The reason why this probably isn't true is that it would be a regulator's/anti-trust-buster's dream come true. Imagine it: Google ranks you lower if you don't use other Google products. Don't use GA? Ranked lower. Don't pay for ads? Maybe your organic results drop a bit. . .
Google has to be very careful about its organic search results. Giving extra weight to sites that use things like Google Analytics would be the "confirmation" that regulators would need. As such, it seems like Google wouldn't risk its core business over something like this.
I totally understand the logic: if I use Google Analytics, Google knows that my site is getting traffic and it makes a certain sense to take that into consideration. However, I think the opposite side of that (if sites don't give Google whatever Google wants, they're going to be ranked lower) is a can of worms that Google doesn't want to be seen dipping into.
Authorship on your sites alters your sites appearance on SERPs thereby giving you a distinct advantage or disadvantage that you can only gain by using Google's product.
The reason why this probably isn't true is that it would be a regulator's/anti-trust-buster's dream come true. Imagine it: Google ranks you lower if you don't use other Google products. Don't use GA? Ranked lower. Don't pay for ads? Maybe your organic results drop a bit. . .
Google has to be very careful about its organic search results. Giving extra weight to sites that use things like Google Analytics would be the "confirmation" that regulators would need. As such, it seems like Google wouldn't risk its core business over something like this.
I totally understand the logic: if I use Google Analytics, Google knows that my site is getting traffic and it makes a certain sense to take that into consideration. However, I think the opposite side of that (if sites don't give Google whatever Google wants, they're going to be ranked lower) is a can of worms that Google doesn't want to be seen dipping into.