Google Algorithm and the Missing Links

Google algorithm changes happen so regularly and as in the recent case of closing down large blog networks, so drastically, it has made me pause and ponder what, if anything they are missing. Are these recent Google algorithms missing links that are better related than what they currently consider ‘good’ links? 

While I wholeheartedly agree with what Google is doing to make their user experience better and less time consuming, as a small business person, I have started to wonder about their approach on what really relates to what.  While it is definitely appropriate to have links coming from respected sites in the same field, I also think that this is only 50% of what they should be considering ‘good’ links. 

If Google is not considering the purpose of the website, then these authority type links will suffice. 

But most websites today are trying to sell something and that is why I doubt the true value of these types of links alone.

Industry Specific Links:

These are and always will be good links to have coming into your website. They are industry related and will show that your website/blog is one worth reading for more related information on a subject.  These links are called authority links and can be classed as the ‘heavy weights’ in this boxing ring of link building. 

Website Specific Links:

But if you have a website to sell insurance for example, and you were looking to find customers to buy an insurance policy, I can’t see the value in trying to sell insurance to an insurance company. They are not my target market.  Yet Google’s algorithm does not seem to take this factor into account when instigating their algorithm changes. Personally, I would be taking my product to where the target market hangs out for the type of insurance that I wanted to sell. 

Why Google algorithm missing links hurt small businesses today 

Google’s Adword campaigns targets small businesses to advertise their business locally on the Internet but their continual algorithm changes actually hurts small businesses because they don’t want to sell their products to other businesses in the same industry. Every small business owner in a town or locality should know who their opposition is and they certainly don’t want to give links to them.  While these can be filtered out, most small businesses aren’t that computer savvy.  

So unless they pay a specialist SEO webmaster and spend heaps of money maintaining their website, Google’s algorithm misses links that actually assist a small business from related or other flow-on small business in the same locality.