Thursday, November 27, 2003

Well things haven't picked up on the Google/business front. Many small businesses have been affected. Most of us noticed that other search engines are showing much more normal results still. So if you are looking for a good, non filtered, unbiased search engine, here are some.

Altavista
All The Web

Was just swapping emails with a competitor in the USA. She is almost out of business and hasn't seen an order in over a week. What a sad time for the "little man".

Wednesday, November 26, 2003

Despondent Jackie alert!

Google has just about put me out of business by filtering certain searches for businesses. Last week a search for Crochet Hooks put my little business at #1. Now you can't find me. A search on Crochet Patterns had me at the top of page 3 (pretty good). You can't find me in the top 800 now. Basically Google has done this to generate revenue it seems. I am not a big enough business to pay huge amounts for advertising. I did go on their Google Adwords but it is costing so much and not bringing in any customers. They click, I get charged but nobody buys. I can't afford it for more than a day or so more.

To say that I am depressed is an understatement. I have worked my butt off building up Karp Styles from nothing. It has taken 4 years to get where I am. I was doing OK. Not a big business by any means. Not a high earner. I have worked until 2am some nights. Now it seems to have been taken away by one search engine. Isn't it sad that they have so much power?

You can see the filter in action. Do a search on CROCHET HOOKS. Karp Styles is not there. (I may appear in the sponsored paid ads on the side that are costing me an arm and a leg for nothing). Now do a search on CROCHET HOOKS -googlegoo . Voila! Jackie's business appears again. The -googlegoo takes the filter away. So many small businesses like mine have been affected by this. I had just bought in thousands of dollars of stock ready for Christmas.
Now our family income has been cut in half.

Happy Thanksgiving and Merry Christmas Google!!!!!!!!!!!!!