Cannot access beyond page 1 of SERPs

Penalized for not installing the Google Desktop?

[paladin]

Strange phenomenon that just started. When I go to the bottom of the SERPS to click on page 2, the links are not clickable. On the right is an image of the Google Desktop program with a link and some text trying to get me to download and install it?

[Murdoch]

I just started noticing the same thing and was about to post a new thread but saw yours first.

C'mon Google, this is an amateur mess up. Get with it!

[paladin]

I heard Matt say something about engineers and late nights. Maybe that was what caused the slip-up (assuming it was accidental)

[Key_Master]

Failed validation, 202 errors

[Key_Master]

Now that I think about, leave it the way it is. :)

Might be a good thing.

[paladin]

Just checked in FireFox - same image, but we can click on the links

[netscan]

Well that would explain the drop in traffic from google....

[edited by: netscan at 10:03 pm (utc) on Jan. 25, 2006]

[bether2]

Just saw it myself and, like Murdoch, came here to post. Sure is strange that nobody at Google has noticed yet - or, at least, hasn't fixed it yet.

[tomapple]

yeah, I noticed it and clicked on the "dissastisfied with the results" link and sent them this:

You realize that you numb nuts have disallowed anyone from getting to the second page (and beyond) of the search results today with that stupid "Download Desktop Search" icon? At least if the user is running MS IE.

[netscan]

That's gotta seriously annoy the hell outta the average surfer using IE, I mean 90% of the people I know would not know to check it in Firefox and just think their computer's broken. Oh great, that means I'm in for a lot of calls tonight... "My computers acting weird, I can't click on links!?!" Sigh...

[followgreg]

It happens since yesterday, seems to be related to their self promotion, currently when you want to go to page 2 you click on the desktop search ad which is a nasty way to force users to download it though lol

[paladin]

I just left a similar message there. Maybe if they get enough complaints, someone there will wake up and fix it.

On the plus side of things, our clisnts that are appearing in the first page of the SERPS will likley get some more traffic for a few hours

It happens since yesterday

I guess not on all data centers. For us here and our other remote servers it just started today (East Coast)

[300m]

I think it is not the smartest thing to do, but I would think that for some reason they are doing it intentionally. Think about it for a second, why would they not be aware of this. A mistake is one thing as long as it is corrected, but this has been going on all day. At least since 5am this morning. I really think they know and have known the whole time. In fact at 5am this morning, the image that is there was broken, 1 hour later it was there, so they had to know about it.JMHO

[willybfriendly]

I reloaded the page and everything went as normal. Looks like a random ad. Pretty annoying.

WBF

[NoLimits]

It really annerves me that on the little pop up spammy looking advertisement for Google Desktop - that when I click the minus sign, it doesn't minimize, and when I click on the arrow it doesn't go away either.

It looks like a god awful ad from a certain free web provider some of you are probably familiar with.

Surely not a mistake. It's outright spam. THIS IS AN ATTACK ON MSFT - you better believe it. They are only showing it to non Moz compatible browsers folks! They are afraid of the power of IE, afraid that MSFT might block their ads from showing up (which would severely paralize google almost overnight) This could also be a counter attack to the upcoming MSFT built in search... When the minimize and close buttons take you to the agree to download page, I tend to think spam first - and back button next.

It is deceiving, as most advertisements (and that's what it is) that have those buttons actually make them work.

I think I just threw up in my mouth. They are essentially forcing people to download the Google desktop in order to see page 2. Are they insane?!?!

How do you AdWords advertisers who show up on page 2 feel about this?! I am mortified, I can't believe this. Don't they realize that a TON of people use their damn search engine at WORK! This isn't a shot in the foot, it's a shot in the face.

[edited by: NoLimits at 10:24 pm (utc) on Jan. 25, 2006]

[netscan]

I've been getting broken images and poorly displaying css/divs down there since yesterday, it just started showing the picture and the covered page links today

[afterburner]

wow, this is a major mess-up for google, how long do you think it will take them to correct this?

[pageoneresults]

It happens since yesterday, seems to be related to their self promotion, currently when you want to go to page 2 you click on the desktop search ad which is a nasty way to force users to download it though.

What? You guys/gals didn't see the announcement? This is part of the strategy for 2006. Only allow users to view the first page of results and then they can download the Google Desktop if they want to see anything beyond that.

Annoying, isn't it?

Just set your number of results to 100 for now. They should get the hint when they start to see bandwidth spikes because everyone is switching to 100 results per page. ;)

[300m]

pageoneresults

thanks, i am on page one in the serps again. lol

[GeeWhizzler]

It's been going on since Monday.

[evanharvey99]

You guys/gals didn't see the announcement? This is part of the strategy for 2006. Only allow users to view the first page of results and then they can download the Google Desktop if they want to see anything beyond that.

Monstrously funny, even if tinged with paranoia. God forbid they take the suggestion.

[SuddenlySara]

You guys are quick...I just found this and was going to post too... I have great surfer traffic from page 2 listings. Not right now though...

[KlausWright]

This is priceless. I certainly hope that the person responsible for this loses at least $100,000,000 in insider stock for this mishap. (If indeed this is a mistake) However, since a few million "accidental" Deskbar downloads certainly won't hurt the old bottom line, the person may actually get a bonus. Love It!

[SuddenlySara]

could google really screw something up that bad or is this a nasty way to promote their desktop service?

[300m]

It is a page 2 lockdown. j/k

[spaceylacie]

I think it just started working again, for me, anyway.

[travelin cat]

I am not seeing this at all. It's working just like any other time....

[netscan]

[tinfoilhat_on]
What's on page 2 that they don't want us to see?
[tinfoilhat_off]

[300m]

Normal search results lol. ok, I will stop.

[4crests]

This has been happening to me since about 11 pm PST yesterday.