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Google Monopoly: The Google Guillotine

January 28, 2011 By Gail Gardner 124 Comments

Table of Contents

  • WHY I Warn Against Google’s Power
          • Related articles
      • Gail Gardner
      • Latest posts by Gail Gardner (see all)

WHY I Warn Against Google’s Power

My regular readers know that I frequently warn of the dangers of allowing Google and other multi-national Corporations to have monopolistic control over our lives, economies and businesses.

Adotas Senior Editor Gavin Dunaway’s post Google Stands Up For Its Search on the buzz about Google not working as well as their reputation suggests prompted me to write a comment that turned into a guest post.

Google Guillotine

Gavin is featuring my post on the home page at Adotas Interactive Advertising Blog where you see the image above currently visible.

I hope you will read and share it.  (Just click the image above to go there.)

The guest post provides a concise explanation of:

  • Why WE as Internet users have collectively GIVEN Google enormous control over far too much
  • How that control is affecting our economy and the economies of every other country in the world
  • Why allowing ANY one search engine to control what most people believe can be found online means any of our sites could be invisible to the majority of all Internet users
  • What simple steps we can take to take back that control and preserve freedom of speech on the Internet
  • Why where we choose to spend our time and money can destroy – or improve – our standard of living

Please take a few minutes to read The Google Guillotine and share that post. I would not ask if it were not important for all our sakes’.

If anything is it is not clear to you I encourage you to discuss it with me in the comments at Adotas and here.

P.S. Adotas is an excellent blog and their publisher Gavin Dunaway is an exceptional blogger who writes insightful posts about important topics. I highly recommend reading Adotas and if any bloggers would like a personal introduction to Gavin for consideration of your guest posts just let me know.

Related articles
  • Is Google a Monopoly? [TNW Google] (thenextweb.com)
  • Daily Blogwatch: Is Google a Monopoly? (dailyfinance.com)
  • In the Grip of the New Monopolists (online.wsj.com)
  • The Internet Monopolies? (circleid.com)
  • EXCELLENT: Infographic Is Google A Monopoly? and the history of other monopolies
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Gail Gardner

Small Business Marketing Strategist at GrowMap
Gail Gardner is the founder of GrowMap.com. She is a Small Business Marketing Strategist who mentors small businesses, bloggers, and freelancers. After 23 years in the field with IBM and 5.5 years managing AdWords accounts, her focus shifted to small business marketing strategy. GrowMap.com is listed by Cision as a Top 100 Site for Marketers and has received three Small Business Influencer Awards from Small Business Trends. Named by D&B a Top 50 SMB Influencer on Twitter, you can follow Gail @GrowMap and on LinkedIn.
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Latest posts by Gail Gardner (see all)

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Filed Under: SEO / Google / Organic Traffic Tagged With: google, monopolies, search, small business, small business meme

Comments

  1. Verna-Sonja G. Klimowcz says

    February 18, 2016 at 9:50 am

    It’s a monopoly. break it up. done deal
    It’s a monopoly. break it up. done deal.

    Reply
    • Gail Gardner says

      February 21, 2016 at 4:42 am

      Hi Verna-Sonja,

      Yes, that would be best; however, that is highly unlikely to ever happen.
      Gail Gardner would love you to read ..Richard Branson’s Method To Make More Money By Doing Less WorkMy Profile

      Reply
  2. John says

    September 4, 2013 at 4:27 am

    I don’t think that any monopoly is healthy. Balanced competition is required to any business, otherwise everybody loose.

    I understand that Google tries to improve their algorithm to avoid spamming, but some small business owners are depending on Google to move their business forward, and many of them are always affected by those changes.

    Thanks for sharing.

    John.

    Reply
  3. growmap says

    February 10, 2012 at 3:18 pm

    Yes and they are going to “help” many into the type of lives described in books like 1984 and Soylent Green and many movies – and the sad thing is most won’t even care that they have given away their freedom – at least until it is too late.

    Money is NOT everything – and those that put too much importance on it are truly going to miss out on what life can be.
    growmap would love you to read ..How YOUR Small Business Can Get Totally Free Advertising on Google Places, Yahoo! Local, Bing and Hundreds of Local Directories and Niche SitesMy Profile

    Reply
  4. Shubham says

    February 10, 2012 at 6:58 am

    Hi,

    What you all wrote is true. But without Google there’s no search Engine 😛
    Shubham would love you to read ..How to Increase Battery Life By Calibrating Mobile BatteryMy Profile

    Reply
  5. Thomas says

    December 23, 2011 at 1:41 pm

    What has happened with Google is a continuation of what must happen given the social/economic climate that we live in. It will happen again and again. Wallmart, Starbucks, McDonald’s, Google, Microsoft . . . the list goes on. The list will continue to morph, living endlessly.
    Thomas would love you to read ..Boise Real Estate- Time to Buy?My Profile

    Reply
    • growmap says

      February 10, 2012 at 3:16 pm

      Hi Thomas,

      Not if the pawns in their game wake up and stop playing.
      growmap would love you to read ..Effect of Hashtag Usage in Super Bowl Advertising: Social Media Monitoring Future Of Engagement: #SoLongVampires Audi Super Bowl AdMy Profile

      Reply
  6. buffalo graphic designer says

    September 30, 2011 at 2:18 am

    it is undeniable that google has the power and financial capabilities to dominate.but lets all remember that it’s us who have the power to say yes or no

    Reply
    • growmap says

      September 30, 2011 at 3:02 am

      Hi Matthew,

      The problem is yes WE have a choice as consumers but those who need to be visible to us have little choice if the majority of consumers are going to automatically use Google and ONLY use Google and worse yet ONLY look at the first few results when they search.

      We have to be smarter than that and those who realize it must encourage everyone they know to use alternatives. One new alternative for businesses in the independent social network GoSkoop. Details in the post I’ll feature in CommentLuv in this reply.
      growmap would love you to read ..Small Business Friendly Ecommerce Social Network GoSkoop – Easy Way to Find, Track and Share DealsMy Profile

      Reply
  7. growmap says

    September 24, 2011 at 4:37 am

    I agree that Google wants to own everything, but I take that further. The same global elite control the major media and multi-national corporations and through them control the government so there is no way the government is going to stop anything.

    The only thing that will work is for US to quietly move away from using any of them and support local and small businesses everywhere. The masses will still keep doing what they’re doing, but the few that understand will not end up with no choices.
    growmap would love you to read ..Small Business Internet Marketing: Where to StartMy Profile

    Reply
  8. Alfie says

    September 13, 2011 at 4:21 pm

    It’s important to remember how Google can literally wipe a site off the map with its algorithms or manual link removals. This kind of power over the visibility of businesses, multiplied by the size of Goog’s user base, means they have an overwhelming amount of control over the prosperity of the world’s businesses. Like a war drone, they can nuke a site with the touch of a button.
    Alfie would love you to read ..The Jury’s In: Gold Awards for TV Commercial Productions By Cheap-TV-Spots.comMy Profile

    Reply
    • growmap says

      September 24, 2011 at 4:43 am

      Hi Alfie,

      I totally agree and they are systematically moving toward favoring big brands for more and more keyword phrases and since July 28, 2011 especially they have been churning first page results for a lot of searches.

      That can easily be seen by looking at analytics and seeing what keywords are bringing you traffic. They have many swords. By sending you traffic for really general keywords your bounce rates go up and people are more likely to block your site which then gives them the perfect excuse to drop you down in the serps or make you go away altogether.

      In spite of all the proof many still believe they are benevolent. They are naive and better be making other plans for getting business as their traffic from Google slowly diminishes over time.

      Social media can help but remember that the same elite control the major social networks like Twitter, Facebook, and Google + so they aren’t really a solution.

