There’s a lot of talk about Google’s new Sidewiki. Read about it here – Side Wiki

If this was to stick it would be a game-changer for anyone who builds/owns websites.

I’ve been reading a lot about it across the web and paying attention to the reaction from those people who build/own those websites (hereafter referred to as webmasters) . It’s not the typical, highly-contentious and emotion-rousing aspects and consequences of it that I feel compelled to comment on – (compelled enough that I can be bothered to post my opinion online – sorry for the gap between posts here.)

I’m kind of apathetic currently about sharing my opinion online but I’m going to do so on this occasion. It’s not the blatant scraping of content for profit by those who would condemn such an act by the little guys like myself, or the damaging floodgates that are being tempted to open by those with the ability to do so that I want to discuss here. Of course, many webmasters are fearing the possibly grave consequences and shift of power/control to those who really don’t need any more and have proven that they can’t be trusted with more. I sympathise and feel slightly violated too. But I want to focus on another aspect of this, for constructive reasons.

I noticed two things tonight -

1) I was reading this forum thread which alerted me to this -

Sidewiki pages are ranking quite nicely in Google as independent webpages that anyone can view – even without Google toolbar or Sidewiki installed on their browser – I say ‘independent pages’, but it’s worth pointing out that the page that I am referring to is a page on Google.com that comprises of one third Sidewiki plus two thirds someone elses webpage (Wikipedia’s – pun intended?).

Here’s a screenshot of the SERPS (search engine result pages) result for a search for ’sidewiki controversy’ ranking at position two -

Here’s the search itself – it might rank differently for you depending on where you are in the world.

And here’s a link to the Google ‘Sidewiki entry page’ you go to when you follow the link from those SERPS – this one

As I mentioned, it’s a page on Google’s website that that’s titled as a ‘Google Sidewiki entry’. I’m not that techie so I can’t be precise, but it appears to be using frames to ‘host’ the person’s website that the wiki relates to  – in this case Wikipedia.

My point – these Sidewiki ‘entry’ pages appear to be ranking.  On pages on the Google website. On this occasion it’s showing content (as the site description) in the SERPS that is on both the original site AND the Sidewiki entry. I wonder which influences the ranking more – the content of the original page or the content of the entry? I wonder what difference it makes (to a variety of things) when one makes sure that a Sidewiki entry has  a particular segment of content that is -

a) a ‘useful’ search phrase

b) on the original page AND also quoted in the entry?

Do you see where I’m approaching this from? I hope so.

The second thing I noticed was -

2. The bit of text about Sidewiki from this page that I haven’t seen anyone comment on yet – where they are talking about how they rank the comments on Sidewiki they also say (2nd paragraph under the video) -

Under the hood, we have even more technology that will take your entry about the current page and show it next to webpages that contain the same snippet of text. For example, an entry on a speech by President Obama will appear on all webpages that include the same quote. We also bring in relevant posts from blogs and other sources that talk about the current page so that you can discover their insights more easily, right next to the page they refer to.

Here’s what I noticed.

The first sentence says (in so many words) – ‘if the right conditions exist, your Sidewiki comment can be (automatically) added to many other Sidewiki entry pages by us without you lifting a finger.’ Hmmmm.

The second sentence -

For example, an entry on a speech by President Obama will appear on all webpages that include the same quote.

…’all webpages’! Really?

Webmaster viewpoint – That’s a lot of exposure for someone’s Sidewiki entry.

Google viewpoint – A great way to quickly populate Sidewiki across the web (with duplicate content ), which, if those Sidewiki pages were all ranking highly, would dramatically change the SERPS – and who knows, perhaps Google could dominate their own SERPS with user generated content coupled with scraped webpages all hosted on their own domain.

The third sentence -

We also bring in relevant posts from blogs and other sources that talk about the current page so that you can discover their insights more easily, right next to the page they refer to.

‘Bring in’? What exactly does that mean? A link? Content and a link? Just content?

Webmaster viewpoint – ‘If I created webpages or blog posts about high traffic subjects, designed purely in order to get even more Sidewiki exposure/SERPS rankings…’

Google viewpoint – possibly MORE scraped/borrowed content used to quickly populate Sidewiki.

If Sidewiki gets populated with content really quickly by Google, it could appear to those who don’t come across the paragraph I quoted above or understand that much of the content being added is being added by Google themselves (’borrowed’ from elsewhere) that Sidewiki is really busy, successful and being added to, much more than it actually is by ‘real humans’ choosing to leave their opinion.

Hmmmm.

Don’t you just hate those people who steam in and try to dominate and control ‘the conversation’?

Perhaps someone should send them this email (from an automated system) -

“Hello,

Your internet account has been suspended due to multiple submissions of poor quality Sidewiki landing pages. We are unable to revoke your account suspension, and we will not accept webpages from you in the future.

Please note that our support team is unable to help you with this issue, and we ask that you do not contact them about this matter. If you need more information about our Landing Page and Site Quality guidelines, please just think logically and compassionately and act accordingly. Above all – do no evil.

As noted in our Terms and Conditions, the internet unwashed in general reserves the right to ignore webpages for any reason. To view our Terms and Conditions, please just think.

We appreciate your cooperation.”

Last paragraph inspired by this forum thread.
Stay on your tootsies and be prosperous, my fellow Exrats.