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A catastrophic example of this process is Google, once known as the main engine dedicated to free search results, now has changed the format of their search results from totally free to pay for placement.
Maybe you're making some type of distinction between cpm and cpc, but Google's Adwords program has been around since almost the beginning. Your post also suggests that Google's main results are paid for, when in fact they are not.
So, I'm curious if to find out if you have a problem with advertising on search engines in general, or is there a specific issue with a pay-per-click advertising model that I'm missing?
A catastrophic example of this process is Google, once known as the main engine dedicated to free search results, now has changed the format of their search results from totally free to pay for placement.
<Bleep>
In case you hadn't noticed, Google is pissing off most webmasters by doing exactly the opposite of what you've implied. Instead of corrupting the free results with advertising, they've been trying to force advertisers to fit into Google's "just the facts" philosophy by limiting the marketing hype in ads.
By the way, who else do you think is now known as the "main engine dedicated to free results"?
<NOTE: Please be sweet, mbauser2. ~Marcia> ;)
(edited by: Marcia at 12:30 am (utc) on May 26, 2002)
Please get your facts straight before posting such rubbish.
On the side and in different fonts clearly marked up the top are paid/sponsored listings.
They provide the most useful SERPs in the industry, but you cant have the bets product in the world, if nobody pays for it! So their options are Adwords, Sponsorhips, subscriptions, renting the database, etc. Whatever they are doing, it does not affect the core product that drives people to the google site and brand.
There is no cop out.
Should google's screen become so crowded with ads customers will leave. They cannot commit hari-kari on their own product. Its just how business works.. providing a way for a product to be funded and make a profit without alienating the very users that value the product enough to visit, (and maybe click on the ads as well!)