Reddits increased reliance on Google traffic has Wall Street anxious to see if visitors sign up
Summary
For nearly a decade, Tom Wahlins popular travel gear site Pack Hacker ranked high in Googles search results by publishing deeply researched product reviews. Because Reddit dwarfs other forum sites, the 19-year-old company was likely the biggest beneficiary of the Google update, said Lily Ray, the vice president of search engine optimization and research at the Amsive marketing agency. "If you look at the changes that Google has made, its all about surfacing the answer or the desired result as quickly as possible, so it doesnt really make sense that the user would then go to Reddit and spend even more time there on stuff that is not specific to their query." Reddit acknowledges in its filings that "changes in internet search engine algorithms and dynamics could have a negative impact on traffic for our website and, ultimately, our business, results of operations, financial condition, and prospects." Wahlin said his traffic from Google hasnt totally fallen off, and that hes long been preparing for a potential change in the algorithm by diversifying his business with YouTube channels, a paid membership program and brand recognition that makes Pack Hacker a destination site.