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Hot on the heels on the “new” disclosure regulations, the Google Sidewiki disaster waiting to happen has thrown up some extremely interesting debate.
I was first alerted to the Sidewiki by Howie Schwarz back in September and I’ve been researching and paying close attention to what is being said by other marketers over recent weeks.
First for those of you who haven’t heard of Google’s Sidewiki there’s a brief introduction followed by the two main arguments for and against. If you ever venture online (and if you don’t give me a call – I’d love to hear from you 
lol) you must read this – it will have far greater implications than the new FTC rules.
First – What is Google’s Sidewiki?
Back in mid-September Google released it’s new tool which on the face of it could be a great way to gain extra backlinks to your sites. Essentially it is a browser based “comments” system. It is downloaded as an Add-On to your browser as part of the Google Toolbar and it can be viewed as a “sidebar” when browsing the internet.
Visitors to any site can then add their comments about the site to the Sidewiki, including links leading elsewhere, and whenever any other visitor using the Sidewiki arrives at the site the comments will be seen. The comments are stored on Google’s servers not on your site(s).
The site owner has no control over the comments other than the ability to have their own comment show up first and the option to flag any spam. But that spam is only removed IF Google’s moderation team choose to do so. As this thing grows how much time will that take? Every single page on a site can have it’s own comments.
The Argument For Google Sidewiki
Clearly in an ideal world and if everybody was reasonable and ethical then the system would work. Visitors are able to leave their comments about the article, site content, experience, products etc etc. So far so good. Indeed if a site is promoting rubbish then having an independent tell you that is a good thing.
The ability to add to the disccussion – a bit like any of the social bookmarking sites but effectively there, right in the margin of the actual site, sounds like a great step forward.
And from the visitors perspective adding backlinks to other resources and even your own site where the conversatioin can be expanded could be great. More traffic and targeted visitors to everyone’s sites.
The Argument Against Google Sidewiki
We don’t live in an ideal world and probably never will.
Not everbody is reasonable or ethical.
How do you fancy unscrupulous competitors placing false comments about you and / or your site right next to your sales page? What about adding some links to their own competing products right next to yours?
What about you affiliate marketers. You work hard to get your readers to click an affiliate link but when they reach the sales page they see a “Sidewiki” comment that offers a far greater bonus package than you can if the visitoor clicks their link that is sitting right there in the comments next to the But Now button!
Out and out spam comments that you cannot control may show up and will remain in full view until Googl;e decides to remove them (or not!)
Outstanding resources
This is a “must read” on Paul Myer’s Talk Biz News – Google Steals the Web – it’s a huge article but it is a real eye opener to the potential problems the Google Sidewiki can cause for us regular site owners.
Please don’t take this issue lightly. How would you like visitors to your family friendly site to see a comment in a Sidewiki, think it’s approved or somehow directly associated with your site and be led to a porn site? And you have no control over that.
Here’s Google own official information
WizzerSays
If we were to sit outside a major store in our city with a placard putting down the store, the store owners and/or their products and telling them to visit our own shop can you imagine the outcry?
I believe that would be construed as illegal and some judge would put an end to it.
Will that same judge put a stop to the Google Sidewiki?
I am at a loss to see how this development is in anyone’s best interest – unless of course Google decides to monetize by way of adverts to fill their own coffers still further.
Everyone is entitled to their opinion and in mine nobody could possibly think more highly of the Google Sidewiki than me – and I think it stinks!
WizzerSays
"Do It Now"
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I surely understand why many webmasters don't like SideWiki and fear that competitors will use it to add comments to your site that will be as helpful as the comments that graffiti artists add to bathroom walls.
You should monitor the SideWiki comments on your own site(s) closely and act promptly on negative comments. There are now tools available that can monitor SideWiki comments for you, and alert you when new comments are posted.
http://www.updatepatrol.com/monitor-sidewiki-comm...
Thanks for your input Brian. I think the real issue is – control. Being able to monitor the comments is one thing but I can already feel my blood pressure rising if that's all I can do and I have a whole layer of extra work and bureaucracy to go through to get unwanted comments deleted
Thanks for your useful information. Monitoring and control is a key issue.
Hmm I can see Google's thinking behind this but there are just too many practical issues for it to work. For one, even if you can flag comments, how many people will Google need to hire just to plough through all the spam?! I like Google, but they do come up with some hairbrained ideas sometimes! Still, at least they're pushing the boundaries and trying new stuff I guess!
I agree – I think sometimes that big companies get caught up in their own importance and put things out without always thinking through the implications. As you say though – push the boundaries.
I don't like Google Sidewiki because it makes my browser load slower and I don't think the information that given to me is acceptable.
I’m with you on this. I think the disadvantages outweigh any possible benefits. Too much potential for abuse
This was not a well thought out process and I am really surprised that Google would roll out a tool like this. What amazes me is that Google can penalize some of us if we don't follow their standards but its okay for them to create a useless tool like sidewiki. I don't get it!!
I guess everyone, including massive companies get it wrong sometimes!
The mark of true brilliance is when you put you hands up and admit it.
Come on Google, show us those hands!!!