Related Searches on AdSense Ads

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[Visit Thailand]

Has anyone noticed the Related searches on the AdSense Ads? Just below the ads are two links to a Google Related Search.

I for one do not like that as people may click on that rather than the ad.

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In fact I have now just seen one add that had no ads but just a whole bunch of links for related searches.

[mayor]

This is a sleezy move by Google. Just goes to show anything you can get away with goes in Cyberspace.

Heh, I guess it gives spammers a taste of their own medicine ... the spammee becomes the spammer!

[kpaul]

I am not sure I like it as legitimate users can now leave my site without me earning anything, which is not what I signed up for.

When you have legitimate users that have not come from a SE then why should I have related searches on my site, ads OK but am not comfortable with this move.

We have a loyal following of people that come to our site daily, the ads were great but related searches is a waste of space not a useful addition.

I don't think a lot of people here are giving their visitors enough credit! Oh no! The Sheep will be confused and not click the ads!

If they are a loyal following, they're going to surf your site *and* other sites. If you make it even easier for them to search other (related) sites, they'll keep coming back.

I do like the idea that it will cut the desire for people to throw up Adsense sites w/out too much 'real' content.

I don't know. I don't think it's so bad a move on their part. When I signed up I knew they could change w/out notification and accept that. It woulda been nice to have the announcement come out in an email, but I can live with it.

[yoyo8]

Now I have an important page which had perfectly fine targeted ads displaying NO ads and 10 Related Searches! ****.

[kpaul]

Jenstar - I'm getting more than 2 per page as well. Thought it might depend on how many 'ads' showed at first, but it doesn't seem to matter. I can refresh and get different amounts.

Also, the terms coming up in the related search are interesting. I wonder if you optimized for some of those terms as well more ads would show up and less targeted searches?

I don't know. Interesting development...

[chiyo]

Jason, in my view this would reduce spamming sites because spammers only work in areas which have high return for limited effort. Before they could set up a database driven site with hundreds of pages targeting adwords ads with say 50 words of content and one link back to the home page, and then SEO it like crazy. These pages would wok well because they are highly targeted and when people got to the page they would find low quality content, and nowhere else to go than the 2 to 4 adsense links, all of which made money.

Now, there will also be competing links back to google so the percentage of paying links is much less, and its much easier for browsers to go straight back to a search for better results.

[scumm_bar]

There was a discussion two weeks ago about related searches showing on premium partner websites. They also got the color options first. Those who plan to stay with Adsense should watch what happens with these partner websites, as it seems they are often used for beta testing.

Funnily enough, in that particular thread, nobody actually gave a second thought to the idea of related searches on every publishers' adsense ads. What does that tell you?

[JasonHamilton]

chiyo, the spammer has a site that doesn't require much effort to maintain, and gets free income...

Worse case situation, things might not be as attractive, but regardless, as long as there are ads, statistics say the spammer will get clicks. He still wins.

Now, if the spammer finds an alternative that starts to earn him more money than adsense, he'll switch over. I would too, as would you.

So until the spammer finds a better revenue stream, he'll remain with adsense. I don't see this changing much, unless of course, you run a legit website.

[NeedScripts]

Also.. there is another major problem with related search.

Lets say my site is about widgets.. and using AdSense interface I am blocking few of my major competitors.. now when google puts links like "Related Searches: • widgets" what they are doing is exposing my site users to my competitor sites.. as I have no control of Google Search result page and hence.. I am also risking my sites existance on a long run.. (I don't mind competition.. but why to work hard on giving away the users you already have.)

I hope google reconsiders the use of this feature.. before publishers start having second thoughts about using Adsense.

NS

[Imaster]

Here's an earlier discussion on this topic (when related searches were first seen on premium partners)

[webmasterworld.com...]

[PolishGuy]

I for one do not like that as people may click on that rather than the ad.

I do not like it and it is again unfair on part of Google to do such thing! I understand that "Ads by Google" link is OK, because they need to attract Advertiisers too, but these related searches are totally annoying, bad and unfair