Comments on: Nerdy fun with URLs http://www.badscience.net/2009/02/nerdy-fun-with-urls/ Ben Goldacre's Bad Science column from the Guardian and more... Thu, 18 Mar 2010 17:13:57 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: wayscj http://www.badscience.net/2009/02/nerdy-fun-with-urls/comment-page-1/#comment-28989 wayscj Sat, 21 Nov 2009 06:17:17 +0000 http://www.badscience.net/2009/02/nerdy-fun-with-urls/#comment-28989 ed hardy <a title="ed hardy" href="http://www.edhardyworld.co.uk" rel="nofollow"><strong>ed hardy</strong></a> ed hardy clothing <a title="ed hardy clothing" href="http://www.edhardyworld.co.uk" rel="nofollow"><strong>ed hardy clothing</strong></a> ed hardy shop <a title="ed hardy shop" href="http://www.edhardyworld.co.uk" rel="nofollow"><strong>ed hardy shop</strong></a> christian audigier <a title="christian audigier" href="http://www.edhardyworld.co.uk" rel="nofollow"><strong>christian audigier</strong></a> ed hardy cheap <a title="ed hardy cheap" href="http://www.edhardyworld.co.uk" rel="nofollow"><strong>ed hardy cheap</strong></a> ed hardy outlet <a title="ed hardy outlet" href="http://www.edhardyworld.co.uk" rel="nofollow"><strong>ed hardy outlet</strong></a> ed hardy sale <a title="ed hardy clothes" href="http://www.edhardyworld.co.uk" rel="nofollow"><strong>ed hardy sale</strong></a> ed hardy store <a title="ed hardy store" href="http://www.edhardyworld.co.uk" rel="nofollow"><strong>ed hardy store</strong></a> ed hardy mens <a title="ed hardy mens" href="http://www.edhardyworld.co.uk/mens.html" rel="nofollow"><strong>ed hardy mens</strong></a> ed hardy womens <a title="ed hardy womens" href="http://www.edhardyworld.co.uk/womens.html" rel="nofollow"><strong>ed hardy womens</strong></a> ed hardy kids <a title="ed hardy kids" href="http://www.edhardyworld.co.uk/kids.html" rel="nofollow"><strong>ed hardy kids</strong></a> ed hardy kids ed hardy ed hardy
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]]> By: Andrew Clegg http://www.badscience.net/2009/02/nerdy-fun-with-urls/comment-page-1/#comment-24090 Andrew Clegg Wed, 04 Feb 2009 19:30:47 +0000 http://www.badscience.net/2009/02/nerdy-fun-with-urls/#comment-24090 See also the viral marketing for Charlie Brooker's zombie series Dead Set: http://www.unseenscreen.com/ Hint: try putting something like "climax" as your name. You used to be able to put in more than one word, of slightly longer length, but I think they noticed and spoilt our fun. Things like "teabag myself" worked very well. Andrew. See also the viral marketing for Charlie Brooker’s zombie series Dead Set:

http://www.unseenscreen.com/

Hint: try putting something like “climax” as your name.

You used to be able to put in more than one word, of slightly longer length, but I think they noticed and spoilt our fun. Things like “teabag myself” worked very well.

Andrew.

]]> By: HowardW http://www.badscience.net/2009/02/nerdy-fun-with-urls/comment-page-1/#comment-24080 HowardW Wed, 04 Feb 2009 12:56:55 +0000 http://www.badscience.net/2009/02/nerdy-fun-with-urls/#comment-24080 Just to be clear - the text within a URL will only have an influence on Google search rankings for that page when the URL appears as a link somewhere, so Ben's cheeky-but-accurate "utter cock as usual" link to the article will mean the page is seen as a bit more relevant than it previously was (in relation to the term "utter cock"). However, the link text probably has a slightly greater effect - in Ben's case, the link text was "Danger from just 7 cups of coffee a day". BUT - these effects are both pretty small, especially if it's only one link. With many links along these lines, it starts to become useful. Googlebombs are pretty much impossible to achieve these days - Google added specific algorithms to deal with them some while back. However, the key is to use minor variations of a phrase in the link text, rather than identical clones of the same text. So variations on a theme of "utter cock", pointing to a specific page, might start to have a useful effect... Howard Just to be clear – the text within a URL will only have an influence on Google search rankings for that page when the URL appears as a link somewhere, so Ben’s cheeky-but-accurate “utter cock as usual” link to the article will mean the page is seen as a bit more relevant than it previously was (in relation to the term “utter cock”). However, the link text probably has a slightly greater effect – in Ben’s case, the link text was “Danger from just 7 cups of coffee a day”.

BUT – these effects are both pretty small, especially if it’s only one link. With many links along these lines, it starts to become useful.

Googlebombs are pretty much impossible to achieve these days – Google added specific algorithms to deal with them some while back. However, the key is to use minor variations of a phrase in the link text, rather than identical clones of the same text.

