My theory that the search business will eventually become nearly identical to the soft drink industry is panning out nicely
- Search Engine Land's Danny Sullivan: You say that you have like these 200 factors [that determine search rank], why not at least just list them?
- Eric Schmidt: Because we change them. What would happen is, you’ve asked me this question for the eight years I’ve worked with you, so it’s the same question. Why don’t we publish these things. And the fundamental answer is we’re always changing. We’re always changing, and if we started saying here’s how the black box works, then all of a sudden huge incumbencies would come out about this change and that change, and we just don’t want that pressure.
- Sullivan: I’m not saying this is how the factors are actually measured up or weighted.
- Schmidt: But even the list.
- Sullivan: But 50 of those factors have never changed.
- Schmidt: Let’s just be honest and say you and I disagree.
- Sullivan: OK...
- Schmidt: It’s a business secret of Google.
- Brian Womack of Bloomberg: But that’s not very open.
Source: searchengineland.com
