Watch: NASA APOD come back into Google search

Introductions, Rules, Announcements, and Feedback
Post Reply
User avatar
RJN
Baffled Boffin
Posts: 1667
Joined: Sat Jul 24, 2004 1:58 pm
Location: Michigan Tech

Watch: NASA APOD come back into Google search

Post by RJN » Thu Oct 17, 2013 1:28 pm

It might be interesting to note how NASA APOD web site comes back into the Google rankings, assuming it does, since it has become active again today as the 2013 US government shutdown has ended. Before the shutdown, the NASA APOD was near the top of the Google listings of the words "Astronomy", "Picture", "Day" and "of the Day". I wish I had screen shots, but I don't. Now, however, the NASA APOD has fallen out of the top listings for these topics.

Now I realize that in the past few years, Google also incorporates local information into search rankings. That is why it is best to search on a browser with no history, or alternatively "incognito" in the Chrome browser and similar private setting in other browsers -- then it seems that search history is not taken into account.

Currently, at the time of this post, the NASA APOD is not among any Google search listings that I can find for "Astronomy", "Picture", "Day" or "of the Day". It is completely absent from the top page for all of these. Surely there are other web search "experiments by accident" because of the US government shutdown and its return, but this is one that I, for one, find interesting.

- RJN

User avatar
geckzilla
Ocular Digitator
Posts: 9180
Joined: Wed Sep 12, 2007 12:42 pm
Location: Modesto, CA
Contact:

Re: Watch: NASA APOD come back into Google search

Post by geckzilla » Thu Oct 17, 2013 1:43 pm

Yeah, at times like this I wish I knew someone at Google I could ask questions. I regularly search for other images and information on objects and APOD was always at or near the top of the results list for images as well. After the shutdown it took maybe four or five days and then suddenly they stopped appearing completely. There is no doubt that APOD's rank will be seriously affected by this but hopefully it can recover since it's still an old domain and has a lot of factors in its favor.
Just call me "geck" because "zilla" is like a last name.

User avatar
Beyond
500 Gigaderps
Posts: 6889
Joined: Tue Aug 04, 2009 11:09 am
Location: BEYONDER LAND

Re: Watch: NASA APOD come back into Google search

Post by Beyond » Thu Oct 17, 2013 1:45 pm

I just typed nasa apod into my Goggle search and APOD, in one form or another takes up the top 8 spots.
To find the Truth, you must go Beyond.

User avatar
geckzilla
Ocular Digitator
Posts: 9180
Joined: Wed Sep 12, 2007 12:42 pm
Location: Modesto, CA
Contact:

Re: Watch: NASA APOD come back into Google search

Post by geckzilla » Thu Oct 17, 2013 1:49 pm

None of those go to apod.nasa.gov, Beyond. That's what to look for.
Just call me "geck" because "zilla" is like a last name.

User avatar
Beyond
500 Gigaderps
Posts: 6889
Joined: Tue Aug 04, 2009 11:09 am
Location: BEYONDER LAND

Re: Watch: NASA APOD come back into Google search

Post by Beyond » Thu Oct 17, 2013 2:36 pm

Ah, ok. It'll all work out in time. Damn thing gets to complicated as to what you can get, and where you can get it.
To find the Truth, you must go Beyond.

User avatar
owlice
Guardian of the Codes
Posts: 8406
Joined: Wed Aug 04, 2004 4:18 pm
Location: Washington, DC

Re: Watch: NASA APOD come back into Google search

Post by owlice » Thu Oct 17, 2013 3:33 pm

Already back on top if one searches for:
APOD
astronomy
picture day
astro pic
A closed mouth gathers no foot.

User avatar
geckzilla
Ocular Digitator
Posts: 9180
Joined: Wed Sep 12, 2007 12:42 pm
Location: Modesto, CA
Contact:

Re: Watch: NASA APOD come back into Google search

Post by geckzilla » Thu Oct 17, 2013 4:09 pm

Nice! Maybe the effects aren't so bad. Though, when I used a private browser, APOD showed up as 7th for astronomy.
Just call me "geck" because "zilla" is like a last name.

User avatar
owlice
Guardian of the Codes
Posts: 8406
Joined: Wed Aug 04, 2004 4:18 pm
Location: Washington, DC

Re: Watch: NASA APOD come back into Google search

Post by owlice » Thu Oct 17, 2013 4:44 pm

I had done the earlier searches with Firefox; just tried with IE. Results:
APOD -- first link is to Twitter feed, second to today's APOD on the UK mirror, third is to apod.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/apod/apod_search
astronomy -- apod.nasa.gov/apod/ is the 8th item on the first page
picture day -- APOD not on the first page
astro pic -- apod.nasa.gov/apod/ is at the top of the heap
A closed mouth gathers no foot.

User avatar
owlice
Guardian of the Codes
Posts: 8406
Joined: Wed Aug 04, 2004 4:18 pm
Location: Washington, DC

Re: Watch: NASA APOD come back into Google search

Post by owlice » Thu Oct 17, 2013 4:46 pm

HA! And now when I search "APOD" in IE, apod.nasa.gov/apod/ is the first hit. Google learns fast!
A closed mouth gathers no foot.

Post Reply