So variations on a theme of “utter cock”, pointing to a specific page, might start to have a useful effect…

Howard

]]> By: plentyofants http://www.badscience.net/2009/02/nerdy-fun-with-urls/comment-page-1/#comment-24075 plentyofants Wed, 04 Feb 2009 10:44:35 +0000 http://www.badscience.net/2009/02/nerdy-fun-with-urls/#comment-24075 of course, it's better when these url changes have an effect on the page too: http://www.google.co.uk/search?q=%22widdecombe+of+the+week%22 of course, it’s better when these url changes have an effect on the page too:

http://www.google.co.uk/search?q=%22widdecombe+of+the+week%22

]]> By: Teek http://www.badscience.net/2009/02/nerdy-fun-with-urls/comment-page-1/#comment-24071 Teek Wed, 04 Feb 2009 08:36:25 +0000 http://www.badscience.net/2009/02/nerdy-fun-with-urls/#comment-24071 :-) lol indeed...! :-) lol indeed…!

]]> By: monish http://www.badscience.net/2009/02/nerdy-fun-with-urls/comment-page-1/#comment-24050 monish Tue, 03 Feb 2009 20:03:13 +0000 http://www.badscience.net/2009/02/nerdy-fun-with-urls/#comment-24050 Looks like they've added superflous text to the link to get a good Google ranking, as Google puts high importance on the text of the URL. As a corollary you could easily google bomb them Looks like they’ve added superflous text to the link to get a good Google ranking, as Google puts high importance on
the text of the URL.

As a corollary you could easily google bomb them

]]> By: thepoisongarden http://www.badscience.net/2009/02/nerdy-fun-with-urls/comment-page-1/#comment-24046 thepoisongarden Tue, 03 Feb 2009 19:03:16 +0000 http://www.badscience.net/2009/02/nerdy-fun-with-urls/#comment-24046 TonyKennick That's a mistake in the link. Add an 'l' at the end and it still works. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/article-1133682/wow_godwins_law_by_paragraph_8_that_is_impressive.html TonyKennick

That’s a mistake in the link. Add an ‘l’ at the end and it still works.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/article-1133682/wow_godwins_law_by_paragraph_8_that_is_impressive.html

]]> By: The Biologista http://www.badscience.net/2009/02/nerdy-fun-with-urls/comment-page-1/#comment-24042 The Biologista Tue, 03 Feb 2009 17:37:22 +0000 http://www.badscience.net/2009/02/nerdy-fun-with-urls/#comment-24042 Hal, Not quite. It suggests they're reading Media Monkey but skipping the BS. A shame really. Hal,

Not quite. It suggests they’re reading Media Monkey but skipping the BS. A shame really.

]]> By: hat_eater http://www.badscience.net/2009/02/nerdy-fun-with-urls/comment-page-1/#comment-24040 hat_eater Tue, 03 Feb 2009 16:34:34 +0000 http://www.badscience.net/2009/02/nerdy-fun-with-urls/#comment-24040 Further proof they've got the Bad Science page firmly in their sights, while "ignoring" it. Further proof they’ve got the Bad Science page firmly in their sights, while “ignoring” it.

]]> By: Morten http://www.badscience.net/2009/02/nerdy-fun-with-urls/comment-page-1/#comment-24038 Morten Tue, 03 Feb 2009 16:18:33 +0000 http://www.badscience.net/2009/02/nerdy-fun-with-urls/#comment-24038 Fun indeed You need to add an 'l' to the url of the mail. Anyway, you can always pull this by adding a # to the url and then your text of choice: http://www.badscience.net/2009/02/nerdy-fun-with-urls/#time-to-grow-up-maybe Fun indeed

You need to add an ‘l’ to the url of the mail.

Anyway, you can always pull this by adding a # to the url and then your text of choice:

http://www.badscience.net/2009/02/nerdy-fun-with-urls/#time-to-grow-up-maybe

]]> By: TonyKennick http://www.badscience.net/2009/02/nerdy-fun-with-urls/comment-page-1/#comment-24034 TonyKennick Tue, 03 Feb 2009 16:05:40 +0000 http://www.badscience.net/2009/02/nerdy-fun-with-urls/#comment-24034 Looks like the Mail have spotted this, your link is now throwing a 404. Looks like the Mail have spotted this, your link is now throwing a 404.

]]> By: S http://www.badscience.net/2009/02/nerdy-fun-with-urls/comment-page-1/#comment-24033 S Tue, 03 Feb 2009 16:02:06 +0000 http://www.badscience.net/2009/02/nerdy-fun-with-urls/#comment-24033 They've realised the error of their ways... Monkey update: It turns out the unfortunate URL of the story may not have been written in Express Towers after all. As Monkey's Uncle has written to point out, anyone can add anything they like to Express.co.uk URLs and the server still displays the story. So, possibly the work of an Express fan with too much time on their hands ... and after too many cups of coffee. They’ve realised the error of their ways…

Monkey update: It turns out the unfortunate URL of the story may not have been written in Express Towers after all. As Monkey’s Uncle has written to point out, anyone can add anything they like to Express.co.uk URLs and the server still displays the story. So, possibly the work of an Express fan with too much time on their hands … and after too many cups of coffee.

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