My 2 Cents on the Coop Network
I've been browsing through various forums reading discussions on the coop ad network created by www.digitalpoint.com. I've participated in a few of the discussions but have for the most part just been silent on the issue. Most of the time I don't know what I'm talking about anyway. Why clutter up the thread with my comments:-)
I have a few sites that participate in the coop, and they have been since the early days. My accounts are linked to affiliate ID's 8 & 11 so I've been participating pretty much since the beginning.
On December 15, 2004 a lot of my sites took a huge plunge in Google's serps and are just now starting to regain the more prominent placement I was used to. The site that took the biggest plunge is not in any way shape or form involved with the coop. I don't run coop ads for it or on it. It doesn't link to any of my sites that do run coop ads, and none of the sites running coop ads link to it. It's "orphaned" from the coop so to speak. The site still gets a hefty amount of traffic from Google, just not for the terms I target. It's making a comeback but it's been slow going…nothing new there.
I feel that the recent drops people are seeing in Google's serps are more related to it's aggressive weeding out of duplicate content. Whereas before I thought the duplicate content filter was a little too forgiving, I think just the opposite is true at the time of this writing. It seems that now Google's algorithm is taking the stance, "if it's close, it's duplicate - it's gone". I think there's a happy median out there and Google will eventually find it.
Right now millions of sites are taking "hits" in terms of the number of indexed pages and placement in the serps…it just so happens that some of those millions of sites also belong to coop participants. I think it's a coincidence, nothing more. At least that’s the conclusion I arrive at after evaluating my sites - sites both in and out of the network. I would be the first to raise the flag if I thought the coop had actually hurt any of my sites.
I would also question why Google would "penalize" sites that are participating in a free coop network and continue to reward some sites that are buying their way into high priced versions of the coop?
All of the above is pure speculation on my part based on my personal experiences. I'm not Google, don't work for them or have any inside info. Everyone should make his or her own decision regarding the network based on all the info available. Remember though, as of today no one can give you any facts about whether or not the network will harm your site…all they can do is speculate just like I am here.
For more reading on the coop network visit just about any webmaster forum on the net' and search for "coop network". Check it out in 2 or 3 forums - you'll be surprised at the number of varying opinions & theories.
On a side note - a lot of the people I have seen criticize the coop network have a vested interest in seeing it not succeed - they sell links for a fee. Apparently putting up a link for someone is called "advertising" if they pay you and its called "spam" if it's free…
To each their own. See you in the forums.
I have a few sites that participate in the coop, and they have been since the early days. My accounts are linked to affiliate ID's 8 & 11 so I've been participating pretty much since the beginning.
On December 15, 2004 a lot of my sites took a huge plunge in Google's serps and are just now starting to regain the more prominent placement I was used to. The site that took the biggest plunge is not in any way shape or form involved with the coop. I don't run coop ads for it or on it. It doesn't link to any of my sites that do run coop ads, and none of the sites running coop ads link to it. It's "orphaned" from the coop so to speak. The site still gets a hefty amount of traffic from Google, just not for the terms I target. It's making a comeback but it's been slow going…nothing new there.
I feel that the recent drops people are seeing in Google's serps are more related to it's aggressive weeding out of duplicate content. Whereas before I thought the duplicate content filter was a little too forgiving, I think just the opposite is true at the time of this writing. It seems that now Google's algorithm is taking the stance, "if it's close, it's duplicate - it's gone". I think there's a happy median out there and Google will eventually find it.
Right now millions of sites are taking "hits" in terms of the number of indexed pages and placement in the serps…it just so happens that some of those millions of sites also belong to coop participants. I think it's a coincidence, nothing more. At least that’s the conclusion I arrive at after evaluating my sites - sites both in and out of the network. I would be the first to raise the flag if I thought the coop had actually hurt any of my sites.
I would also question why Google would "penalize" sites that are participating in a free coop network and continue to reward some sites that are buying their way into high priced versions of the coop?
All of the above is pure speculation on my part based on my personal experiences. I'm not Google, don't work for them or have any inside info. Everyone should make his or her own decision regarding the network based on all the info available. Remember though, as of today no one can give you any facts about whether or not the network will harm your site…all they can do is speculate just like I am here.
For more reading on the coop network visit just about any webmaster forum on the net' and search for "coop network". Check it out in 2 or 3 forums - you'll be surprised at the number of varying opinions & theories.
On a side note - a lot of the people I have seen criticize the coop network have a vested interest in seeing it not succeed - they sell links for a fee. Apparently putting up a link for someone is called "advertising" if they pay you and its called "spam" if it's free…
To each their own. See you in the forums.
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