Search Engine Ranking

Google Summaries

Google SEO Forums (17)

Google AdWords Forums (7)

Google AdSense Forums (5)

Google Mixed Adwords/Adsense Forums (3)

SEO Optimisation Forums - Factors for Success

This is a popularity contest - a posting metric.
Each site is ranked by Recent Posting Activity,
using a random spot check method -
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday
(# of Posts in 3 days- August 7, 8, 9th, 2006)

Updated 08-11-06 - Only the leftmost column,
and rightmost column were updated.

Rank

Mods
(alphabetical)

1.

71
threads

SeoChat - Google - Google

The price of freedom is vigilance -
if you step out of line here,
your peers will let you know very quickly.
Be civil, be tactful, and learn a ton.

Negative Factor: Ad servers are Slooowww. Flashing ads suck. I will NEVER click on a flashing ad, no matter what.

Departed Mods - dazzlindonna, EGOL, fathom, Jasonnyc, SEO_AM, Webby - then, Bernard, pk_synths, rustybrick, sufyaaan

TOS - Great knowledgeable folks, helpful attitudes, 100% FREE
No censorship (unless you are an idiot). The best stuff here, you can't see elsewhere.
More performance, less need to genuflect.
Straight shooters.
They name names, tremendously reducing BS posts, and limiting the generation of FUD (fear-uncertainty-doubt).
Readers can verify statements; not true of #2 below.

Continuing
Shakeup

Remaining Mods -
Phoenix,
seo_guy

New Mods -
brandall
ClickyB,
Foghorn
scottfish

2.

53
threads

WebMaster World - Forum 30 - Google News

The Forum, against which, ALL OTHERS must be compared! The Oldest and Biggest, most firmly entrenched, most conservative, most political.

Note that this forum is PRE-moderated - no one gets to see your post, until it has been approved (censored) - first by software, then by a moderator. Your initial thread post may never get online, or be quickly deleted, especially if it is Google-negative.

Negative Factor: Rude Flashing ad at top

TOS -
Most conservative, most censorship, most secretive.

URL censorship - no linking to anything - can't check any claims.
<snip>, <snip>, <snip>, 

Brett Tabke
ciml
lawman
vitaplease

3.

22
threads

V7N Google Forums - Forum 26 (was 20)


Positive Factor: No Flashing

TOS - None
RAT - Registration Agreement Terms

awall19,
Ferre,
G10

4.

22
threads

WebWorkShop - SEO Forum - Google


Negative Factor: Rude FLASHING ADS
These drive me nuts, and away quickly.

TOS - Maybe you will like these.

Mel,
Janeth

5.

20
threads

Digital Point Google Forum

Give Shawn a visit, especially his Free SEO Tools
Shawn has been very active at SEO Chat, and he has now created his own Google Forum(s).
My favorite(s).

Positive Factor: No Ads

Over time, Shawn has given us many great FREE SEO tools. I suspect that he could easily become Numero Uno in Google forums as well.

Straight talk, NO BS. That's why he has gained so much respect in the webmaster community.

??
Crazy_Rob
disgust,
T0PS3O,
ViciousSummer

6.

17
threads

SEW Forums - Google Web Search -
   Forum 34 - Search Engine Watch Forums

Highly official site.
GoogleGuy, AdsenseAdvisor, and GMailRep
have already joined, due, no doubt,
to Danny Sullivan's excellent reputation.
Three other Google forums, as well!

Negative Factor: The most ads of any forum. The page trips over all the ads. I HATE the flashing ads - extremely distracting. I would ban them.

TOS - none FAQs (rather broad)
From respected guru Danny Sullivan at Search Engine Watch.

Should be much more popular - I don't know why it isn't. Maybe it's the ads, but bad ads don't seem to slow down SEOChat posting. Maybe it is perceived as "too official", and folks are reluctant to expose their ignorance, only to be "schooled" in public by the truly knowledgable? Dunno.

DaveN,
Elisabeth,
oilman

top of page

Rank

# of
Recent
Threads

7.

15
threads

Google Community Forums - Forum 1

-

Andylkl,
darrenstraight,geekerati,
mondine,
intelliot,
Randy Johnson, Snake,
tokkolo

8.

13
threads

Ihelpyouservices.com - Google Forum

-

Danny,
nuthin,
qwerty

9.

12
threads

Site Point Forums - Forum 177


Positive Factor: No Ads

FAQs

Guidelines

aspen,
beley,
iFroggy,
M. Johansson
moospot, 
Nicky,
stymiee,
TheOriginalH

10.

7
threads

JimWorld - SE Marketing Forums - Google
Redirects to Search Engine Forums - Google -
SE Forums - Optimizing Website - Google

TOS - Maybe you will like this one.

g1smd
Logan

11.

7
threads

Ozzu Google Forum - Forum 29


Positive Factor: No Ads

FAQ

ATNO/TW,
Axe,
Jess,
musik,
UNFLUX,
vetofunk

12.

4
threads

HighRankings.com - SE Optimization - Optimization Tips


Positive Factor: No Ads

TOS -
Head-mistress Jill Whalen - Jill seems to attract controversy. Just search for "Jill Whalen", and read.

Alan Perkins,
Jill Whalen,
Scottie Claiborne

13.

4
threads

Webmaster Talk - Forums - Site Traffic - Google


Positive Factor: No Ads

TOS - Eh?

chrishirst,
DaveMo~
vangogh

14.