      We MUST focus on meeting people on their networks while we can and bringing them to independent sites like our own blogs or the new social network GoSkoop (see CommentLuv link for details).
      growmap would love you to read ..Small Business Friendly Ecommerce Social Network GoSkoop – Easy Way to Find, Track and Share DealsMy Profile

      Reply
  9. Shari says

    September 13, 2011 at 4:16 pm

    Great article. I curb my use of the Goog on principle. Most people don’t understand monopoly, and how it ultimately brings down the health of whole industries. Google is merely a huge number of acquisitions gulped down by Google, metabolized, drained of their technology, and excreted. See this Wikipedia entry for a list of over 100 Google acquisitions: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Google_acquisitions
    Goog has been trying to muscle in on the TV ad business, lately, with crappy set-top boxes and a weak ad sales function. Goog can’t compare to an established internet based TV ad agency like Cheap-TV-Spots, which has a true local-to-nationwide reach, and creates award-winning TV commercials.

    Reply
    • growmap says

      September 24, 2011 at 4:47 am

      Hi Shari,

      We haven’t seen anything yet. And when something is really useful and popular one of the big brands absorbs it and then strangles it to death like they did MyBlogLog, Delicious and PostRank (which may or may not die a slow death – they might just charge for the information – no telling which yet).

      I’m surprised that Google hasn’t been giving away telephones for years already. I really thought they would and that could still happen – or not. It doesn’t matter to me because I consider all the multi-national corporations controlled by the global elite one big Borg.

      The solution is LOCAL collaborations of bloggers. Find one – find them all. Read them – read about local businesses. Use the major social networks to find people and then bring them to our blogs and independent social networks like GoSkoop to replace the big sites.
      growmap would love you to read ..Why Your Geographic Location IS a NicheMy Profile

      Reply
  10. Kyle says

    September 3, 2011 at 8:37 am

    I couldn’t agree with you more. Google’s power is very scary… But, I have to be honest, I’m guilty of often using their services. I use Analytics for my blog, Gmail for my email, and I even use their search because I can’t find another search engine that works as well. It’s a hard habit to break…
    Kyle would love you to read ..Make Money with These Mobile AppsMy Profile

    Reply
    • growmap says

      September 24, 2011 at 4:49 am

      Hi Kyle,

      Yes I know – they make it that way on purpose. The best way to build a monopoly is to buy up and eliminate any true competition that surfaces – not that many ever do since they have the advantage of the media continually promoting them.
      growmap would love you to read ..Proposed FTC COPPA Changes Include Yet ANOTHER Call for National IDMy Profile

      Reply
  11. Danny says

    August 31, 2011 at 6:33 pm

    Reading your guestpost it is scary that one company holds so much power.
    But on the other hand, what can we do?
    Google hasn’t been the best search engine in a long time, but people wont change their habbits. Look at all the people still using internet explorer.
    And the word “Google” is even synonymous for searching on internet, even the dictionary says so.
    It’s hard to change this. Maybe after it goes horribly wrong….But then it will be too late.
    Danny would love you to read ..Black & Decker NPP2018 18-Volt Cordless Electric Pole Chain SawMy Profile

    Reply
    • growmap says

      August 31, 2011 at 8:30 pm

      Hi Danny,

      Actually there is a lot we can do. People are conditioned by the media – that much is true – but they trust their friends and peers more. If we all consistently share alternatives to Google we can get people to change their habits.

      Even if they don’t, collaborations of bloggers in the same geographic location and niche can provide an alternative source of information. As more blogs have subscribe to comments plugins installed and build mailing lists they can bring visitors back via email and RSS and then share them with all the other blogs in their niche via CommentLuv and KeywordLuv.

      The masses will always be sheeple, but the wise will seek out others who are wise.
      growmap would love you to read ..Bloggers Wanted for Joint VenturesMy Profile

      Reply
      • Danny says

        September 1, 2011 at 4:31 am

        I’m afraid I am not that noble.
        If I don’t use Google to get my customers then I wont make that much.
        Google is at the moment my strongest point. So if people would start using the others then I would be at a disadvantage.
        And look at IE. The wise as you call them have switched to better browsers. But still the majority uses IE.
        Danny would love you to read ..Poulan Pro PP446ET 8-Inch Gas Powered Pole Chain SawMy Profile

        Reply
  12. Anthony says

    August 19, 2011 at 5:44 pm

    Marketers need to get used to the idea, like it or hate it, that Google isn’t going anywhere. It is more powerful than most countries.

    Reply
    • growmap says

      August 31, 2011 at 8:35 pm

      Hi Anthony,

      True, Google isn’t going anywhere but WE can use alternatives and share them with our friends, family, and co-workers to create a better world and https://www.growmap.com/womm/“>improve our standard of living.
      growmap would love you to read ..Grow Your Business With the Next Generation of Word of Mouth MarketingMy Profile

      Reply
  13. Ryan Ward says

    August 7, 2011 at 8:56 am

    I just find Google too reliable so it won’t matter much to me as long as I’m able to extract the information I need 🙂 It is monopolized but I agree on the plus points as well. It was a great pleasure reading this post on Google.
    Ryan Ward would love you to read ..110 Dove Ct – Featured Listing VideoMy Profile

    Reply
    • growmap says

      August 31, 2011 at 8:36 pm

      Hi Ryan,

      You feel that way as long as Atlanta Real Estate shows up in the results. If half of the sites you regularly visit quietly disappear over the years would you notice? Maybe you might miss one of two but you’ll probably figure they went away and think nothing of it.

      Then one day it will be YOUR site that is gone and no one will notice except you – and then it will be too late.
      growmap would love you to read ..Social Media: Why You MUST SpecializeMy Profile

      Reply
  14. wny glass block windows says

    July 15, 2011 at 2:50 am

    Are BING and YAHOO slowly gaining points to match GOOGLE?or will it be always GOOGLE?I wonder how long they can stay on top
    wny glass block windows would love you to read ..Glass Block Window ShowersMy Profile

    Reply
    • growmap says

      August 31, 2011 at 8:38 pm

      That doesn’t matter because they are all controlled by the same global elite. They are only pretending to be competitors. Any time they like they can drive Google down and one of the others up using the media they control and make a killing in the stock market while they’re at it.

      As P.T. Barnum supposedly said, “There’s a sucker born every minute” – and the stock market is the biggest boondoggle of all time. Better to gamble in Vegas – at least there you theoretically know what the take-out is so your losses will be smaller.
      growmap would love you to read ..Happy Birthday GrowMap 3 Years Old TodayMy Profile

      Reply
  15. Pete says

    February 25, 2011 at 9:54 am

    I must admit I have an implicit trust in Google to deliver authentic and trustworthy results. So long as the company adheres to clear principles and punishes those that manipulate the SERPS I won’t object its influence. Is there such a thing as a benevolent dictator?

    Pete
    Pete would love you to read ..BoE Minutes- Good News For People Planning To Transfer MoneyMy Profile

    Reply
    • growmap says

      February 25, 2011 at 3:16 pm

      Hi Pete,

      You comment motivated me to write my post for today. I will link this reply to that post.
      growmap would love you to read ..SEO- SERPS- Is There a Google Search Engine FairyMy Profile

      Reply
  16. Brian says

    February 23, 2011 at 11:52 pm

    Google- search
    Microsoft – OS
    YAHOO- email

    these are monopolists in their various areas. why google is so important is that majority of people use is as the first point of call in getting an information online. This did not just start overnight.

    Internet is all about traffic, monopoly and competition and these three are on google’s side.

    Reply
    • growmap says

      February 25, 2011 at 3:54 am

      Hi Brian,

      I totally agree that there are multi-national corporations that are all monopolies. In decades past they at least made the effort to maintain the illusion of competition between each other by creating at least two huge companies. Now they don’t even usually bother to do that.
      growmap would love you to read ..Building Traffic Using Anchor TextMy Profile

      Reply
  17. Alex says

    February 23, 2011 at 8:01 am

    When i meet a new client on the internet, the first thing i do is google his name or id. This is morally wrong! 🙂
    This is just an example which may not be very on topic, but it does make a good point about privacy.

