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Category: Blog
June 14, 2007
For the last two years, I have had a fantastic time helping to build Google Webmaster Central. I have loved working with the (ever-expanding!) team, writing about search on the blog and for the help center, and designing features for the webmaster community. And speaking of the webmaster community, I have been lucky enough to have been able to meet them, get to know their challenges, and well, then there’s the drinking. There may have been a little of that too. Search is a fascinating industry and I am thrilled to have had the opportunity to create such exciting things in the space.
Now I have an all-new opportunity to work on the unique challenges of the vertical and local search space at Zillow. I’m moving on from webmaster central knowing that there’s a great team who care as much about this audience as I do and they’ve got exciting plans in store for the coming year. I’ll really miss working with my team, but I’m happy they’ve been getting out and meeting more of you and I know they’ve had a great time drinking with you too. I mean talking. Did I say drinking?
I’ll still be around in search. My company name may change, but I still plan to see you all online and at the bar, talking search and Buffy and mobile devices.
So, why the change? Well, it was one thing for Dave to go on about me being nude all the time, but then he started paging me in the middle of the night, and I said enough of this. (Not really, Dave. I still love you! ) And honestly, working with webmasters has been absolutely one of the best parts of working on webmaster central. I’m really proud of what we’ve accomplished and happy that will keep moving forward to even better things.
Making the move was a very difficult decision, but the challenge of creating something new in a space that’s so young and evolving was too great to pass up. And I have great confidence in the webmaster central team and know this project that feels so much like my baby is in very capable hands and will continue to grow and thrive.
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Wow! Vanessa, Zillow is lucky to have you.
Kinda weird not to think of you at Google.
Best of luck and you better keep blogging here!
I wish you the best, Vanessa. Strange that you and Tim moved on shortly after our stint at Pubcon together ( http://timconverse.wordpress.com/2007/06/08/working-at-powerset/ ). I look forward to hearing how life treats you in your new venture! And, congrats on the new pad and car! I’m REALLY digging the house. How’s the fishing?
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Wow. The funny thing is that when I signed up here to “vanessafoxNUDE.com”, it went straight into my spam folder! hehe, must be some sort of weird karma at work.
You will be missed big time at the plex. You really put a fresh face on that place.
-bt
Among other things, Google will now face a severe lack of Buffyness. All the best — like Brett says, you’ll be missed big time.
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Vanessa you will be missed as you’re the only googler I know who would have a blog name with “nude” in it. (of course mattcuttsnude.com doesn’t sound appealing – sorry matt)
Good luck at Zillow. I’ll buy you a congratulatory drink the next conference I see you at.
What a huge change! Maybe it will be less traveling for you?
Congrats! I always enjoy your posts, thanks for writing.
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Oh, man. My boss is going to CRY!
Good luck. That sounds like a great opportunity. I hope it means less travel for you. Of course, you are going to get tired of hearing “You left Google VOLUNTARILY??!?!” but I am sure you’ll be up to the challenge.
If you need air hockey tips, let me know!
Google just got a little less friendly today ;( But we knew it couldn’t last forever. Good luck with your new adventure.
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Congratulations on the new opportunity! Really exciting stuff going on at Zillow these days. Best of luck! (BTW, I don’t know if you remember, but I met you at the Fahrenheit 451 book club — you introduced me to twitter, now I’m hooked. Thanks a lot!)
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Wow! Now that’s news
. Hope to see you “somewhere” none the less. Have fun at Zillow!
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As I just said in a response to your “an update on me” email, “please keep your Google secrets in your purse”. With all those secrets your friend David Naylor could take over the entire internet and turn it into a VERY evil, self serving place (kidding mate!), gheesh…so sensative.
…and with all joking aside, I happen to still believe in a lot of stuff you were doing at Google. Good luck and keep us posted on this Zillow thingie…
Aaron Pratt
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We’ll miss you over here, but wish you the best with the new job.
I think everyone should watch an episode of Buffy tonight in Vanessa’s honor. Maybe the episode that ends “She saved the world a lot.”
Good luck with the new venture Vanessa. Now, any chance you can get Zillow to put the value of my house back to what it was at this time last year?
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Good luck! Always remember the loss-function
Thank you Vanessa, for all that you’ve done to make Webmasters’ experience with Google better.
You really made a tremendous difference, and will be missed – Google has become much more responsive to webmasters because of your presence and actions.
Good luck at Zillow.
Wow, good luck and all that.
Hope you manage to continue to hit some of the search stops.
It’s rare to see an employee leave Google for another job, usually it’s the other way around, but I am really happy for you.
Bravo on the jobs you performed at Google, Rand’s right, we all owe you a ton!
Hopefully your future careers are as interesting and fulfilling as your past job has been. Good luck.
Google webmaster centre the great work you did. How about keep work on it?
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Congratulations Vanessa – I’m sure you’ll be missed, but change is always fun and challenging.
There are only a few names/faces that I associate with “Google” and yours definitely was one of them. Thank you for the great team you’ve assembled and the Webmaster Central suite of tools that you were a big part of. Good luck with Zillow!
Wow. Good luck! I hope you’ll continue to write here (maybe you’ll write more).
All the best – I’ll have to check out Zillow more closely now…
Sorry to hear you are leaving Google, Vanessa but happy for your new role at Zillow. Best of success to you and thanks for all the work you did at Google and Webmaster Central.
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I feel sad…for Google. But happy for Zillow! Snagging a Vanessa Fox is quite a feather in their cap.
