Aaron Wall's Blog

[neddy]

I've been catching up on my reading, and saw this post from Aaron concerning Google. (Apologies to those of you who have already read it).

"Google Admits 'Organic Results' Are Filler To Pump Deceptive Ads at Consumers"

www.seobook.com/forget-seo

Some of Google's new search results look quite alarming in terms of every single link above the fold is either a paid ad, or links to yet another Google page wrapped in ads.

I have a huge monitor & it is impossible for me to click *anywhere* above the fold on some search results without going through Google's toll booth or clicking off to yet another Google ad wrapped page.

This is basically what payattention was talking about the other day in relation to carwash.com.au.

What do you think?

 

[webdeal]

I am agree with you. I think Google getting more and more greedy or may be they have a huge debt...

 

[James]

I am agree with you. I think Google getting more and more greedy or may be they have a huge debt...

Huge Debt?

They have 30+ billion or something in Cash Reserves!!

Every one who works at Google is payed above and beyond the average wage for the sector, I have a few mates who work their.

They are just getting greedy on big money (high end) serp terms, SEO is not dead you just have to target the long tail and mobile effectively imo.

Plus most of the things you see in the US market take a while to come into aus things like PPC video ads/ SERP coupons ect, they take a long time to come from USA to AU, only if a test is happening.

 

[dave]

As a publicly traded company their main concern is continued growth and return for shareholders. This is pretty much what all their decisions are based on, which explains exactly what's been going on for the past few years in terms of layout and pushing down the organic results.

Far too many people get lulled into a false sense of security thinking that Google are their friend. The sooner you realise that Google is nothing more than a traffic source (albeit a very large traffic source) the sooner you can get on with growing your business.

 

[DavidL]

Every one who works at Google is payed above and beyond the average wage for the sector, I have a few mates who work their.

Not sure about that actually. From what I've heard, actual wages are in line with the industry or even a bit below. But of course they still attract quality people in droves due to:

1) the prestige of being a Googler
2) their 20% 'me-time'
3) the conditions at work (which are incredible)

 

[James]

Not sure about that actually. From what I've heard, actual wages are in line with the industry or even a bit below. But of course they still attract quality people in droves due to:

1) the prestige of being a Googler
2) their 20% 'me-time'
3) the conditions at work (which are incredible)

I know they pay really good, sure you can work in a private company and get more but expect to work crazy work hours.

Yeah I am at their office a bit it is crazy, chefs making breakfast/lunch/dinner..

that been said I feel that google is cutting back on the spend for agencies/gifts at christmas, spending is going down.

 

[Bacon Farmer]

As a publisher this crap https://www.google.com/advisor/uscr...s_rw&group=Exp-Generic&q=compare+credit+cards

and this http://www.google.com.au/search?rlz...=c&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8&q=new+york+hotels

means they've crossed the line. http://www.fairsearch.org/search-manipulation/googles-anti-small-business-strategy/

Plus when you have to download a plugin to opt out of personalised ads means they are just as bad as Facebook when it comes to using your personal info for their benefit.

http://www.google.com/ads/preferences/html/intl/en/plugin/browsers.html

 

[DavidL]

It's a huge issue... God knows what the end game will be.

Nice find Bacon Farmer - www.fairsearch.org

 

[Shane]

It's pretty scary really. Google could take over pretty much any online sector they wanted.

A lot of people (myself included) would be worried if they started moving into the insurance / credit card / home loan comparison market in Australia.

If they keep pushing in this direction, hopefully they will turn off consumers who will move to Bing rather than put up with contrived search results.

Alta Vista and Yahoo (among others) were all knocked off their perches fairly easily, but I think Google is too well entrenched to lose its spot as the top search engine any time soon.

As David said, god knows how it will all play out. The whole industry is still very young in the scheme of things.