My logic would be that they might include PR in the QS algorythm, but I have seen no one prepared to confirm this…

It certainly does seem that way sometimes, but I also have a healthy respect for the enormity of the problem.

Here is the problem as I see it, how do you maintain the integrity of the model? How do you keep bad players from buying up all the prime search real estate in a reckless attempt at short term profit while the PPC model goes in the toilet?

If the searchers are not finding what they are looking for when they click on those ads the whole thing slowly dies. Simple “market forces” are not enough. Too many new players doing too many ignorant things. By the time they all go broke and washout, so may the PPC model because searchers will have no confidence that ads will take them to a place where they are looking to go.

So we need Quality Score. How does a Search Engine determine what site deserves a Quality nod over another, I guess that is the crux of Search Engine Marketing in a nutshell.

for a related(but dated)piece:
http://www.thomascreekconcepts.com/adwords-strategy/adwords-quality-score-what-beginners-need-to-know

I ask prospects, what makes you think you deserve that prime real estate? Willingness to bid your brains out is not enough.

I trust Google understands what is at stake and is attacking the problem with ingenuity and integrity, but they have a long way to go. So I agree, at times, Quality Score makes no sense. I also think it can be more transparent, without giving too much away to gamers, cheats, the black-hat crowd.

Search Best Practices are basic, give the searcher what they want, how they want it, when they want it. Determining what “that” is, and how to implement that determination, is where the fun, and the competitive edge, comes in.

Quality Score, Page Rank and the ilk can be real red herrings, focus on the searcher’s quest.

But like you say Scott, the grindstone calls, back to work

-T

Tom Hale
Internet Strategist – AdWords Specialist
http://ThomasCreekConcepts.com/
http://forum.sempdx.org/

I believe you just said what many silently suspect – and I’m sure not calling you out on this, Tom, in fact I’m more suspicious now than an a hour ago!

As a PPC guy, doesn’t it seem like there’s no rhyme or reason sometimes for outrageous charges forced by the QC?

Anyway, speculations fun, but doesn’t pay the bills today – i’m up against the clock, and likely wont answer again for a day or so…

Second I have no reason to think Page Rank is in fact a hard factor in determining Quality Score. The point I was trying to make is that Search Best Practices tend to cross pollinate.

Don’t you thing more concise, targeted, informative, easily navigated website content benefits Page Rank, Quality Score, link-building and overall Search Juju? My point was more, don’t worry about Page Rank or Quality Score. Incorporate general Search Best Practices and all that extraneous mystery stuff falls into place.

-T

Tom Hale
Internet Strategist – AdWords Specialist
http://ThomasCreekConcepts.com/
http://forum.sempdx.org/