Google advertising "answers" with Adwords

but it is showing up everywhere!

[Lisa]

Ok, do a search for a competitive phrase. If more then four adwords show up you will see Google an adword in there for “Google Answers”. I have not figured out the formula but they are clearly not following the standard relevance thing that other ads are forced to follow. It is like they have a wild card match. On some searches that are super competitive I don’t see them advertising… It is like they only place the ad in there if they are over 3 or 4 adwords but below the max of 8 adwords.

Very disturbing because they violate the ad relevance that they talk about when they are selling you the ads. They appear at the top when you can clearly see it is a less relevant to what you are searching for.

[Everyman]

Sigh.

Where are we going? Why are we in this handbasket?

I made a GIF for you, Lisa. See my profile.

[Lisa]

Funny. :)

I don't think they are big brother. Or are they?

I think it is odd they insert their own advertising. But that they place the advertising above the other ads. Seems to fly against relevant adwords.

[Lisa]

This is what I see on the left side where the adwords are:

Shouldn't Google's "answers" adword be at the bottom because less people are interested in it?

[ You ask. We tell. ]
Hard questions? Try Google Answers.
Live researchers. Low prices.
answers.google.com
interest: **

[ used to be the first adword. ]
blah blah blah blah….
blah blah blah blah….
www.url2.com
interest: ************

[used to be the second adword. ]
blah blah blah blah….
blah blah blah blah….
www.url3.com
interest: **********

[used to be the third adword. ]
blah blah blah blah….
blah blah blah blah….
www.url4.com
interest: *********

[used to be the forth adword. ]
blah blah blah blah….
blah blah blah blah….
www.url5.com
interest: *******

[Everyman]

This is what I see on the left side where the adwords are:

Yes, I see the same thing. Except they are on the right side of my screen. (If your monitor is upside down, then you can correct the problem by standing on your head.)

Searching for "travel" I get three ads. Google's irrelevant ad with near-zero popularity on the green bar is right on top.

Oh well, I don't buy ads so what do I care? But I can see how someone who does buy ads would have objections to this technique....

[Lisa]

Correct, my second left. The right hand side it is.

I do buy ads. And it flies in the face of what they say about showing only the most relevant ads.