Google's Search Quality Crisis

[enlytend]

To what degree should search engines be responsible for checking facts? We've all seen Google return some wonky results. This is particularly an issue in voice search, where only one result is returned.

Good read from SEL takes a look at this issue and some cringeworthy google fails.
http://searchengineland.com/google-search-quality-crisis-272174

 

[Asfas1000]

I also noticed another thing about Google results :

Sometimes you search for a company with their exact name, and the first position is taken by a directory listing the company among others, and the actual company website is listed in a lesser position.

This probably happens because the directory has a higher trustworthiness factor or whatever is the proper term, but ...for me it sucks !

 

[enlytend]

Sometimes you search for a company with their exact name, and the first position is taken by a directory listing the company among others, and the actual company website is listed in a lesser position.

This probably happens because the directory has a higher trustworthiness factor or whatever is the proper term, but ...for me it sucks !

Yup. Those directories rank well, especially in local search. Always make sure you have a claimed and complete profile on any of them that rank locally in your vertical. They can still drive traffic and leads.
Most businesses do show first for their exact name though. Exceptions I've seen are where Google has other issues with the site or there's something odd about the name...
Those results aren't actually "wrong" - just less than optimal for the business / site owner.