    About Google’s monopoly, that was actually earned. You can’t say they have no competition, it’s just that the competition is too weak for them and can’t keep up.
    Alex would love you to read ..Coastal Scents 88 Color Makeup PaletteMy Profile

    Reply
    • growmap says

      February 25, 2011 at 3:55 am

      Hi Alex,

      No company can compete against someone who gets free media coverage and gives away valuable services for free with no regard to profit or loss. They did not EARN their monopoly – they TOOK it by pulling the wool over the eyes of the masses.
      growmap would love you to read ..Why the Economy is In Decline and What We Can Do to Improve ItMy Profile

      Reply
  18. Pete says

    February 22, 2011 at 11:05 am

    I honestly think Google have done a huge amount for the internet and for technology in general. Yes they are buying up a lot of companies who have innovative ideas, but whats great from the consumers perspective is that they provide most of these services for free! All we have to do is put up with ad’s (which I am completely immune too). I think it’s incredible the amount of free things Google provide, especially when I look at other industries, Banking for example… I have to pay them a monthly fee to look after my money? Surely the interest they are skimming off the top should be payment enough!

    Reply
  19. Walter says

    February 8, 2011 at 7:56 pm

    I think Google has its pro’s and con’s. But the benefits outweighs the negative. Perhaps for now it will dominate, however, nothing is permanent, things will evolve for the better. 🙂

    Reply
  20. Lisa says

    February 6, 2011 at 11:11 pm

    Their monopoly also extends to directories thanks to Google Places – so long Sensis and Yellow Pages, here comes the Big G.

    Reply
  21. Aloys Jacobs says

    February 5, 2011 at 5:13 pm

    Google has done a service that other companies couldn’t do. Namely, they found the intelligence and logistics to index the growing Internet, which they kept doing ever since. Nobody followed them even closely. Bing was reported yesterday to use Google’s results when their database is not enough. Think of this: Bing… Microsoft… lots of money and know-how and resources right? Still, they don’t come close.
    Can you blame Google for their present power? They have worked really smart and earned their power. They seem poised to gaining even more power. Think of the new services they’re coming up with all the time, which constantly gives them an edge, and even more, think of the new Android and Chrome OSs that will soon be on a gazillion of mobile devices, PCs and TV sets everywhere. Isn’t this coming along naturally with a huge database of consumer statistics of all sorts?

    And hmm, Google does seem to be curious about private data – remember the scandal about the Google streetview cars recording wireless communications while driving through all neighborhoods of a city. They said it was a mistake, the cars’ antennas were wrongly tuned 🙂 If that’s not a track record that proves a will to spy, then tell me what it is.

    So what I’m saying is that Google did work smart, and they have earned their leading position in the market. They’re entitled to their power. Now, when you have that much power and want more, what are you going to do with it? They say power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely. What do you do when you’re on top of the world except pull your pants down and pee on it?

    Reply
    • Gail Gardner says

      February 6, 2011 at 10:08 pm

      Hi Aloys,

      What Google has that has made them king of the search engines is media favortism that handed them the illusion of best and only. They are far from being the first search engine to index the Internet and they are not the ONLY search engine doing that today.

      You are probably much younger than I am so you probably don’t know the History of the Internet or the History of Search Engines. There are many Search Engine History posts online if you dig for them.

      Do you remember any of these that that came before Google and were once the top search engines or others that may still be around: AltaVista, InfoSeek, Excite, Webcrawler, Lycos, Inktomi, Dogpile, Momma, Magellon, Snap, Ask Jeeves, Looksmart, HotBot, Ask, Fast, or AlltheWeb?

      Do you know that Yahoo and Looksmart are directories but most other search engines are indexes and what the difference is?

      There is more Internet History Trivia at this link.

      The commentators in this post are proving my point that far too many people believe what they read and hear instead of questioning WHO says it and asking to see some PROOF.

      Most things we read or hear are OPINIONS. What I write in this blog is my honest opinion backed up by evidence I have compiled. I always have more information than what I publish so if anyone has questions feel free to ask them. I encourage my commentators to share their opinions and their evidence so that we can all have a better idea of what the truth is.

      It is critical for survival to learn discernment, preferably before the economic crash that will leave so many going hungry and homeless. Those who do not study history are destined to repeat it. I highly advise reading the evidence I have pulled together in the post I’ll put in CommentLuv in this reply.

      Gail Gardner would love you to read ..Why the Economy is In Decline and What We Can Do to Improve ItMy Profile

      Reply
  22. Jim says

    February 4, 2011 at 7:43 am

    I think you may be on to something, google is spreading quickly and it does seem to control a lot. I don’t think it is a huge deal, but i can see some bad things on the horizon if it keeps up at this pace.

    google can hear you right now. just kidding

    Reply
    • growmap says

      February 6, 2011 at 9:32 pm

      Hi Jim,

      How can Google having the power to put businesses OUT of business NOT be a “huge deal”. It is a VERY huge deal. Please read the post I will put in CommentLuv in this reply to see why allowing multi-national companies to control us is destroying our standard of living and economies worldwide.

      Yes Google CAN hear me right now (if they so choose) and I am NOT kidding. By choice my computer does not have a microphone that can be activated remotely but any PC that does can be used as a listening device and any cell phone – even if powered off – can be used as a listening device unless you remove the battery (which pretty much defeats the purpose of receiving incoming calls).
      growmap would love you to read ..Why the Economy is In Decline and What We Can Do to Improve ItMy Profile

      Reply
  23. Chris says

    February 4, 2011 at 11:03 am

    More and more users come from direct type-ins, plus Facebook is already overtaking Google in terms of display ads, so their supremacy is under attack.

    Reply
    • growmap says

      February 6, 2011 at 9:42 pm

      Hi Chris,

      I agree that Social Media will replace many searches as the way we find things online, but Facebook is part of the same Borg as Google and their privacy policies are even worse.

      Your business could benefit from Local Search listings. Details in the post I’ll put in CommentLuv in this reply. You can also benefit from registering for CommentLuv which you can do even without having a blog with it installed.
      growmap would love you to read ..Local Search Directory ListingsMy Profile

      Reply
  24. Jared says

    February 4, 2011 at 9:48 am

    While I’m definitely a fan of ANY company having a monopoly over any industry, Google does a good job of keeping users informed and showing transparency.

    Reply
    • growmap says

      February 6, 2011 at 9:40 pm

      Hi Jared,

      Why would you think Google shows transparency? Here are just three examples off the top of my head illustrating that is not true:

      1) They do not tell AdWords advertisers that they are not selling them all the high quality traffic available or that they dilute their converting traffic with worthless traffic that will never convert which creates the worst scenario for advertisers: increased ad costs that reduce both sales and profits. Pay per click experts call that distribution fraud.

      See Google killed the Golden PPC Goose and The Next Microsoft: Google is Learning Too Well from the Master. More on how not to lose your shirt on AdWords on my Best of GrowMap post (link in CommentLuv in this reply).

      2) Publishers (bloggers and Web site owners) do not know what percentage of what the advertiser pays Google is paid to them for clicks on ads appearing on their sites. Google can change that any time the like and it has been gradually being lowered over time.

      3) Google’s search engine tracks your history even if you log out. This is of particular concern to consultants who log into client’s accounts. Even though they log out, until they log in as themselves again every search they do will end up in the client’s history. That could lead to serious issues for the clients and the consultant.

      Those are just a few of the many reasons Google can NOT be trusted.
      growmap would love you to read ..Best of GrowMap – Our Most Important Posts All in One PlaceMy Profile

      Reply
  25. Jocuri Barbie says

    February 4, 2011 at 3:17 am

    It’s very true that google has too much power and no concurence!

    Reply
  26. rave says

    February 4, 2011 at 3:13 am

    I really agree on this. Google monopoly is actually not that good. But we really have to admit that Google is the best search engine and google provides the best result that we want to have. I guess there are really some issues in search engines, not only in Google.

