterWorld, who referred to the update as "behaving like a rollback of previous updates" and a "rollback of a few of the last updates."
• The author also references a report from SEO tool company Sistrix that found 75% of websites that improved in rankings during the update were sites that had lost rankings in previous 2018 updates.

3. How does the author respond to Google's claim that the organic search results are not affected by the ads system?

• The author argues that Google has never "definitively" stated anything about the organic search results being unaffected by the ads system.
• The author cites several emails from Google executives that suggest the ads team has influenced and pushed around the search team, including requests to "reconsider a rollback" and make changes to increase revenue.
• The author states that while the "organic results you see in search" may not be directly affected, the emails show that Google Search is affected, influenced and required to act at the behest of the advertising and finance divisions of Google.

[02] Testimonial Examples

1. How does the author respond to the testimonial examples provided by Google?

• The author argues that the quotes from Ben Gomes and Jerry Dischler's testimonies do not refute the issues raised in the article, and in some cases directly illustrate the concerns about the ads team's influence over the search team.
• The author states that Dischler's claim about the "organic team operating independently" is a "deliberate obfuscation of the structure of Google" and an attempt to avoid the truth that the ads team has repeatedly pushed around the search team, as evidenced by the email threads.