Local Florists Fight Back the National Negative Campaign Efforts Put Forth by Proflowers that say "Skip [Local] Florists"
(05/01/08)
Updated *MAY DAY 2008*
Proflowers issued a "cease and desist" notice on the publication of the video itself (see original story below). The video has since been removed from YouTube but images are available below which document the now defunct effort.
01/26/08
Proflowers Video Ranking on Google #3 (see images below)
Proflowers Video Ranking Near the top of Google Search Results
[See also: Paid Text Link Schemes in the Floral Industry Part 1 & Part 2 ]
A David verses Goliath in the Making
There are now over 180 links
linking to the Proflowers video from floral related web-pages.
The idea of ranking a video on the 1st page in the major search engines about a dozen frozen roses being delivered by Proflowers (link to the video has been removed in compliance with Proflowers notice) was initially first developed in a floral group setting for the purpose of visually informing consumers of what might happen when ordering from a drop-ship company. As more and more florists banded together in a crusade at targeting one such company, the online floral giant Proflowers, a vision became a reality.
In that regard, many florists simply linked to the Proflowers video using a hyper-text structure that would tell the search engines to pull the video up in search results for the terms “Proflowers,” “Pro Flowers,” and “Proflowers.com” The effort behind the video itself is detailed-out in this blog (link to the blog is now defunct for reasons related to the update notice above) while the images below show the visibility of it growing in its search presence. According to the Yahoo! search command “link:”, many florists are actively involved in this movement and their efforts appear to be paying off. Yes, not all those listed in the Yahoo “search command” are actively engaged in the crusade (or even know about it), but there is indeed a mounted campaign to advance visual information that they think consumers need to be aware of.
Although this may appear to some as a form of Google Bombing, florists say that this information must get out due to so many consumer complaints against the floral industry as a whole. Unlike typical Google Bombs, the video itself is completely relevant to the search result "Proflowers." With Valentine's Day just days away such a search result could really impact the floral giant in ways it didn't expect as online searchers come out in droves for their sweet hearts.
Dated 01/26/08. The image is from typing "Proflowers" without the space between the words.
Ranking in at the 3th spot.
Current Ranking on Google 01/26/08 #3 spot for the term "Pro Flowers" with the space between the words.