    Reply
    • growmap says

      February 6, 2011 at 9:18 pm

      Hi Rave,

      It concerns me that so many believe propaganda without question. On what do you base your statement “Google is the best search engine and google provides the best result”?

      How many other search engines have you used? Why do you believe Google has the best results? Wisdom means knowing when to question statements that others make that are not based on evidence and the best evidence is what we ourselves can test and reproduce.
      growmap would love you to read ..How to Build a Successful Blog Based BusinessMy Profile

      Reply
  27. bilal says

    February 3, 2011 at 9:39 pm

    there is no other alternative search engine …………….. Google is in too much power …….. and competitor must be strong and as powerful as Google inoder to beat it

    Reply
  28. Jeremy says

    February 2, 2011 at 2:32 pm

    I have been wary of Google getting too powerful too. They are essentially the walmart of the search engine market. They continue to expand to new services in an attempt to grow their market share. As they pursue this constant growth, they will take out many companies. They have far too much power and have far too much information on everyone. I don’t see that changing anytime soon though.

    Reply
    • growmap says

      February 6, 2011 at 9:14 pm

      Yes, Jeremy, that is exactly true. No company can compete with free and that is their business model for wiping out all competition.
      growmap would love you to read ..PostRank Connect Identifies Social Media InfluencersMy Profile

      Reply
  29. Renee says

    February 2, 2011 at 2:22 pm

    What’s an alternative search engine that is as good as Google that would be a good idea to switch to? Most people that would rather not give Google so much power don’t know of good alternatives. I’d like to know of some good ones. I see another person has mentioned DuckDuckGo. I haven’t checked it out but it’s worth a try.

    Reply
    • growmap says

      February 6, 2011 at 9:13 pm

      Hi Renee,

      I mentioned DuckDuckGo and will publish a post about others as soon as I can get the time to compile them. There are dozens if not hundreds of other search engines but we only hear about Google (and once in a while Bing) because the major media favors them.
      growmap would love you to read ..How Much is a Memorable Logo Worth?My Profile

      Reply
  30. Barbie Clothes says

    February 2, 2011 at 6:14 am

    Google seems to lose its control to other functions of its site. Is there any other search engine sites that can help us also?
    Barbie Clothes would love you to read ..Barbie and Ken 2008 Clothes Fashion Pack Assortment Set – IT’S A DATE with 4 Outfits 2 Ken’s and 2 Barbie’s Plus Lots of AccessoriesMy Profile

    Reply
    • growmap says

      February 6, 2011 at 9:09 pm

      Yes, and I have got to make the time to write a post about alternative search engines. There are far more than most realize.
      growmap would love you to read ..Best of GrowMap – Our Most Important Posts All in One PlaceMy Profile

      Reply
  31. Aaron says

    February 1, 2011 at 11:50 pm

    The internet is a humongous hub of information which is immensely helpful and today and has become an integral part of every individual. In that case, we cannot rely on one anyone search engine company to suggest us what information would be useful for us. It is always advisable to have a counter check from other search engines. This is something which I have learnt from my experience.

    Reply
    • growmap says

      February 6, 2011 at 9:08 pm

      Hi Aaron,

      I agree – we should always be willing to search on more than one search engine. Back in the day we used meta-search tools that automatically search across many and aggregate the results. I would love to find a good meta-search tool that works on Ubuntu.
      growmap would love you to read ..Support Small BusinessesMy Profile

      Reply
  32. Wedding DJs says

    February 1, 2011 at 8:22 am

    I’m going to take the contrary position and say “I LOVE GOOGLE”.

    Having just ONE search engine that dominates 86% of searches in MY area, makes it super EZ to coordinate SEO efforts.

    Besides, just imagine if Bill Gates (Microsoft) had a search monopoly — things would be much worse.

    Of course I do not use PPC and never will —- my perspective of Google is only regarding the ORGANIC search aspects.

    Reply
    • growmap says

      February 1, 2011 at 5:09 pm

      Hi Matt,

      How much will you love Google if tomorrow all your listings in Google disappeared? Sure it is easier to SEO for only one search engine but you are risking all your search traffic in one place.

      Think that can’t happen? Have you read my post about Organic Search and seen the posts on ProBlogger about how his traffic dropped three years in a row during the holiday shopping season?

      For you and Darren that isn’t such a big deal but for an ecommerce store whose income is heavily concentrated on that time period it can mean huge losses or even a failed business.

      Microsoft and Google are equally evil as you can clearly see if you read much about Google such as:

      PCWorld Story on Yahoo News: Google Secret Relationship with NSA.

      Bob Cringely, PBS blog, The Next Microsoft: Google is Learning Too Well from the Master.

      SEOBook post with the now famous Google SEO cesspool quote.

      Google is NOT our friend and they do not care about whether we can find what we want or stay in business. They are not even really about making more money because if they were they would not have Broken AdWords. They are primarily about power and control, not money.

      growmap would love you to read ..Small Business Advice Fast and Easy to Find at BizSugarMy Profile

      Reply
  33. growmap says

    February 1, 2011 at 5:24 am

    Hi Rammesh,

    I am hoping that I can help others understand why it is not appropriate to allow a few wealthy elite to use the media to create monopolies to make us their virtual slaves. THAT is the big picture of what Google is. Until people understand the danger they will keep giving away their freedom for an illusion.

    Businesses do NOT have any other serious options for reaching the majority of Internet users as long as far too many automatically use Google and/or Facebook to find them.
    growmap would love you to read ..Best of GrowMap – Our Most Important Posts All in One PlaceMy Profile

    Reply
  34. Arianna says

    February 1, 2011 at 3:55 am

    Can anyone help me with names of some alternative search engines which is as effective as google? Recently my friend uploaded his professional website and he had given me his website id, to my horror I couldn’t trace in all the pages which google displayed. I am sure he had developed the website as per the SEO requirements.

    Reply
    • Gail Gardner says

      February 1, 2011 at 4:50 am

      Hi Arianna,

      I am working on a compilation of search engines and have mentioned and linked to several in replies to other comments on this post. New sites are not always indexed quickly and having someone with a well-indexed site that gets crawled regularly can help.

      Most SEOs have been using Yahoo Site Explorer but it is being assimilated into Bing so the current recommendation is to use the Majestic SEO backlink search.
      Gail Gardner would love you to read ..Building Traffic Using Anchor TextMy Profile

      Reply
  35. Alex says

    January 31, 2011 at 2:21 pm

    I agree that google monopoly is not a good thing but i can’t deny that they still provide best service as search engine.
    Alex would love you to read ..Invito per il MatrimonioMy Profile

    Reply
    • growmap says

      February 1, 2011 at 4:55 am

      Hi Alex,

      So many say that without having really tried any other search engines. What other ses have you used that you feel Google is best?
      growmap would love you to read ..Murray Newlands Announces New Affiliate Marketing Awards for North AmericaMy Profile

      Reply
  36. Ed says

    January 31, 2011 at 12:36 pm

    I think we are ALL responsible for what we have today. I mean Google, Facebook….. But I have one question. What you mean the POWER and CONTROL?
    Everybody have a choice. You don’t like Google, try other SE. What you think about France, New Zealand or Russia? Do you think Google has the same power and control? I don’t think so. Google has the weigh here in North America, yes it is true but we always have a choice. I d0n’t like to speak about Facebook, btw it is strong social network for the public relation on any kind of businesses. Think smart… nowadays Internet it is all about marketing. Do you like Google or not, we have what we have.

    Reply
    • growmap says

      February 1, 2011 at 5:16 am

      Hello Advicegraphics,

      While we do have a choice in what search engine we use, because Google has a monopoly on both organic and paid traffic and most people automatically use Google the people who want to reach that audience can primarily only do that through being found on Google.

      There is a very good link to Google market share by country in my Adotas guest post. While this data is from 2008 and published in 2009 it is likely that Google still has at least that much market share in each country.

