Search Engine Spam

[Andy]

Hi Guys,

Do you think the content on this site considered Search Engine Spam?

javascriptmenu.net/javascript_menu_popup_milonic.html

Sorry it's not a proper link, don't want them to know just yet that we know what they are doing

I think it is spam as there is nothing on that page about Milonic but the keyword Milonic appears several times, all they are trying to do is get visitors looking for Milonic to reach their page which is fair enough I suppose albeit a little naughty. The trouble is that this would ultimately dilute the Google results and I think they need telling, what do you lot think?

What's worse is doing a search for "milonic apycom" on Google returns some 3500 results see http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&ie=U ... nic+apycom

-- Andy

[John]

I think that's a bunch of crap. They've even got Milonic on the front page in bold! What the hell do they have to do with you?

Fortunately they're not anywhere near the top of Google, except for the second link you provided which requires knowing their name, but it's still not right. That is a hell of a lot of link-backs...

[Andy]

I figured out that they are doing - They are using JavaScript to set the position of the table to -2000 so it can't be seen by a browser.

If this ain't Black Hat SEO I don't know what is.

Do a search for dhtml menu in Google and you'll see they are 3rd. They were not 3rd a few weeks ago so they seem to have fooled the Google Algo. Something they (Google) will not be happy with, but hey, who cares

They will get found out eventually and then loose ALL Google placement and then it's bye bye Apycom.

-- Andy

[John]

I didn't search that way so didn't see them so high.

So isn't it time to let somebody at Google know? Write up a blurb for me with the techie stuff you found and I'll send it as a "concerned Milonic user".

[fredlongworthhighschool]

It seems that they're mis-using the Milonic name to get customers.

I didn't like the "Javascript Menu Popup Milonic" link on the left which took me to dhtml-menu.com rather than Milonic.

[kevin3442]

...Do you think the content on this site considered Search Engine Spam?

Absolutely! Personally, I consider it to be many other nasty things as well.

I think it is spam as there is nothing on that page about Milonic but the keyword Milonic appears several times,

On that particular page, "several" is an understatement... I count 23. And the one visible link that includes "Milonic" takes you to dhtml-menu.com/. "Milonic" appears in the code on other pages as well.

And... the unethical pricks are hiding all of the links (on "your" page as well as others) that will drive the search engine spiders... they're in a table that's moved off the page with a script in styles.js, loaded and run at the end of the page. (A visit with Opera 6 should fail the tests and reveal the table at the bottom of the page).

...all they are trying to do is get visitors looking for Milonic to reach their page which is fair enough I suppose albeit a little naughty.

More than a little naughty I'd say... and certainly not fair.

what do you lot think?

I think you should inform Google. I also think that you should demand that Apycom remove all references to Milonic. I assume Milonic is a registered trademark? If you have a lawyer, a letter on official letterhead wouldn't hurt.

Makes me wonder how much of Milonic's source code they've stolen?

Sheesh!

Kevin

[kevin3442]

I figured out that they are doing - They are using JavaScript to set the position of the table to -2000 so it can't be seen by a browser.

Hmmmmm.... -2000 to the left and -600 up... just goes to show I should read the whole thread before replying. Would have saved me a little time figuring out how they did that... should've known you'd have figured it out already.

Clever trick... but definitely not nice.

As with John, I would be happy to play the role of a concerned surfer who felt misdirected when searching for info on Milonic.

Cheers,

Kevin

[Andy]

Well guys, whilst I do not want to sound like a trouble maker, I'll leave it to you guys to do what you feel you have to do

That basically means I haven't told or asked you to do it but of course if you feel that you have to, then I can do nothing about it.

Good luck in your contact with Google et al.

-- Andy

[John]

While I haven't had much luck in contacting these folks (Google) in the past, and now with the IPO it will probably be worse, I'm still going to try. Will let you know what happens.

[Andy]

Jeez, they are doing it with everything.

Just done a search for - spidermonkey sample code - and they came up 2nd. They have absolutely nowt to do with Spidermonkey and sure enough it's in that hidden table.

They have really diluted Googles quality now and should definately be reported by as many people as possible, this sucks.

-- Andy

[Ruth]

I just found this thread, and I have to tell you I doubt you will get help from Google unless you can get them to see it is diluting their value. THAT might get their attention. And, just for your information, on the other side of the equation are those sites which deliberately mispell Milonic.... I've seen it on a couple of sites, using an e and double n. Miserable people.

Ruth

[Andy]

Hi Guys,

Seems they are at it again. I asked them to stop using our name etc in there pages so that it wouldn't give them an unfair advantage. They apologised and said it wouldn't happen again, blamed it on a bad SEO company, seems a likely story now.

Anyway, just done another search and see that it's now on main pages on their website. They even have the cheek to use the same sentences that are taken from our own home page.

Can as many of you guys make a formal complaint to the Google bods as possible, here's the URL - Given to me by a Google member of staff:

http://www.google.com/contact/spamreport.html

Might be a good idea to bookmark the above for future reference. Oh, and you'll need a few sample searches to submit the form, let me know if you need any help with this.

I hate to have to do this but we all work so damn hard on this menu that I'm not prepared to let this kind of thing slip. They now have an enemy, Us

Cheers
Andy

[kevin3442]

Hi All,

Just Googled for milonic and milonic +apycom and the results that include apycom now seem very much different. the search for milonic doesn't seem to be diluted by apycom results. And many of the results from the second search include sites are essentially resource lists pointing to sites where dhtml menus can be found.

It seems that the Google Powers That Be heard the complaints and did something about it. Agreed?

Kevin

[John]

I agree. The Milonic search is quite different than it was before. I went in quite a few pages and did not find a reference to the 'other' folks.

[Andy]

Ok, so if your happy with it, then I'm happy.

I'll keep a close watch on it. I'm still pi55ed with them for having the cheek to use our copyrighted material.

-- Andy

[John]

I'm still pi55ed with them for having the cheek to use our copyrighted material.

And so you should be. Unfortunately, that's the world today. Nobody gives a rat's behind about the other guy any more...

[Marc_J]

Update - most of the example seacrhes mentioned in this thread now result in - this thread!

So in a roundabout way, it's not had the desired effect!