US-based online retailer Big Tall Direct has accused Google of favouring ad dollars from large businesses over relevancy, after the firm saw a 70% decrease in search traffic in the past year.
Big Tall Direct is one the largest online web-sellers of clothes for the big and tall man in the US, and has worked with Google since 1997 using its AdWords system to secure top spots on the natural search results page.
After a decade in the top search results, the company claims that Google’s new Penguin and Panda algorithm changes introduced over the past year have lead to Big Tall Direct seeing a decrease in traffic. Its rank moved around to position 6 and position 13, and back again. Most recently, however, the rank has dropped precariously to position 54 without any advanced warning.
“This puts our entire organization at risk”, says it’s President Rob Schlein. “We have spent over $400,000 in Google Adwords buys in our lifetime and we are very upset that our organic listings do not appear before this upcoming holiday season”. He added, “My experience is not unique. Other independent big and tall retailers are sharing the same experiences. I feel like Google has small family businesses under full assault in favor of the large multinational corporations with big advertising budgets, yet who do a poor job of servicing our particular niche.”
The firm claims that now, when a user types “big and tall”, or “big and tall clothes” as his search words in the US, Google lists traditional department stores with no independent specialty stores being displayed any longer in the top results.
“This new algorithm doesn’t serve their (Google’s) customer, nor does it serve us. We were coveted in the formative years of the internet as one of its early adopters for retail. Now, that we have built our infrastructure to accommodate a growing business model, they (Google) have changed all of the rules”, said Schlein. “Last year, we hired an SEO firm to help restore our ranking, and that helped for a limited amount of time.”
In response, Schlein created a tongue-in-cheek YouTube Video asking Google, “What did I ever do to you?”.
Big Tall Direct began as their online store backed up by a traditional brick and mortar storefront called Dan’s Big & Tall in 1997. An early adopter of online selling, it was one of the first merchants to partner with America Online in the late 1990s.
8 Comments
Comments are closed.
Hi,
I can understand the trouble and business loss the company could have faced because of the change in rankings. But I am little confused with the statement ” “We have spent over $400,000 in Google Adwords buys in our lifetime and we are very upset that our organic listings do not appear before this upcoming holiday season”.” How is spend in Adwords related to the Organic Rankings? Paid Search if different type of advertising and SEO needs special optimisation to rank. Many companies have earned good money in the past before they could face the Penguin & the Panda updates. I think to regain the rankings the SEO Optimisation should include a bigger strategy and different approach.
Thanks,
Ani
I have wrote same article before 3 months .. I know that this is a long term strategy by google .. it seems right for quality purpose but it is equally wrong for visitor and small business point of view..
http://www.implicitly.me/technology/is-google-killing-small-businesses-by-pandas-penguins/
Well firstly Adwords and organic results are two TOTALLY seperate entities and just because you spend a good amount with the Adwords program does NOT mean that Google “owes” you organic rankings and organic is not affected by adwords.
The big drop in rankings could be due to a wide variety of factors – poor onsite, excessive anchor text used in offsite, bad links offsite etc etc.
Yes Google does favour big authority sites which big brands do tend to have and pages from authority sites rank easier in the serps. This doesn’t mean you cant put a good campaign in place and get a good ROI. It’s all about the right strategy.
Also what about audience building? Do you have a good social following and email list?
The Panda and Penguin updates have not affected any of our clients whatsoever because our sites are well structured, well managed and well optimised both on and offsite.
Let me have a look at your site (no charge) and I’ll give you my honest opinions and recommendations.
This is something that you need to be very careful with. Having the top ranking in google will never last. It is nothing that you pay for but have earn through backlinks. You cannot rely on this for ever. quality hotel furniture
Your style is truly special contrasted with different people I have perused stuff from. Much obliged concerning posting when you have the chance, Guess I’ll just book mark this page.
For the most part I don’t study article on sites, yet I wish to say that this compose up exceptionally compelled me to investigate and do it! Your written work style has been astonished me. Much obliged to you, exceptionally delightful post.
Essentially need to say your article is as surprising. The clearness in your post is just fantastic and I can assume you are learned on this subject.
Unbelievably phenomenal post, I completely thoroughly enjoy this site, proceed with it.