Fresh Chrome Extension Lets You Block Content Farms in Google

Google releases extension in response to “content farm” complaints.

Tired of seeing eHow in your Google search results? Now you can block it.

Today Google released a fresh Chrome extension that allows people to block entire sites from results when searching on Google.

In a blog post, the firm states it created this extension in response to outcry over content farms which have low quality or shallow content. Demand Media’s eHow has been a poster child for many people frustrated with “content farms”.

This may be a good solution, but I think even the Chrome extension’s users may be a little miffed. I think many of the people upset regarding so-called content farms are more upset that these sites are making money than that they’re mucking up their own searches. So if someone is mad regarding eHow they can now block it, but they won’t stop the site from making money.

eHow won’t lose any traffic or money, either. The type of people clicking to eHow and then clicking an ad aren’t the same people who know how to download and install a Chrome extension. (Or are they?)

But the extension doesn’t stop there. Google states “the extension also sends blocked site information to Google, and we will study the resulting feedback and explore using it as a potential ranking signal for our search results.”

In other words, if enough people block your site you might find yourself slip in the search rankings.