How is search so bad? A case study

Re:How is search so bad? A case study by erklik on Sunday January 19, 2020 @05:52PM (#22094709)

> Despite the fact that I've had around 50 interviews and countless articles written about my disclosure, my website zachvorhies.com doesn't show up on Google's search index, even when using the exact url as a query!

I am not sure what is happening but I directly searched for your website : zachvorhies.com on Google (in Australia, if that matters), which returned the website as the first result:

https://i.imgur.com/Z7RTsuE.png

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Re:How is search so bad? A case study by DenisM on Sunday January 19, 2020 @06:18PM (#22094834)

I'm in the US and Google does not display zachvorhies.com when searching for "zachvorhies.com".

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Re:How is search so bad? A case study by CriticalCathed on Sunday January 19, 2020 @06:29PM (#22094908)

Does for me. USA.

[0] https://i.imgur.com/S2rPywz.png

Also, is this guy a Q follower or something? The favicon is a Q.

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Re:How is search so bad? A case study by leereeves on Sunday January 19, 2020 @07:43PM (#22095271)

> Also, is this guy a Q follower or something? The favicon is a Q.

Actually the favicon is a headshot.

https://www.zachvorhies.com/favicon.ico

And that's also the icon in the page source:

<link rel=”shortcut icon” href="favicon.ico" type=”image/x-icon” />

I wonder why Google shows a Q.

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Re:How is search so bad? A case study by dorgo on Monday January 20, 2020 @01:59AM (#22096892)

> I wonder why Google shows a Q

A placeholder used if the algorithm thinks the favicon is not appropriate for some reason.

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Re:How is search so bad? A case study by erklik on Sunday January 19, 2020 @06:57PM (#22095064)

I would think the quotes would make a difference. I was not using quotes, does using quotes in the US still return the website? I would use a VPN and test it out but I am at work right now.

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Re:How is search so bad? A case study by dodobirdlord on Sunday January 19, 2020 @07:06PM (#22095116)

Not using quotes, the first result I get is his twitter account, and the second is a link to a Project Veritas piece about this document leak he describes. Hardly seems like he's getting buried.

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Re:How is search so bad? A case study by jjeaff on Monday January 20, 2020 @11:38AM (#22099997)

Additionally, if you search "site:zachvorhies.com" you get the site. So it isn't de-indexed. It just isn't ranking well.

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Re:How is search so bad? A case study by eyegor on Sunday January 19, 2020 @06:24PM (#22094875)

[removed, for some reason I thought australia was part of the EU. I'm in the US, also did not see the site link through google]

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Re:How is search so bad? A case study by erklik on Sunday January 19, 2020 @07:01PM (#22095081)

I think the only time Australia has been part of some sort of European organization or group is when Australia competed in the Eurovision.

Anyhow, I would be interested to know what results you get in the EU.

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Re:How is search so bad? A case study by c3534l on Sunday January 19, 2020 @06:31PM (#22094920)

I'm in the US and I get the same search results. Although if I put in your name, I get your Twitter instead. Not sure why anyone would be searching for a dot com instead of going to it.

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Re:How is search so bad? A case study by erklik on Sunday January 19, 2020 @06:59PM (#22095075)

Same for me in Australia, searching for the name results in the Twitter handle showing up, and then a WikiSpooks websites and so forth. The website isn't even on the first page. I think that's rather concerning, that searching for a person's won't return their website but rather a twitter feed and other websites that have possibly optimized for SEO.

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Re:How is search so bad? A case study by ch17z on Sunday January 19, 2020 @06:37PM (#22094956)

Australia isn't in the EU.

For what it's worth, I'm in Australia and have the same search results as erklik.

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