In 2005, the Bloggernacle was fuming over the “Google Bombing” of the term “Mormon Temple” – referring to the overwhelmingly negative Web pages that were returned as the top results of a Google search on “Mormon Temple”. A number of us LDS folks tried to fight back by adding links to pro-LDS pages, using the term “Mormon Temple” in the link or the title of the link (both of which affect what Google identifies as relevant results in its algorithms). There was concern that the efforts of the LDS minority would not be able to change Google’s landscape, but now, nearly two years later, it appears that the persistent efforts of the LDS community have paid off. A search on “Mormon Temple” returns predominately positively hits.
Please keep adding positive links to pro-LDS sites that deal with the temple. Here’s one example of the kind of link that can help: The Mormon Temple and Other Facts about LDS Temples. The words in the link as well as in the title of the link (the text you see when the cursor is over the link) both contribute to Google’s treatment of the LDS.org page I have linked to. While you’re at it, why not add a link to my page about Mormon temples and Masonry: Is the LDS Temple (Mormon temple) derived from Free Masonry?”
Turns out that as of today, I’m #14 for “Mormon Temple”, #8 for “Mormon Temples”, #7 for “LDS Temple”, and #9 for “LDS Temples”. (I’m #3 for “Mormon Masonry” or “LDS Masonry” – but that’s another story.) Prophetically, I’m #1 and #2 for “mormon temple wisconsin” – even though there isn’t one yet. Guess what that means will happen in the near future? And where will it be built? Well, to show the prophetic power of Google, I’m #1, 2, 3, and 4 for “Appleton Mormon Temple”. Fingers crossed!
I’ve had someone posting several links to anti-Mormon videos on Mormanity. This is against the policies that I have for this blog. I do not wish to use my site as a tool to increase the page rank or the popularity of anti-Mormon content. The antis get enough help as it is.
However, for the person asking about the Spaulding manuscript and the stale and incredible claims that it was somehow a source for the Book of Mormon, I suggest you search for Spaulding at FAIRLDS.org, my site, FARMS, or a variety of other LDS sites. One resource, for example, is http://www.jefflindsay.com/LDSFAQ/FQ_BMProb3.shtml.
By the way, trying to start a thread on the Spaulding manuscript on a post about the Temple isn’t the preferred way to interact with this blog. I’m not shy about deleting comments from threadjackers, especially when I don’t think a question is sincere.
Great article! Hopefully this isn’t considered as spam, but feel free to post a link to any temple-related site on Came2Pass.com. I’ve started it as another way to promote good, clean LDS-related content. I am also doing what I can to SEO and get all of its articles as high up as possible on Google. The more traffic it gets and the more content, the better the chances of many of the sites linked on it to be promoted to the top of Google search rankings. If you ever have a blog article you’d like to promote, it’s a great way to promote it and get out the good word.
Who’s bombing whom here? The “bomb” was thrown at open-discussion sites by the ‘naccle, it would appear. That open-discussion sites would have led the fray 2 years ago is hardly surprising–temple-goers are told not to discuss it, and former temple-goers love to have a good laugh about it. You won’t find the ceremonies written out on any ‘naccle sites! Google merely reflects where the action is. If you’ve managed to bomb that, kudos; although if it took 2 years then it probably represents a genuine shift in web patterns, not the link chicanery advocated here.
I missed the deleted posts, but out of curiosity checked out some anti-mormon videos on youtube. Creepy!
With all of the complaints about mormonism being a “brain-washing cult”, it’s interesting to compare church-produced videos versus anti videos.
Church videos tend to be very plainly produced. Cheesy acting, bland scenery, typical church music–you know the type. If you’re at church, and you’re feeling the spirit, then they’re good enough to get the job done. But not exactly something that would bring your button-clicking to a screeching halt if you happen across it while channel surfing.
The anti videos that I’ve seen seem a lot more “brain-washy”, for lack of a better term. Dynamic lighting, title cards that flash for a split-second before disappearing(“God is Adam!”, “Morms Worship JS!”), hypnotic music/voiceovers, “exciting” shots of beautiful temples morphing into hellish flames…stuff like that definitely bores into your brain more than some grainy video from the early 90’s starring a couple of teens in white shirts and ties.
Not that I’m accusing anyone of brainwashing…the contrast is just interestieng.
ujlapana, link strategy is not chicanery. Google easily reflects strategies. I can pick a couple of words, place them in my pages, provide a few links, and then make that phrase show up high in Google lists for searches on that term. Webmasters do this all the time. Conscious placement of terms to enhance visibility in search engines is part of getting a message to the masses – whether it’s about the Hmong people or Appleton, Wisconsin or LDS Temples.