And I know the ‘REAL’ reason Vanessa’s going to Zillow……it rhymes with ‘Willow”.
C’mon – fess up, that’s it isn’t it.
Really sorry to see you go Vanessa. I think you have been a great asset to the Google team.
Good luck in your new venture.
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Wow Vanessa!
That’s a big suprise but explains a couple things
A Company who’s name rhymes with ‘Willow’ – how could you resist the Buffy-ness of that..
cheers,
Matt
Wow, congrats. Always fun to get in on something new.
Many predicted but *** SEARCH ENGINE WEB *** confidently knew the development of employees would lead Google to seek real estate. Wishing you best. Matt goes next? Search Engine Web says it first.
Darn it, I’m running out of Googlers to drink with! Do you think that Matt would be willing to put on a dress and drink pints with us? Good luck in your new venture, if you need tips on spamming Google with real estate stuff, feel free to email Dave or I (oops, I forgot that Dave was “White Hat” now
).
I look forward to the Zillow section on property values near the Hellmouth.
I’m sad to see you go, but I am excited for you and your new opportunities. If Zillow launches in Eire soon we can grab a pint!
Vanessa, from my personal dealings with Google Webmaster Central and from what Rand wrote, you have certainly become part of the SEO and webmaster households. You’ve really crept into our hearts (sniff!). Thank you so much for all your hard work and dedication. It did not go unnoticed.
Just so you know…. You were on my list of important people to meet and take a picture with at SES London in Feb 2008 which I am planning to attend. I wish you all the best for your future at Zillow!
Sorry I never had to go “swimming” with you, if you think “drinking” is fun.
Your contributions to us webmasters has been and will continue to be greatly appreciated!
I do have some property in Yokohama Zillow might be interested in, ever hear of the Yokohama Bay Bridge? I’ll let it go for a song!
All the best of luck, my favorite nude Googler!
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Sorry to hear your going, guess Rands going to have to find someone new to chat to for WebProNews interviews.
Whats Googles loss in this occasion is most definitely Zillow’s gain
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I’m so thrilled you’re staying in technology! You’re one of the people I cite as being a cool girl geek who really works hard – harder than she should *winks*
Keep it up here and keep rocking in tech. I’m sure you’ll kick wicked tech butt no matter where you go.
Judith from mad in the UK
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Good Luck Vanessa. I am one of the great masses of unwashed webmasters who followed along with what you said and appreciated all the effort you clearly put into your work. I hope Zillow knows just what a treasure that they’ve gotten.
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Wishing you the very best of luck Vanessa!
Vanessa, Google was lucky as hell to have you! Have fun at Zillow
Well done and best of luck with your new job. As they say here in Ireland ‘a change is as good as a break’.
Look forward to watching Zillow now.
Rgds from another of the GWH groupies.
Man… This Sucks, But good look and have Fun…
Hey Amanda now the fun really starts
DaveN
That’s a big loss for Google and us Webmasters, but you’ve build great stuff that will stay and evolve, so we still have the Vanessa Memorial;) Thank you for your help and a ton of good things, all the best and keep in touch
Congratulations Vanessa. I read your blog all the time, but this is my first post! I’m still waiting for some pictures of Vanessa Fox Nude! You rock! Keep doing what you are doing and the best of luck!
Congratulations on the new gig Vanessa. I hope you’ll still be hanging at WebmasterWorld Las Vegas and Google Party in August. Zillow is a wonderful application and you’ll be a real asset to their team.
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Thanks for your contribution to the SEO community!
Good luck at the new job!
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Yikes – didn’t see this one coming, and for some reason wasn’t on any of the news sites I read. Realy ought to subscribe to your feed…
All the best!
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Though I always quite enjoyed the interviews and insights from this blog and excerpts from conferences (that I’m in the wrong hemisphere to attend), it was the changes and additions at Google that I am truly grateful for.
Quite simply, without them I wouldn’t have had the time at my old job to grow my SEO skills to the point of starting my own company.
You heard me, I’m thanking you for helping me start my own company. And my wife thanks you now that I’m home more and changing this dirty diaper, for which my baby thanks you too.
All the best and good luck to you.
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I assume google will have to buy zillor to get her back. Or maybe, my company will buy zillow to get her. You see, ever since Vanessa coached mon seo at SES Miama, we’ve been growing at 10% monthly and have started with acquistions. Did I ever say thanks Vanessa? (PS – we only buy quality sites in the educational space)
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Oh this is terrible. (not for you of course Vanessa). And why do I have to work for all my clients – don’t they know that if I don’t spend every hour of every working day that I miss out (months behind even) on really important news like Vanessa Fox leaving Google?
And of all things, I had to learn about your move by reading about it at SEOMoz (Thanks Rand!) – because all that work I do doesn’t leave me enough time to read all the posts at any single blog that I care about…
Truly a tragic situation.
For me.
Not for you.
Just to clarify Vanessa – when Webmaster Central first came online, it was a Godsend – a real shot in the arm for all of us SEO types who have bosses that can’t afford to send us to all the conferences, and which results in us needing to learn and improve our craft through hard work. Webmaster Central is by far, the most helpful tool box in my arsenal, bar none.
Too bad Yahoo’s answer to this phenomenal offering is so lame. Then again – what can anyone expect when they didn’t have Vanessa (nude or otherwise) on their team?
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http://www.rentvine.com/blog/index.php/google-acquires-zillow-video/
So does mean you are now back at Google?
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