      That chart shows these percentages for the countries you mention:
      United States 63.30% or 72.11% depending on data source
      France 91.23%
      New Zealand 72%
      Russia 32%

      The point is not whether we like Google or Facebook or not; the point is do you want them to control whether your business prospers or even whether you stay in business or not. Do you truly trust them to decide what you can find on the Internet when their SEO has publicly stated that they are “cleaning up” the “Internet cesspool” by favoring their buddies’ Big Brands.
      growmap would love you to read ..How Much is a Memorable Logo Worth?My Profile

      Reply
  37. Holly says

    January 31, 2011 at 10:58 am

    Hm, thanks..I’m going to read your post about Google right now. I fully agree that we shouldn’t trust Google too much, because it has almost total control on all our information. Google has created so many products and services that it has tightly integrated itself into our lives. We don’t know what exactly Google knows about us, but no doubt it knows a lot. And in some cases it might use this against us.

    Reply
    • growmap says

      February 1, 2011 at 5:18 am

      Hi Holly,

      I believe that Google has a much larger agenda than advertising or search and is part of a much larger conglomeration compiling details on every area of our lives. See the post I’ll put in CommentLuv in this comment to know why I share the quote “Those who do not study history are destined to repeat it”.
      growmap would love you to read ..Why the Economy is In Decline and What We Can Do to Improve ItMy Profile

      Reply
  38. Sean says

    January 31, 2011 at 10:11 am

    There’s an interesting post on this subject at Big Brother Watch (“Google’s relationship with NSA under the spotlight”). Even more cause to be alarmed.

    Reply
    • growmap says

      February 1, 2011 at 6:17 am

      Hi Sean,

      Thank you for that link. I added one directly to the post so it will stay easy to find. That confirms what I have been saying about what is coming.
      growmap would love you to read ..Word of Mouth MarketingMy Profile

      Reply
  39. auto transport says

    January 31, 2011 at 3:32 pm

    I can not agree more, Google thinks that by pushing big brands and crushing small business they are going to have it easier delivering a quality SERP what they forgot is that big brands are not so desperate for Google traffic and can run their business with out it versus small ecomm sites that cant afford to advertise on TV radio etc.

    Reply
    • growmap says

      February 1, 2011 at 4:55 am

      Hi Auto,

      I don’t think they really care much how their actions affect others except perhaps their favored brands which are most likely not ALL big brands. Their AdWords ads were once a way for small businesses to prosper and if they really cared about making more money they still would be.
      growmap would love you to read ..Twitter- Why You Should Put Your Twitter Username On Your Blog- Ecommerce and ALL Web SitesMy Profile

      Reply
  40. Sean says

    January 31, 2011 at 8:10 am

    The amount of data in Google’s hands is awesome, and also alarming because of the monpoly position that its aspires to (and is on the verge of commanding). And because of its share of Internet search, more alarming than Microsoft’s control of the PC market.

    Reply
    • growmap says

      January 31, 2011 at 12:31 pm

      Hi Sean,

      If you think that is awesome imagine how much combined information there is from all sources? Do people still believe that Google, Microsoft, Yahoo, governments, etc. do not share that data?
      growmap would love you to read ..How CommentLuv Grows Businesses and BlogsMy Profile

      Reply
  41. Lisa says

    January 31, 2011 at 7:18 am

    I feel what u say is true, there must be also space for other search engines and other engines to come up with unique ideas. But the core issue is that google has worked really hard in terms of search which is not an easy task.

    However i do feel that there must free space for others also so that users don’t feel the control of GOOGLE all over.

    Reply
    • growmap says

      February 1, 2011 at 5:27 am

      Hi Lisa,

      Where does this idea that Google deserves to be considered best because they have the power of the media say they are? We must realize the extent to which people are being conditioned to believe what someone else says is so without ever questioning whether it is true.

      If you want to reach the majority of Internet users today you have to be listed well in Google and if you are not you can NOT reach them. We must take that control away from them and the only way is through educating the Internet users.
      growmap would love you to read ..Twitter- Why You Should Put Your Twitter Username On Your Blog- Ecommerce and ALL Web SitesMy Profile

      Reply
  42. Link building says

    January 31, 2011 at 4:40 am

    Although Google has monopolized the business but its a result of Google’s efforts which they made to provide the users with the most relevant and fastest results.They have every reason to rule the search engines.

    Reply
    • growmap says

      January 31, 2011 at 12:30 pm

      Hello James,

      How do you know they have the “most relevant and fastest results”? How many other search engines have you personally used? What specific sources for that opinion can you cite?

      We must stop believing everything we hear and read and use that space between our ears for thinking for ourselves.

      Google “rules the search engines” because the people who back them own the media and we continually hear and read “Google this” and “Google that” and because Google is the default search engine for the masses who do not know how to change which search engine is automatically used by their PCs.

      That does NOT make them best – only best promoted.
      growmap would love you to read ..Building Traffic Using Anchor TextMy Profile

      Reply
  43. Ivin says

    January 31, 2011 at 2:06 am

    Are Egyptians inspiring you to revolution? Yes, I have only one problem with them, My webhost gave me a $100 adwords voucher and I cannot redeem that because I am not an American Citizen. How is that for biased xenophobia? Jk!

    But you feel m y pain right?

    Ps. I returned an email asking more details about those posts. Could you get back to me on the details? I would like to get that stuff done.

    Reply
    • growmap says

      January 31, 2011 at 12:25 pm

      Hi Ivin,

      I will look for your email and reply. Thank you for letting me know. I get so much email now that it is a challenge to find the ones that need action.

      No, Egyptians do not inspire me to revolution and I counsel against any violence or overtly challenging those in power unless specifically guided by God to do so. Those who “live by the sword die by the sword” and it is a fool’s errand to take on those in power who control everything unless there is a call on your life to do so. Those who are called usually end up martyred.

      I was not aware that only American citizens could redeem AdWords vouchers. Perhaps you could partner with someone who qualifies to open an account?
      growmap would love you to read ..Word of Mouth MarketingMy Profile

      Reply
      • Ivin says

        February 1, 2011 at 12:51 am

        A partnership sound like a good idea. Thanks for that thought. Remember the email’s subject is Re: Blog.

        also, I’m having problems with CommentLuv recently not being able to pick up my posts. How do I fix that?

        Reply
        • growmap says

          February 1, 2011 at 6:20 am

          Hi Ivin,

          I replied to your email and you should also get access emails from two blogs. When I have had the issue of CommentLuv not picking up posts it is usually a temporary issue with ComLuv but it can be something else.

          See my posts about CommentLuv and How CommentLuv Works. There are also additional posts and videos on Using CommentLuv.
          growmap would love you to read ..How CommentLuv Grows Businesses and BlogsMy Profile

          Reply
  44. adnes says

    January 31, 2011 at 12:03 am

    I think having secrecy to our files google can not cruel to your information over certain website that your active on. But otherwise most of our information can be written down and search.

    Reply
    • growmap says

      February 1, 2011 at 6:26 am

      Hi Adnes,

      What most do not realize is that we Everything You Do Online is Being Tracked. Find out how, by whom, why and how what by reading that post.
      growmap would love you to read ..Small Business- 6 Resources on the Web for SMBsMy Profile

      Reply
  45. AJ says

    January 30, 2011 at 11:12 pm

    What was striking and thought provoking in the blog was the fact that since google is most famous search engine, it is they who decide who decide which websites to display when people ask for information. What if a company has better services to provide and it is not ranked in google pages? Who’s losing then?

    Reply
    • growmap says

      February 1, 2011 at 6:29 am

      Hi AJ,

      I am glad to read you comment because it shows you understand the issue that many do not. We must not let ONE company – ANY one company – decide what we can and can not find or how so much control over whether a business succeeds or fails.

