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I’ve noticed what a sorry state the Search Engine Optimization (SEO) world is in.  This is not a new idea with me, I know other people see the same thing.  Companies everywhere are constantly chasing the best way to boost their Google results to the top of the list, but it’s a fools’ errand.  They pay big money to consulting firms, and their own internal staffs, to figure out ways to get in front of millions of users when someone types in “best Hawaiian vacation” or whatever.  But the search engine companies keep changing their algorithms so no one gains an unfair advantage.  So the target subject is perpetually moving, which of course generates tremendous churn like a school of hungry piranhas after a piece of never-ending meat.  For the search engine users just looking to find unbiased information, it’s a total waste of time because no honest little vendor can compete with the companies who are constantly throwing trunks of money at SEO.  So to the people doing the searching it’s like watching an endless stream of infomercials about the ShamWow when all you want is an honest opinion on a good towel.  I wonder what effect this is having on our online shopping habits.  I think it’s probably forcing us to give up in a lot of cases and just end up purchasing products from whichever vendor is screaming the loudest.  Or maybe it’s forcing us to return to talking amongst ourselves and simply using word of mouth recommendations.  All available on Facebook, of course.