SEO: Google Sidewiki… Why should you care?
A couple of months ago, Google created a new feature for it’s toolbar called “Sidewiki.” This allows your site users, who may or may not be customers, to create helpful information or insights in connection with individual search results. It also allows people to share these comments on Blogger, Facebook, Twitter, and your Google profile pages.
It’s kind of a cool feature that’s obviously designed to get people participating in a social way with Google’s search function, and also to get people to download and install the Google toolbar. I don’t have it, don’t want it, and rely on other cool Firefox add-ons to give me more information than the toolbar ever did without it clouding my reading pane. But…
What makes it a little scary is that Sidewiki can be a tool that people can use against you, if you’re in business. Imagine your unhappy customers writing their discontent into the wiki, which lasts forever. Imagine furthermore that same unhappy customer creating such a stir that everyone piles on. Makes me think of that Bugs Bunny cartoon refrain, “All pile on the dog pile.” When someone starts a feeding frenzy, it’s not pretty. continue reading »
