AOL Leaks Search Queries of It's Users and Then Backtracks
After leaking the search queries of 36 million of its users, AOL has pulled the data from public access, faced a firestorm of outrage and perhaps future lawsuits.
The damage to the reputation of a company that has already suffered a serious decline in its user base and a multiple blows to its credibility in recent years is only compounding.
Despite AOL's backtracking and damage control efforts, everyone knows (as is the sordid case with the OJ Simpson book and interview) that in today's world, once information gets out, it's nearly impossible to get it back. (Just imagine dropping thousands of leaflets from an airplane flying over a population of people and then land and try to get them all back from everyone. It's impossible. (Um, oops).
In fact, attempts to remove content from the Internet usually hightens the media and bloggers reporting of the issue and increases the attempts by many - whoever they are (bloggers, marketing execs, disgruntled AOL users, etc.) - to find, copy and publish the data for the world to see.
That is exactly what has happened. A number of web sites, including AOL Stalker, that have posted the entire report online.
But for search engine marketing and optimization professionals, the leaked report is a potential goldmine. The data, once carefully studied, also reinforces one of the most important aspects of successfully promoting and search engine optimization.
Companies that do not aggressively seek out savvy web writers and editors are losing money, much more money than they would if they invested in SEO web professionals.
SEO professional writers, analysts and "full picture" consultants provide not only optimized, targeted copy, but they also understand the various nuiances of search behavior and search engine algorithms to create more traffic, make updates, tweak lower performing keywords and most importantly, can create new and returning customers.
Because search engine habits, rules and penalties are changing all the time, only a dedicated team can accomplish lucrative results for any business, corporation or individual endeavor.
The damage to the reputation of a company that has already suffered a serious decline in its user base and a multiple blows to its credibility in recent years is only compounding.
Despite AOL's backtracking and damage control efforts, everyone knows (as is the sordid case with the OJ Simpson book and interview) that in today's world, once information gets out, it's nearly impossible to get it back. (Just imagine dropping thousands of leaflets from an airplane flying over a population of people and then land and try to get them all back from everyone. It's impossible. (Um, oops).
In fact, attempts to remove content from the Internet usually hightens the media and bloggers reporting of the issue and increases the attempts by many - whoever they are (bloggers, marketing execs, disgruntled AOL users, etc.) - to find, copy and publish the data for the world to see.
That is exactly what has happened. A number of web sites, including AOL Stalker, that have posted the entire report online.
But for search engine marketing and optimization professionals, the leaked report is a potential goldmine. The data, once carefully studied, also reinforces one of the most important aspects of successfully promoting and search engine optimization.
Companies that do not aggressively seek out savvy web writers and editors are losing money, much more money than they would if they invested in SEO web professionals.
SEO professional writers, analysts and "full picture" consultants provide not only optimized, targeted copy, but they also understand the various nuiances of search behavior and search engine algorithms to create more traffic, make updates, tweak lower performing keywords and most importantly, can create new and returning customers.
Because search engine habits, rules and penalties are changing all the time, only a dedicated team can accomplish lucrative results for any business, corporation or individual endeavor.
Labels: AOL, AOL Data Leak, AOL Query Report, Online Privacy, Search Engine Keywords, Search Engine Optimization, SEO, User Search Habits