      The only solution is spreading that understanding to the general public and making sure know WHY it is so important that they not only rely on the major media or Google or Facebook or any one entity.
      growmap would love you to read ..How Much is a Memorable Logo Worth?My Profile

      Reply
  46. smo marketing says

    January 31, 2011 at 3:11 am

    Google is the Globe
    keep posting

    Reply
    • growmap says

      February 1, 2011 at 5:28 am

      Hi SMO,

      Google is a tool of the coming NWO which I suppose could mean Google is the Globe.
      growmap would love you to read ..Support Small BusinessesMy Profile

      Reply
  47. pavithra says

    January 31, 2011 at 1:19 am

    I agree with Mujtaba. Rise of facebook is a good thing. also we have wiki and yahoo. both are pretty good.
    pavithra would love you to read ..12 Great iPhone Apps to Help You Lose WeightMy Profile

    Reply
    • growmap says

      January 31, 2011 at 12:21 pm

      These are all parts of the same Borg just as two politcal parties and two or more major Corporate entities are used to provide an ILLUSION of choice. Those are NOT real choices.

      Only those who seek out and find INDEPENDENT alternatives have real choice.
      growmap would love you to read ..Best of GrowMap – Our Most Important Posts All in One PlaceMy Profile

      Reply
  48. Stan says

    January 31, 2011 at 1:17 am

    The read makes sense to me! How am I sure that I am getting the optimum search result for my web query? I will surely wait for your post on other search engines.

    Reply
    • growmap says

      February 1, 2011 at 6:24 am

      Hi Stan,

      Most Internet users are not finding the best content because they only use one search engine and they only look at the first few results. When I research I use multiple search engines, other ways of searching for information, and dig deeply to see what is NOT on the first page.

      I also have thousands of notes and links saved that I draw from when writing posts or answering questions. I encourage others to do the same. I use Tomboy Notes for that which is a free notepad app.

      Be sure you read my information on Small Business Internet Marketing and the post about getting free advertising and links from major Local Search Directory Listings I’ll put in CommentLuv in this reply.
      growmap would love you to read ..Local Search Directory ListingsMy Profile

      Reply
  49. Bruno says

    January 30, 2011 at 1:05 pm

    Apart from the google search engine which would you recommend? That the results of yahoo in Brazil are lacking and bing is no different here.
    Bruno would love you to read ..Facebook Commerce- O futuro das Compras SociaisMy Profile

    Reply
    • growmap says

      January 30, 2011 at 3:41 pm

      Hi Bruno,

      I’m working on a post for alternative search engines; however, since I only read in English I am not really qualified to speak to what is available in other languages or really in other countries.

      I use DuckDuckGo as my most frequently used Google alternative and Zuula for blog search (click the blog tab) and wish they would add DuckDuckGo but they haven’t been interested so far at least.

      Search for “google alternative” to find others and watch for a new post from me this week here on alternative search engines.
      growmap would love you to read ..Best of GrowMap – Our Most Important Posts All in One PlaceMy Profile

      Reply
  50. kathleen says

    January 29, 2011 at 8:15 pm

    Hey Gail,

    I went and read your article. Just the other day Red (my son) and I were talking about how Google knows everything about us, even down to the blogs we comment on. They know about our houses, friends, what we eat, who we socialize with, everything.

    And then, after gathering all of that info, Google offers us micro-customized results when we search to keep us coming back. Fast, simple, and personalized. We DID give them the power to monopolize, albeit unknowingly but still we did it. As you point out, many small businesses are being hurt by the level of control. I feel it on my “started as a hobby” affiliate sites. Being in construction I could really use the extra couple hundred or so these days never mind some traffic to our company site for real work.

    Your theory is based on principles that I personally believe, and am sorry to say, are almost nonexistent today. Anything that is looked upon as the best, fastest, and/or easiest people will use it regardless who else is being indirectly hurt by it. For example buying local- I think buying local and other similar community based theories would be a huge economic help but did not become movements because of this mentality. If something doesn’t have a negative impact on a person’s life directly, they don’t see it much less rise up against it. I remember when the people in our community boycotted red meat. My mother refused to buy it as did most others in the area. I remember her speaking of price gouging. The grocers had tons of spoiled beef. I think today it would take something bigger than Google for people to stand up like they did back in the day.

    My thought and hope is someone will come along with a huge idea, the money will follow them, and the search monopoly will be broken that way.
    kathleen would love you to read ..Bicycling- A Rekindled TrendMy Profile

    Reply
    • growmap says

      January 30, 2011 at 4:07 pm

      Welcome Kathleen and thank you for commenting,

      Your Mother sounds like a very wise woman. People used to more clearly understand the connection between what they buy and where they shop and the economy. Today they are clueless and what we really need to know is never taught in schools or colleges.

      What amazed me were the foolish people who allowed their towns to die. They could not wait to shop at Wal-Mart even though they SHOULD have realized it would put their friends and neighbors’ businesses OUT of business. In rural towns they had known those people all their lives but they would destroy their businesses to save a few bucks?

      How naive the public is to think that once you allow a company to close down all their competition with artificially low prices that those prices would stay low. What you’ve done is hand them a license to steal from you too. They are already stealing from their suppliers.

      WalMart is ALWAYS bad for small business

      You are correct that we collectively are working on a huge idea that will provide alternatives to the few like us. I am hopeful if we focus on those who care who will always be a tiny minority and do not evangelize the masses that we will be left alone.
      growmap would love you to read ..Support Small BusinessesMy Profile

      Reply
    • Gail Gardner says

      February 1, 2011 at 6:13 am

      While the companies that make up what I call The Borg CLAIM that they do it for the advertising revenue and to provide better search there is no reason why only Google could have those features. Their other members like Yahoo and Bing could do the same – but they don’t. Maybe they prefer to make it easier for data mining purposes to have us volunteer everything in one place.

      I think you might want to know that affiliate marketing income that targets U.S. buyers has declined over the past 2-3 years across all niches by at least 60% according to power affiliates I know.

      What Google and Wal-mart do is what mining companies and sweatshops have done to their “employees” (more like slaves) for centuries. WalMart lost a case over Wal-Mart Pay Vouchers in Mexico. (Wal-mart is called Walmex there.)

      The reason Wal-Mart has lower prices is because they squeeze their suppliers who then resort to subjecting their employees to Sweatshop Conditions.

      I encourage my readers to look at that last link. There are many more appalling conditions that those mentioned there, but one common denominator is that they are paid very little, live in horrible conditions, are overworked and so much is taken out of their pay to cover their costs of living that they can never escape.

      THAT is not employment – that is indentured servitude. If we buy from companies that do this to others WE are just as guilty as they are and we are creating exactly those kinds of working conditions here. Look at what is happening in the auto industry.

      I hope my readers will start buying from companies that believe in Fair Trade.
      Gail Gardner would love you to read ..Small Business Advice Fast and Easy to Find at BizSugarMy Profile

      Reply
  51. JMontes says

    January 29, 2011 at 6:08 pm

    Google really rocks!
    and really hate to go against it 🙂

    Reply
    • growmap says

      January 30, 2011 at 3:51 pm

      Ah, but does Google REALLY rock or do you just THINK it rocks because the media tells you so?

      Any company that gets mentioned on the T.V. news, in regular television shows, in the newspapers and in the movies has the easy path to success. Why is Google a verb but Yahoo isn’t? We Google this or Google that but did you ever Yahoo this or Lycos that?

      When Myspace was hot it had that coverage; now it goes to Facebook and Twitter. Don’t you see that they are only popular because the media continually promotes them? WHY do they promote THOSE specific sites above the dozens or 100s or others? Follow the money.
      growmap would love you to read ..Why the Economy is In Decline and What We Can Do to Improve ItMy Profile

      Reply
  52. Alex says

    January 29, 2011 at 3:15 pm

    I will check that post Gail!

    I too think that google has too much power and when only one entity has the majority of the power to decide what’s good and what’s wrong that is kind of too godly for me.

