Sponsored Link across top of serps

will adds soon bury serp results?

[annej]

O lordy, I just found one with two sponsored links across the top. Some have none.

I sure hate to see this development.

Anne

(could someone change the title to 'of serps'? I can't correct it.

[bcolflesh]

Hasn't it been this way for a long time - or did I miss something?

Regards,
Brent

[garylo]

Hasn't it been this way for a long time - or did I miss something?

Yep, it's been for a while

[hitchhiker]

These are 'Premium listings' (if you're talking about the wide coloured boxes on the top of serps)

[Shak]

either you surf on a small minority of keywords, or have NOT been paying attention in the class.

2 sponsored/premium listings have been there for over 2 years at least, probably a lot longer.

In case people forget, they HAVE to make money somehow.

Shak

[MeditationMan]

I had a similar shock several months ago and looked foolish on WebmasterWorld by exposing how little I go out.

I felt less silly when someone raised the same question a couple of weeks ago, and now that annej has come out as a hermit I now feel we've established some kind of "wired but completely-out-of-it" club).

[ga_ga]

> they HAVE to make money somehow

True enough. Just as long as there remains some kind of obvious separation between the paid-for listings and the general, I'm happy - I'm uncomfortable with what I perceive to be an assumption, in some quarters (various net commentaries), that all business or non-not-for-profit sites have money coming out of their ears, especially at startup. I'd like to see the possibility of hard work and a dose of good luck alone, rather than deep pockets alone, allowing smaller organisations/startups/one-man-band operations some success. Yeah okay, I'm in idealist mode. I just do a lot of work for smaller operations that usually will not carry the additional cost until they have first seen some favourable results. Chicken & egg..

[annej]

wired but completely-out-of-it

I guess I have just been focusing on what I wanted to see as I do check keywords and search for info a lot. Tunnel Vision.

Also I posted this in Google News as I was looking at it from the point of view of someone who can't afford to buy keywords. I wish they had left it there as it was with that point of view that I was writing. Of course people who buy sponsered links will see it differently.

I just think of those SEs that have a list of 10 or 12 paid links above any results. It really gives the impression they are just another ad source. If Google wants to primarily be a way for people to find information on the web and not just comercial sites they need to think about this. I didn't mind the paid ads on the side and thought that was the balanced way to go.

Anne

[Clovis]

from google.com, click advertise with us link, at the bottom of the page you will find...

<No more than two enhanced text links appear at the top of the Google results page whenever the keywords or phrases you have purchased are searched for by one of our users>