Life After Text Links: ScratchBack

Google da Great .

Very interesting. I like the idea. Wonder if you can filter out or deny tips/ads that you don’t want…maybe a competitor, adult contents, etc?

I just don’t see how this is going to work.

Come on. This is about the same as PayPerPost

So irritating, the idea of ‘Google-Approved’ linking methods. They have a weak system for judging actual quality, so they need people to explicitly spell out ‘this link is for fun’ vs ‘this link is for reals’. Seems like they’ve surrendered the fight to improve the real underpinnings of their search idea.

Google is a dinosaur!

http://fakesteveballmer.blogspot.com

@Metro, yes, you can turn on approve mode at any time, which lets you check out a listing before it goes live.

@MetroBellevue

I’m using it and I chose to have manual approval of the tips for that reason. It’s an option to have manual or auto approval in the setup.

I will try out the widget but now they don’t have many design options.

If you are looking for non-search engine based traffic, this looks interesting (if they evolve the product some more…)

However, if you really want that search engine traffic, obviously this is a no-go since it is ‘approved’ by google for being search engine invisible (SEI!)

Please stop spreading the myth that this latest algo change was a crackdown on text link ads. It was merely a crackdown on excessive linking.

They can take their nofollow links and shove ‘em. I need links with cojones!

I liked the idea. This is a fun meaningful alternative to those ‘Donate’ buttons on websites.
I tried the widget and got my link on the scratchback homepage… Looks fun and easy.

Sounds easy — why not!

Personally don’t think they should penalize blogs that don’t observe the no follow implementation. it should be up to the individual blog owners to whether they want to allow that or not and is not google to say whether it is good or bad. To have something being “approved” before putting it up just shows that they have become too big for their own good. It is no longer the case where the internet is big and free anymore — it’s a case of doing something as long as you are within the boundaries of Google’s rules.
Who are they to determine what is spam and what is not. I think a better way to combat spam is by capthas instead of the no follow — which most blogs already have anyway.

It also looks to me like an easy way out of how they want to manipulate their spidering with least work on their end i.e. making the blogger or website implement something on their end instead of working on a way to combat spam with specific algorithms on their own engine.

Don’t get me wrong, I think Google is a great company with great offerings, but they shouldn’t be allowed to govern and rule how the marketplace, the web and blogosphere is run in such a monopolistic manner.

Foo, they’re not just talking about comment spam — they’re also talking about paid links, which are important, because determining whether a link is spam or not is relatively easy compared to that.

Paid links don’t necessarily add value to a page (check out what Text Link Ads will put on your page for a quick example of this); most of them are there to game Google’s arguably out-dated PageRank system.

They don’t really govern the market-space — just their own little slice of the pie.

BTW, I would not recommend eating Google pie. It’s at $700+ a slice. Too expensive. Better to wrap it in some shrinkwrap and hide it in the fridge for awhile. That way it’ll appreciate in value!

Yes $700 a slice is a pretty expensive slice.

what i am trying to say is that the way things are going now, development of apps need to consider another factor — is it google friendly.

That really should NOT be the case as when one starts doing something like that, it does hamper the freedom of development. It will come to a certain extent that Google can manipulate how apps are made just because their search engine or whatever backend works that way. So we’ll see “Google Approved” or “Google Compatible” apps being made instead of just Web/ Internet apps — can you see the picture i’m trying to paint?

This sort of unhealthy monopolistic situation is not good for the web. We have to remember that the whole basis of why the internet has grown so big and so fast is because it is due to one major area — the freedom to create without boundaries. That is what i’m a little concerned about — it is the whole Microsoft rules and the old AT&T rules all over again but just on the internet.

Well, I see the picture you’re *trying* to paint, but I don’t think in reality it actually works that way.

I don’t see how Google is hampering anyone here but people trying to game the system, just like how people try to boost / game Digg articles all the time. Sure, you *can* build an application to try and exploit Digg’s system, but don’t expect them to take it lying down.

Likewise, you can build as many applications or start-ups you want that abuse or exploit Google’s search technology, but don’t expect them to roll over and take it as their search quality decreases. Google, like Digg, has its own interests to look out for too — it just so happens that Google’s interests happen to be a cross-section with most of its searcher’s interests, too (clean, relevant results).

I really don’t see the scenario of Google dominating the web as you’ve described it. They’re not stopping you from creating applications that abuse the system — they’re *fighting* you tooth and nail for that contested ground, but that’s a natural and really unsurprising response.

I think you’re reading too much into the terminology ScratchBack used: Google’s said they don’t like paid links without nofollow, so ScratchBack is using paid links *with* nofollow. That’s about everything you need to do to make your site “Google Compatible” according to the way you see it.

ScratchBack sure is nifty lookin’, but I don’t think it’s worth nearly 60% of your revenue. Especially considering the only “service” they’re providing you is a nifty little widget that doesn’t do anything more than a simple blogroll would for free.
http://www.philaahzophy.com/20.....ched-here/

ScratchBack now paying 90% of tips to users during beta.

http://www.scratchback.com/blo.....ring-beta/

I love the idea of this service but I hate how the widget looks. I don’t understand why everything has to be so glossy and ugly. I guess everything in the web 2.0 world has to look like a fisher price toy.

i love google.

thank you

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