    This is why, Google can afford to treat it’s publishers like scum and cancel their accounts as they please without any explanation (although this publisher are those that keep it running).

    I’ ll go read that post and I hope I will be able to take action!
    Alex would love you to read ..Fotbal American 3DMy Profile

    Reply
    • growmap says

      January 30, 2011 at 3:24 pm

      Hi Alex,

      Google is not accountable to anyone. What most do not understand is that money is NOT their primary goal – power is. If money were their goal they would not have intentionally broken AdWords. Ads that convert would make 10x the money they make now.

      We must bear in mind that Google is a primary part of the system of the beast – a very large and growing part. I will not be surprised when there is Google TV and Google cell phones (probably free to make sure everyone carries one). I hope most realize that a cell phone is a tracking device that knows where you are all the time even (if you turn it off unless you unplug the battery).
      growmap would love you to read ..Word of Mouth MarketingMy Profile

      Reply
  53. Julian says

    January 29, 2011 at 2:42 am

    Very good point, who knows what the future holds if the wrong people take over. Or are the wrong people already in place?
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    Reply
    • growmap says

      January 29, 2011 at 12:25 pm

      The elite few have controlled all countries since Roman Times and still do today. They got wise and realized it is easier to keep “the slaves” in line if you give them the ILLUSION of freedom.

      When I was younger we had a better illusion. Today we have a police state – but like the frog who would jump out of a pot of boiling water if it was already boiling but will not if the heat is gradually raised – Americans are asleep at the wheel.

      Want some proof (all of these will have coverage online):

      1) Where does what goes on in airports fall in terms of “unreasonable search and seizure”?

      2) Have you ever been stopped for a “dim license plate light” or any other ridiculous pretense?

      3) Does law enforcement routinely do road blocks anywhere near you? And just how many police do we need? When I was in college in the ’70s you could drive the length of California and see maybe four Highway Patrol cars. In Texas you see four every few miles today. Even tiny towns have multiple cars.

      4) At least one police department in Texas has a trained search dog that jumps into your vehicle the minute you roll your window down.

      5) Your vehicle, home and any other possessions can be seized without you ever being charged with anything. Unless you have the money to pursue legal action to get them back – and that can take a very long time and lots of money – you’re just s.o.l. and then they auction them off. (QUESTION: How is buying at these auctions any different than buying known stolen property?)

      6) Do any of us really “own” anything? Stop paying your property taxes and you’ll find the answer.

      7) If this really were a “free” country we could not be told we MUST buy mandatory insurance, need a permit for everything, or legally told we must do anything else we did not want to do. Free means FREE!

      It comes down to who do you answer to and serve.
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      Reply
  54. Andreas says

    January 29, 2011 at 12:30 am

    In many industries, a monopoly is challenged by regulators but in one of the biggest industries of the future, search results, people do not seem to care much because it has not be seen as large and significant, exactly this mentality has given google the power it currently has and always will have.

    Reply
  55. Donace says

    January 29, 2011 at 5:28 am

    I wrote an article back in 08 (wow ages) on this very topic http://thenexus.tk/information-superpower/

    Since then Google has just grown more an more in ‘ power’. With Yahoo and Bing merged at search results level hopefully we’ll start to see that grow but even if it does the control the two giants will have ill still be a scary amount.
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    Reply
    • growmap says

      January 29, 2011 at 11:46 am

      Hi Donace,

      Thank you so much for the link. I commented and hopefully I will get it linked into one or more of the related posts in my privacy section. IMHO Google/Yahoo/Bing/Facebook/Twitter is all one giant Borg that shares information about us.

      I have seven other posts about Reply

  56. Henway says

    January 28, 2011 at 9:23 pm

    I’ve love to see Bing actually pose a threat to Google. Google has become too big, and I know they can do anything they want, but they are TOO involved in everything, and it needs to be split up. It’s not healthy for the economy for so much to be at stake based on the actions of 1 company.
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    Reply
    • growmap says

      January 29, 2011 at 12:38 pm

      Hi Henway,

      That is by design. It is Google’s turn and before them it was Yahoo’s and after them it will be Bing. Before Facebook it was MySpace. When you own the media you can make whomever you wish top dog or drop them in the dirt.

      I encourage you to look at the larger picture. It is not healthy for the economy for the global elite to control the media, multi-national corporations and governments but they do.

      The solution is for those who can see that to create our own alternatives. See the other comments in this post for more on that.
      growmap would love you to read ..Support Small BusinessesMy Profile

      Reply
  57. Alexis says

    January 29, 2011 at 3:22 am

    That’s spot on. But what can we do against Google super power?
    Individually i don’t see what one can do. Only a serious competitor can change things around.
    Alexis would love you to read ..Google Bans AutobloggingMy Profile

    Reply
    • growmap says

      January 29, 2011 at 11:57 am

      Hi Alexis,

      That is the fallacy that many have: that we can do nothing because they are a super power. The power they have was given to them voluntarily by the masses who allow the media to condition them.

      Yes, if we wish to reach those masses we may have to use Google, but – and this is a BIG but – we CAN take our share of the power away from Google and the other multi-national Corporations by seeking out and consistently using alternatives INSTEAD of giving them our time and money.

      Can we change the world for everyone? NO. Can we change the world for those like us? YES.

      The dollar is going to crash. Hyperinflation is the inevitable consequence of spending “money” that isn’t backed by anything and is only pieces of paper. The U.S. Dollar may was well be monopoly money. Those who do not believe me need to write down a few grocery prices for staples like bread, milk, sugar each time they shop and note the increases. Also note the SIZES because a common trick to hide price increases is to shrink the amount in each product package.

      Sugar is up 45% lately. Bread was $1.29-$1.69 a loaf here – now all brands are approaching $4.00 and the local David’s Supermarkets manager is expecting bread to go to $9-10 a loaf.

      Americans who are already struggling and deep in debt will see food costs double, triple, quadruple or worse. There IS a solution and that is to create communities of people who know how to grow food, live off the land, teach others and most importantly know the difference between necessities (water, food, shelter in that order and ONLY those three things) and luxuries (my favorites are heat, a/c, and hot running water).

      We should all be growing food or know where to buy it locally. When you shop pick up extra staples like rice, beans, pasta, flour, sugar and store them in 5 gallon buckets with lids. Lay in extra canned goods. Freeze leftovers and fresh foods for later. If you do not know how to cook food from scratch now would be a good time to learn. There are many bloggers and people like me willing to teach you.

      What do you suppose life in the big cities will be like when people are desperately hungry? It will be a very good idea to live a long way from any major city – at least several hours – before things get really bad.

      There IS a solution for those who choose to make one: create your own self-contained communities (online and off) and Support Small Businesses. That will keep money circulating within your community and increase prosperity for those participating.

      The best thing anyone can do for themselves right now is ensure they will have food. Start buying and storing staples like flour, corn meal, beans, rice, pasta, etc. Plant a garden. Join a Food Coop. If you don’t want to grow food yourself join a CSA Consumer Supported Agriculture or use this Farm Locator.

      When the value of the dollar declines so much that hyperinflation puts the price of food out of many people’s reach those who planned ahead will still eat. Even if you charge $100 an hour like I do for consulting your time is better spent growing food because that $100 an hour might not be enough to buy it in the not too distant future. If you make less than that it is even MORE important.

      Necessities are water, food and shelter – in that exact order – and EVERYTHING ELSE is a luxury. Many are going to find that out the hard way because they refuse to see where this is all going.”

      I just came across this link to the Top 100 Items to Disappear First which could also be called the Top 100 Items to Stock Up On or the Top 100 Items You Can Barter that is a list of emergency supplies to keep on hand.

      growmap would love you to read ..Why the Economy is In Decline and What We Can Do to Improve ItMy Profile

      Reply
      • Gail Gardner says

        January 31, 2011 at 11:22 am

        Hi Kathy,

        I don’t know Glenn but it is not surprising that those who are unaware that they are being continually conditioned in their beliefs will think anyone who points out that conditioning will be considered crazy.

