27054 1 3 econsultancy_xml <p>The as-yet-unnamed retailer in question <a href="http://deanhunt.com/bizzare-google-request/">emailed Dean</a> with the following information: <em>“Your site is now above us for this term. I have checked your blog and it has nothing to do with [edited keyphrase], so I think it would be best all round if you remove your blog from Google for this search term.”</em></p> <p>Blimey. Weirdo request, but threats followed: <em>“If you do not remove yourself from Google for this search, then I will call them myself and have you removed.”</em></p> <p>Dean wrote back: <em>“Are you serious? I had to re-read your e-mail three times to make sure my eyes were not playing tricks on me!” </em></p> <p>He then pointed out that he never made any effort to rank for the keyphrase in question, nor could he easily ‘de-rank’ his blog for that term, and nor would he want to.</p> <p>Too funny, right? It gets better. The retailer, by this time annoyed at ‘the sarcastic nature’ of Dean’s reply, duly contacted Google and also informed his lawyer. </p> <p>He then proceeded to educate Dean on <a href="http://deanhunt.com/bizarre-google-request-update">Google’s business model:</a><em>“You have to understand that an online business should be higher in Google than a blog. Don’t forget that Google is a business as well, they obviously make more money from other businesses than they do from blogs, so it is in their interest that I am higher than you for certain searches.”</em></p> <p>Right on, brother. Or perhaps not…</p> <FormattedContent xmlns="http://www.e-consultancy.com/schema/formattedContent/"> <Paragraph>The as-yet-unnamed retailer in question <Link URL="http://deanhunt.com/bizzare-google-request/" Window="New">emailed Dean</Link> with the following information: <Quote>“Your site is now above us for this term. I have checked your blog and it has nothing to do with [edited keyphrase], so I think it would be best all round if you remove your blog from Google for this search term.”</Quote></Paragraph> <Paragraph>Blimey. Weirdo request, but threats followed: <Quote>“If you do not remove yourself from Google for this search, then I will call them myself and have you removed.”</Quote></Paragraph> <Paragraph>Dean wrote back: <Quote>“Are you serious? I had to re-read your e-mail three times to make sure my eyes were not playing tricks on me!” </Quote></Paragraph> <Paragraph>He then pointed out that he never made any effort to rank for the keyphrase in question, nor could he easily ‘de-rank’ his blog for that term, and nor would he want to.</Paragraph> <Paragraph>Too funny, right? It gets better. The retailer, by this time annoyed at ‘the sarcastic nature’ of Dean’s reply, duly contacted Google and also informed his lawyer. </Paragraph> <Paragraph>He then proceeded to educate Dean on <Link URL="http://deanhunt.com/bizarre-google-request-update" Window="New">Google’s business model:</Link><Quote>“You have to understand that an online business should be higher in Google than a blog. Don’t forget that Google is a business as well, they obviously make more money from other businesses than they do from blogs, so it is in their interest that I am higher than you for certain searches.”</Quote></Paragraph> <Paragraph>Right on, brother. Or perhaps not…</Paragraph> </FormattedContent> 2006-12-11T14:50:00+00:00 1 1 econsultancy_xml <p> <strong>Dean Hunt at Deano’s World blog has received a hilarious / threatening letter from a bemused retailer who doesn’t remotely understand how Google works.</strong> </p> <FormattedContent xmlns="http://www.e-consultancy.com/schema/formattedContent/"> <Paragraph> <Emphasis>Dean Hunt at Deano’s World blog has received a hilarious / threatening letter from a bemused retailer who doesn’t remotely understand how Google works.</Emphasis> </Paragraph> </FormattedContent> false 627 362338 Retailer threatens blogger after Google issue false 2006-12-11T14:50:00+00:00 retailer-threatens-blogger-after-google-issue 2009-04-30T05:31:49+01:00 2009-04-30T05:31:49+01:00 237