Web Analytics service Sitemeter pushed out an update to their tracking code sometime early this morning. Unfortunately, it contained a bug that would stop Internet Explorer users from being able to access any site using the code. Apparently Sitepoint needs a few more QA testers on their team.
A bugfix has now apparently been pushed out, and the issue no longer exists. Whats interesting, however, is that Sitemeter has made no mention of their snafu. I understand that when the bug is discovered, their primary goal is to get it fixed, not issue official statements. However once they pushed out the fix, a simple “Sorry we screwed up, we just pushed a fix out, let us know if there are any more problems” should be in order.
Yeah, well a crazy SEO lunatic (not a reasonable guy like me) would see this and see a great marketing angle:
1) Embarrass yourself on the web (to get attention)
2) Piss on IE and/or Microsoft (the web generation’s favorite punching bags)
3) Get a bunch of blog links for screwing up (once a few bloggers talk about something they all do)
4) ??????
5) Profit!
And no, I don’t think that’s what actually happened, just remarking on the fact that “even bad press is good press” is especially true in search engine optimization because links are invariably seen as endorsement by search algorithms. One day I’ll blog about that and microformats in possible future link graphs with endorsement/criticism implemented on the markup level.
They’ve now responded on their blog:
http://weblog.sitemeter.com/2008/08/02/sitemeter-ie-issues-resolved/
And apparently it was an IE bug. More on bug: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/927917
[...] Nick just ripped on SiteMeter for their IE bug that caused thousands of websites to crash it may seem a bit meanspirited to post the following critique of their blog. I don’t mean to [...]