4
threads

Cre8asite Google Forums - Forum 21


Positive Factor: No Ads

Rules

Black_Knight,
bwelford
plus 17 others

15.

4
threads

GeekVillage - Talk - Google

TOS - Eh?
BIG on site reviews

Team Geek

16.

zero
threads

SearchGuild - Forum 1 - Google


Positive Factor: No Ads

TOS - Maybe you will like this one.

(doesn't say)

17.

?
threads

Webmaster Forums -

No Google section - No optimization section

TOS - Google is scattered throughout
BIG on site reviews
Weird organization of threads

(various)

(1) After 20 posts, to check you out, some restrictions
(2) After 20 posts
(3) restricted - "nor do we allow link-dropping, except where absolutely necessary to the content of the post"

top of page

Mods

Webmaster World Adwords Forum - Forum 81

eWhisper
mona
skibum

Digital Point Adwords Forum - Forum 35

Doesn't say, but were-
Crazy_Rob,
disgust,
T0PS3O,
ViciousSummer

SEW Adsense Forum - Forum 31
(Should be more action here)

AussieWebmaster,
Elisabeth
Jeff Martin,
OptimizeOnline

JimWorld Adwords Forum -
Redirects to Search Engine Forums - PPC
Forums - Marketing and Adv. - Pay per Click - Google, Yahoo and Others

flyingrose
MJR

Web-Mastery Adwords Forum - Forum 30 (was 13)

Doesn't say, but were-
raven,
webmastery

SEO Guy Adwords Forum - Forum 61

Cygnus,
dilligaf,
jlknauff,
jocelyn,
seobook

ABAKUS Adwords Forum

viggen,
relaxzoolander

top of page

Mods

Webmaster World Adsense Forum - Forum 89

Jenstar,
mack,
martinibuster

Digitalpoint Adsense Forum - Forum 27 -
Fastest growing

Doesn't say, but were-
Crazy_Rob,
disgust,
T0PS3O,
ViciousSummer

Associate Programs Adsense Forum - Forum 28

Administrator

SEW Adsense Forum - Forum 30

(Should be more action here)

Elisabeth
Jenstar

SEO Guy AdSense Forum

Cygnus,
dilligaf,
jlknauff,
jocelyn,
seobook

top of page

Mods

Google Community Adwords and Adsense Forum - Forum-2

Andylkl,
darrenstraight,
geekerati,
mondine,
intelliot,
AdsenseCoach,
joshq678

SEC Chat (Adwords/AdSense) Forum - Forum 39

(More Adsense than Adwords)

Bernard
brandall,
FogHorn,
Phoenix,
pk_synths,
rustybrick,
scottfish,
seo_guy,
sufyaaan

Webproworld Adsense/ Adwords Forum - Forum 35

Doesn't say, but were-
carju1,
dutter,
jmiller,
stithmeister

*Many other Moderators should undoubtedly be in BLUE - I just don't have enough data points.

Also, note that some forums use Greenwich Time (UTC, Zulu), while others use Google California time.
California dates above are the 7th, 8th, and 9th (Digital Point).
Zulu time dates above are the 8th, 9th and 10th (WMW).
Which is which? I get confused. I don't care all that much to figure it all out.

I live in California, so I hate Zulu time on the forums, because it is always WRONG,
with respect to what is going on at Google RIGHT NOW (actually 8 hours wrong, 7 during PDST).
To me, and many others, GOOGLEBRAIN TIME is far more significant than "other hemisphere" Southern England Museum time. AND, Google time = MSN time = Yahoo time = Tech Time!
Maybe Google Time should become the world time standard. Of course, the latitude/ longitude thing will prevent that. And the fact that I am in the Google Time Zone, may be a factor here. Hardy-har-har.

top of page

Censorship - the lack thereof
- - - Is it an "actual" forum - Or is it for the cognoscenti only? Is there a secret handshake?
- - - Can you speak? Or can you only hint?
- - - Can you drop URLs?
- - - Can your drop live URLs?
- - - Can you even hint at how to find a URL?
- - - Can you "out" thieving scoundrels? No, if there are many of them on the forum.
- - - Can you name names, so that others may judge for themselves?

Moderators (I have highlighted my favorites in Blue*.)
- - - Maturity and Attitude (BIG Factor)
- - - Motives (seeking ego massage, DMOZ editor mindset, in it for the money/power?)
- - - Degree of Participation (absentee owner, the quiet man, laissez faire, brood hen?)
- - - Control - Encourage Posters to respect their peers, and gently stomp those who don't

Information
- - - Best information (posted by most knowledgeable webmasters)
- - - Info Appears early because the forum is frequented by Alpha webmasters

Level
- - - Poster caliber and intelligence
- - - Respect for Peers

Focus
- - - Not all can be served - anything and everything to everybody
- - - Newbie focus? - Intermediate? - Sophisticated? - Paying Private Club?

NOT A Google, Inc. Site

In no way, did this data come directly from Google, Inc.

This page consists of a compilation of public information, commonly available on the internet, at multiple sites, as well as public webmaster forums, and simple manual tests.

The opinions stated above are merely the personal opinions of the author.
These opinions are derived from personal experience.
Your experiences may be different.

I am not privy to any inside information.

This information is continually changing, and may not be relevant when you read it.

Although the author makes every effort to verify the information on this page, no information on this page is guaranteed to be correct, and any data contained herein may be erroneous.

Why did I do this page? One day, I was bored senseless.

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