search engine optimization (or SEO) has drastically changed how the web looks.

here’s what i mean. go to google and search for “bicycle”: google search for bicycle

then, in a new tab, also do a neocities search for “bicycle”: domain search fo neocities for bicycle

when you leave google up to their own devices, you can see that it becomes a much more product-centric search. the listings you’re seeing tend to want to sell you a bicycle rather than discuss bicycles in some other way. (i know, i see reddit and wikipedia on there – those are definitely exceptions)

when you look at the neocities search, though, you see something like what you used to see on the “early internet”. it’s all over the place. some people are talking about riding bicycles, some people are talking about their favorite shops, someone is even talking about devinci’s bicycle sketch. there are some products mixed in here, but it’s almost accidental.

i’m not sure which is better. when we focus a lot on SEO, and making sure our website ranks well on google, we end up focusing a lot on businesses and products instead of content. if you’re looking to buy a new bicycle, this is clearly a great outcome – you find reputable businesses that will sell you a bike. but if you’re just searching the web for information, or maybe for other people who are interested in the same thing you are, then a bunch of products feels pretty cold and sterile.

though i think i prefer the more random results, i’m not going to lie and say that the old web was better. it’s a bit of a crapshoot, really; you never know what you’re going to get when you click a link. having search results that are more likely to be up to date, relevant to your search and even help you buy a product isn’t a terrible outcome – but it’s lifeless. and it’s biased. i would rather read about people’s honest opinions about bikes first before i search for a product.