Hey Google – Can We Talk?

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Ever find something that makes you laugh? Something so contradictory, that it is downright hysterical? Happened to me tonight when I did a quick Google search for a particular term. Take a look at what Google did to me in the search engine result pages. Maybe someone (hint:Matt Cutts) can explain to me what is going on here with PotPieGirl.

A Google Search For PotPieGirl

I did a random “see what’s going on” search for PotPieGirl tonight.

And then saw this:

That’s good, right? I think so….

And then, I saw THIS:

PotPieGirl Has Google Site Links!

Now that is just plain awesome…. thanks, Google!

SiteLinks are automatically generated by Google and from the best of my recollection, they are given to sites that perhaps are recognized as a ‘brand’ that is consistently searched for. In theory, this is designed to make it easier for searchers to find the info they are looking for on a site.

No one is quite clear as to what factors go into a site getting sitelinks. Could be traffic, could be backlinks, could be a lot of things. I’ve also read that perhaps age of the domain comes into play (which I would have disagree with being this domain name isn’t even a year old yet).

I read a good post about Google sitelinks in which the author came to these opinions as to how a site gets SiteLinks:

The sitelink option in the Google results are similar with the siteinfo.xml provided for the Alexa toolbar, a simple option for a webmaster to provide most important direct links to his website structure. Google version of Siteinfo is different because you cannot specify WHICH link in your website is a Sitelink. You can only ask remove one link from the Sitelinks (Google Webmaster panel option).

Why are the Sitelinks appearing, when and under which algorithm? The algorithm used is totally automated and is taking in consideration the following criteria’s:

  • Old powerful website.
  • The sitelinks are pages which are coming on first position in SERPs.
  • The sitelinks are most of the time associated with top results related words: “domain”, “domain download”, “domain demo” etc.
  • The sitelinks are probably not influenced by PageRank.

Hmmmmm….. Interesting.

As I mentioned a moment ago, I am not an “old powerful website” – so, let’s check that one off in relation to PotPieGirl.com.

These pages on my site that were chosen to be SiteLinks are coming in first position in the Google SERPs (search engine result pages)?

Well let’s check that. A Google search for “1st 3 Days” doesn’t show me at #1, tho I am on the first page. I am #1 for “Dear Mr Squidoo Cash Machine“. As for “Meet PotPieGirl“, ironically, that actual post is ranked #2 in the SERPs.

A search for “how I make WordPress niche sites” has THIS blog of mine at #6 (but it is not the post that is listed as a SiteLink). A Search for “my stance on no follow” has my post at #2. And finally, a search for “January 2008 payout info” has my post at #2.

So, not thinking THAT theory holds true in relation to this blog.

As for the sitelinks being directly related to the domain… uhhh, not so much. Lastly, the SiteLinks are not influenced by Page Rank. Ok, I can’t do anything with that theory. This blog is currently a PR3 on the toolbar.

The only thing that has changed recently with my blog is that my Alexa rank has gotten inside the top 100,000 in over-all blog ranking (which I think is kinda cool…lol). Otherwise, it’s been business as usual. Well, not completely. I am actually posting a little less than usual as I work on OneWeekMarketing.com.

So, I don’t know exactly why my site was given SiteLinks by Google today. My theory was that Google recognizes me as a brand. If you do a Google search for “Coke” or “Amazon”, etc, you see SiteLinks like these too (aren’t I special…LMAO!).

BUT…..

Here’s The Punchline

If Google sees PotPieGirl as a brand and recognizes it as a commonly searched phrase… If Google recognizes PotPieGirl in all these other ways, then why.. WHY… do I also see THIS when I Google search ‘potpiegirl’?

ACK!

HOW is it that Google recognizes PotPieGirl enough to give it SiteLinks, BUT, it STILL thinks it is a TYPO??? And of ALL typos, THAT typo. Heck, I’m not even going to type those two words on my blog so I don’t even RISK ranking for that nasty term. Go ahead, laugh… it is kinda funny. But here is an advanced warning, if you type those two words into a comment, I will edit it. I don’t want to give Google ANY help with me being associated with that term =)

So, can ANYONE tell me how I can have sitelinks AND be a typo all at the same time?

Anyone?

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