The best laid plans of search-bombers often go awry.
Update 1
Earlier today, after search-bombing most of you who left comments on Friday’s post, Search-Bombing: An Irresistible April Fool’s Blogging Tradition, I learned that my searchbombs were not going through.
After some investigation (and manic tweeting with the fabulous Chad Jones), I realized that Google has tightened their privacy settings on search terms. As a result, if you are signed in to Google when you search-bomb someone, your search will likely not appear in that person’s blog stats as you entered it, but instead will be filed generically under “Unknown Search Terms.” Your searchbomb, in other words, will not be there.
To solve this, you have two options: (1) sign out of Google before you search bomb someone, or (2) use Bing (or similar) as your search engine when you’re trying to search bomb someone (Bing doesn’t tend to give as good of results for search bombing, however).
In case you’re new to this, here’s a step-by-step guide on how to search-bomb:
- Go to http://google.com. Make sure you’re signed out (look in the top right corner of the screen).
- Choose your victim: a blogging friend.
- Search for their name (or blog title) and something else that’s interesting about them. It makes it easier if you put their name in quotations (e.g. “Clay Morgan” is not going to be successful in his plot to take over Canada).
- Look at the results displayed. Ensure one of the URL’s is your friend’s blog. Click on it.
- Tell them to check their stats (if you don’t want to be anonymous!)
- Repeat.
How To Retrieve Search Bombs Using WordPress:
- Go to your Dashboard.
- Under the home menu on the left column, click “Site Stats.”
- Scroll down and you should see “Search Engine Terms.”
- If you have a lot of results, click on “Other search terms” for a complete list.
- If you are unsure of the day you were search-bombed, click on “Past 7 days.”
SO…
Over the next few days, I will be sending you new-and-improved searchbombs that will (hopefully) go through. Remember to check your stats.
If you want me to visit your blog and searchbomb you, just comment on the original post, Search-Bombing: An Irresistible April Fool’s Blogging Tradition.
Thanks for your patience.
~
Update 2
Indiana Jones defeated Atticus Finch in Clay Morgan’s March Movie Madness. Thank you for your votes. Atticus went further than most people predicted, thanks to your support. If Atti had to lose to anyone, I’m glad it was Indy. The finals will feature Indy vs. Westley if you wish to weigh in.
Search bombing is the, well, bomb!
😉
Did you Atticus-Finch bomb me?
I got you back. You know that.
ah, well, that it explains then. I thought it was just me, that my stats will NEVER change, even after a search bomb! lol Sorry for the extra work involved Leanne. I hope you are wearing the proper costume!
Well, hellfire and damnation! I was so looking forward to seeing what you’d done to me, only to be let down. Stupid Google. You don’t have to re-SB me, friend. I’ll dream up something magical and pretend it was you. 🙂
I was wondering where the bombs were. I’m guessing you didn’t get mine either.
Stupid Google. It also answers the unknown search question…
I think this one’s yours! “leanne shirtliffe is da bomb… if only she would visit in texas”
And you’re right. It does answer why I didn’t get your birthday bombs.
Yup. That is mine. I did that with yahoo search after I read this post.
I’m bummed you didn’t get any of the birthday bombs I sent you.
I still don’t see one from you… if you’ve bombed me recently.
Ahh-ha! Thanks for the update 🙂
Cool. I’m gonna have to try it with something really weird.
Houston, we have lift off.
Not sure who left a bomb in my inbox, but here are a couple that made me laugh:
-ironic mom how do i make súrsaðir hrútspungar “leanne shirtliffe”
-ironic mom leanne shirtliffe is the meg ryan of canada
-funny reasons i was asked to leave canada (this may not be a search bomb…)
-leanne shirtliffe watched john carter and liked
Those were me. [Bows, with flourish
Atticus Finch was not (I voted Atticus).
🙂
He shoots, he scores!
You need to imagine a Canadian accent. This will help: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=21Sde16DFKw
Aha! I thought I was just uneducated on this all. It wasn’t me!!
Search bombing can be so complicated. Ah, for the days of yore when it was so much easier to do!
I got some really funny search strings arriving on 1 and 2 April (NZ time) which I assumed were yours…no?
Guilty as charged. Do searchbombs get frequent flyer points?
I’ve always wondered how to search bomb!! Gonna hafta try this out!! 🙂
I like it even better having to put someone’s name in quotation marks.
Ah hah! Mystery solved. Thank you for your dedication, Leanne. 🙂
Did you not see mine? They are pretty obvious. Hmmmmm. Must try again.
Also good to tell people to scroll own to where the #’s indicate only 1 person searched for a particular term. Because when you search bomb, they are pretty unique…shall we say?
It’s all part of the experience, kind of like getting April Fooled by Google.
Keeping in mind that my blog title contains the words “sex” and “dad” I will let your mind run amok and imagine the sick shit some people search for and find my blog. They never stay and they typically come from Pakistan, Iran, Saudi Arabia, France, Greece, Kentucky, Alabama and Arkansas.
Huh. Yeah, I checked when you said you did it, but never saw anything I thought was from you. Unless you decided to start throwing that F word around in the search, which I found unlikely.
If you do it again, just let me know. Thanks!
Never mind my patience… thank you for being such an awesome blogging ally!
Yep, and I saw one search that included the word “humor” and another that included “whore.” Are you saying I’m a “humor whore???” LOL…