        It doesn’t take a Rocket Scientist to see that if the majority of jobs that paid well and had REAL pensions and benefits are gone and “down-sized” people who have managed to find other work are paid far less or even Working Two Jobs and Still Underemployed that the economy CAN NOT recover.

        Most Americans live paycheck to paycheck and have little savings or resources to draw on if they aren’t working.

        Add to that the situation with the U.S. dollar – the more pieces of paper in circulation the less each one is worth because the real value of what we produce and own doesn’t change just because you print more money. THAT is what debt is and why the economy can not recover.

        To quote a comment I left in another blog:

        “The end stage of EVERY Fiat currency (money not backed by gold or anything else) is always hyperinflation – so even if Americans still made as much as they used to and still have health benefits and retirements (which they don’t) the point of no return where what they earn will not cover keeping food on the table and a roof over their heads would still be on the horizon.”

        I encourage those who are interested in this topic to read my comment there where I state that the problem is NOT lack of confidence – it is lack of money.
        Gail Gardner would love you to read ..Why the Economy is In Decline and What We Can Do to Improve ItMy Profile

        Reply
  58. Mikel says

    January 29, 2011 at 3:06 am

    Its true that google has the monopoly with over 80% of the organic searches generated by them. Can we really think of a condition without google ? Everyone of those businessman , be it virtual or physical targets only google. Atleast we associate google with trust. yahoo is almost dead. And bing has gone out with a bang. There is not anyone really to beat google right now.

    Reply
    • growmap says

      January 29, 2011 at 12:09 pm

      Only the naive trust Google or any multi-national corporation or government. To do so in the face of overwhelming evidence of what they are doing is to be totally unwilling to see the truth.

      Google, Yahoo, Bing = all the same Borg. What we need are INDEPENDENT solutions and they do exist. Use the Borg to reach the masses when necessary but seek out and create alternatives to use for ourselves.
      growmap would love you to read ..Best of GrowMap – Our Most Important Posts All in One PlaceMy Profile

      Reply
  59. Basam says

    January 29, 2011 at 2:32 am

    Google is my favorite because of its advance artificial based algorithms. Google dish up good results in searches.

    Reply
    • growmap says

      January 29, 2011 at 12:26 pm

      Hello Basam,

      Their results have both pros and cons but that is not the point. The point is do we choose to allow them to control what we see and whether we can stay in business or are we willing to open our eyes and change our behavior to take that power away from them.
      growmap would love you to read ..How CommentLuv Grows Businesses and BlogsMy Profile

      Reply
  60. Maria Pavel says

    January 28, 2011 at 8:06 pm

    Hello,

    In my opinion, no matter what will happen – Google will still rule the online, they’re just way too good, popular, full of money and they’ve got thousands of hardworking employees. Google can afford making mistakes because they can repair the mistakes and compensate with other good things. They’re way too rich to fall down, they will fall only if they want. Anyway, there isn’t an alternative to Google, none is that accurately and good. In example: when optimising a website, SEO, you reffer directly to ranking in GOOGLE, not other search engines, but Google, raking higher in Google’s results is your aim. Keep up the good work!

    Best regards,

    Maria
    Maria Pavel would love you to read ..Free CNA TrainingMy Profile

    Reply
    • growmap says

      January 29, 2011 at 12:46 pm

      Hi Maria,

      Google search is NOT that good. There are many excellent alternative search engines. I will make a point of publishing a post about them.

      The reason people SEO for Google is BECAUSE they have a monopoly on search! That is what monopoly means and why it is so dangerous. Please read my post on Why You Can NOT Rely Solely on Organic Search Listings for Traffic and Revenue.

      Do you really trust Google that much? What if they decided to stop indexing this blog and every other site you like to read? Then will you still use and trust them?
      growmap would love you to read ..Own and Control Versus Going Viral – Your ChoiceMy Profile

      Reply
  61. disty says

    January 28, 2011 at 5:55 pm

    why google do that?

    Reply
    • growmap says

      January 29, 2011 at 12:48 pm

      Because they can and they ARE evil.
      growmap would love you to read ..How to Build a Successful Blog Based BusinessMy Profile

      Reply
  62. Stephanie Suesan Smith says

    January 28, 2011 at 4:16 pm

    So what are some alternate search engines? Yahoo is probably just as bad as that Google and I do not know how to tell which ones are good.
    Stephanie Suesan Smith would love you to read ..Growing Sweet PotatoesMy Profile

    Reply
    • growmap says

      January 29, 2011 at 12:47 pm

      Hi Stephanie,

      Good point. I’m working on a roundup of the best alternative search engines.
      growmap would love you to read ..PostRank Analytics Preview from AdAge Power150My Profile

      Reply
    • growmap says

      January 30, 2011 at 6:36 pm

      Hi Stephanie,

      That is a very good question. I regularly use the phrase “INDEPENDENT solutions” and what I mean by that is those not controlled by the few global elites. To my close friends and collaborators I refer to them collectively as “The Borg”.

      There are a ton of great alternative search engines. One Google alternative is DuckDuckGo but there are many other I use depending on what specifically I am seeking.

      I regularly use Zuula for blog search but really wish they would add DuckDuckGo or other independent search engines.

      I’ll work on a post about independent search engines that are alternatives to Google.
      growmap would love you to read ..Local Search Directory ListingsMy Profile

      Reply
  63. Rick LaPoint says

    January 28, 2011 at 8:12 pm

    My Facebook traffic is pathetic compared to my Google.

    Facebook, as a search engine works pretty well in the tests I’ve conducted, but regardless of the hype about it, it looks like it will be years before it’s has anywhere near the clout of Google. If ever.

    Search is Big Business for Big Business, just like everything else.

    And btw, as big as Facebook has become, I don’t really think it has been the result of any grand strategy. I think they stumbled upon something (excuse the pun) and they have simply been hanging on by their finger tips ever since.

    Rick

    Reply
    • growmap says

      January 29, 2011 at 12:43 pm

      Hi Rick,

      I believe that Google, Yahoo, Bing, Facebook are all positioned exactly where the few who control them want them to be. Facebook is to waste our time and collect massive amounts of information about us and Google is to make most of the money.

      Where Google originally was good for small businesses it continually moves to favor select Big Brands. Facebook seems to be more for Big Brands from the start but I’m sure they’ll be glad to take as much money from small businesses as possible without giving them what actually works.

      If Google AdWords still worked the way it once did they would make far more money because so many small businesses would be spending more because it did work. That clearly is NOT their goal. Their goal has never really been money – it is POWER and control.

      Imagine how much more efficiently Hitler’s minions could have rounded people up if they knew everything about people’s lives from where they went to school to the names of everyone they know to their hobbies, where they “check in” and always had current photos of them, their families and friends.
      growmap would love you to read ..Best of GrowMap – Our Most Important Posts All in One PlaceMy Profile

      Reply
  64. Ali Mujtaba says

    January 28, 2011 at 7:22 pm

    I personally thing the rise of facebook its a good thing. Google need a powerful competitor.
    Ali Mujtaba would love you to read ..Natural Cures For Tinnitus To Try At HomeMy Profile

    Reply
    • growmap says

      January 31, 2011 at 11:28 am

      Hi Ali,

      Looking to another part of what I call “The Borg” to save us from the monopoly another holds is – to quote an old saying – “out of the frying pan into the fire”.

      A real solution is INDEPENDENT of the Borg. Has anyone wondered why I feature those four little Icons in the bottom of my left sidebar column for ValueCom, U.S. Counties, County Real Estate and Real Estate Exclusive?

      It is because the man behind those recognized these issues decades ago and those businesses are protected from being assimilated. Even if he died they can not be sold off or made part of any corporation. If anyone knows of others let me know.
      growmap would love you to read ..Murray Newlands Announces New Affiliate Marketing Awards for North AmericaMy Profile

      Reply

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